Domains & Roles in Cybersecurity: Overview

Introduction

In this blog post, we aim to demystify the complex field of cybersecurity by providing an overview of its main domains, their respective definitions, and relevant job roles. The International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC2) has identified these domains as the primary areas of focus within the cybersecurity industry.

Security & Risk Management

Security and Risk Management covers principles, concepts, and best practices related to cybersecurity risk management, including developing and implementing security policies, procedures, and standards; managing security governance; conducting risk assessments, and understanding legal and regulatory requirements. Here are some job roles in this domain:

1. Chief Information Security Officer (CISO): CISOs are senior-level executives responsible for the overall security strategy and risk management for an organization. They develop and implement security policies and procedures, oversee security operations, and ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
2. Risk Manager: Risk managers identify and assess potential risks to an organization’s assets, including financial, operational, and reputational risks. They develop and implement risk management plans and strategies to mitigate those risks and ensure business continuity.
3. Compliance Manager: Compliance managers ensure that an organization is compliant with relevant legal and regulatory requirements, such as HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI-DSS. They develop and implement compliance policies and procedures and work with other teams to ensure that the organization is meeting its compliance obligations.
4. Security Analyst: Security analysts analyze and monitor security systems and networks to identify potential security threats and vulnerabilities. They use a range of tools and techniques to identify and respond to security incidents and work with other teams to develop and implement security strategies and procedures.
5. Security Consultant: Security consultants work with organizations to identify potential security risks and develop and implement security strategies and procedures. They may also provide training and education to staff and work with other teams to ensure that security policies and procedures are being followed.
6. Business Continuity Manager: Business continuity managers ensure that an organization can continue to operate in the event of a disaster or other disruption. They develop and implement business continuity plans and strategies to ensure that critical business functions can continue to operate during and after a crisis.
7. Security Auditor: Security auditors assess an organization’s security policies, procedures, and systems to ensure that they are effective and compliant with legal and regulatory requirements. They identify potential vulnerabilities and recommend improvements to security controls and processes.

Asset Security

Asset Security covers the protection of organizational assets, including the identification, classification, and ownership of information assets; protecting privacy and ensuring data confidentiality and integrity, and ensuring secure data handling practices. Here are some job roles in this domain:

1. Information Security Manager: An information security manager oversees the security of an organization’s information assets, including identifying and classifying sensitive data, establishing access controls, and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.
2. Data Security Analyst: A data security analyst is responsible for protecting an organization’s data from unauthorized access, ensuring data privacy and confidentiality, and implementing data loss prevention measures.
3. Cryptographer: A cryptographer is responsible for designing and implementing cryptographic systems to protect data confidentiality and integrity.
4. Security Auditor: A security auditor evaluates an organization’s security controls, policies, and procedures to identify vulnerabilities and recommend improvements to enhance the security posture of the organization.
5. Identity and Access Management (IAM) Specialist: An IAM specialist is responsible for managing user identities, roles, and access rights to protect against unauthorized access and ensure data confidentiality and integrity.
6. Compliance Manager: A compliance manager ensures that an organization complies with relevant laws, regulations, and standards related to data protection and security, including GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS.
7. Security Consultant: A security consultant provides expert advice on information security matters, including risk management, threat assessment, and security architecture.

Security Architecture & Engineering

Security Architecture and Engineering covers the design and implementation of secure systems and architectures, including understanding security models, system components, security protocols, and cryptography. Here are some job roles in this domain:

1. Security Architect: Responsible for designing and implementing security solutions and providing guidance on security policies and procedures.
2. Security Engineer: Responsible for the technical implementation of security controls, including encryption, firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and access controls.
3. Systems Engineer: Responsible for designing and implementing secure systems and architectures, including servers, networks, and storage systems.
4. Network Engineer: Responsible for designing and implementing secure network architectures, including routers, switches, and firewalls.
5. Application Security Engineer: Responsible for designing and implementing secure software applications and ensuring that application security controls are properly implemented.
6. Cryptographer: Responsible for designing and implementing cryptographic algorithms and protocols for secure communications and data protection.
7. Penetration Tester: Responsible for identifying vulnerabilities in security systems and applications and testing security controls to assess their effectiveness.
8. Security Consultant: Responsible for providing guidance and expertise on security architecture and engineering best practices and helping organizations implement effective security solutions.

Communication & Network Security

Communication and Network Security covers the principles and concepts related to secure network design, including understanding network protocols, security architectures, and the use of firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and other security technologies. Here are some job roles in this domain:

1. Network Security Engineer: These professionals are responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining secure network infrastructures. They develop and implement network security policies and procedures, perform vulnerability assessments and penetration testing, and manage firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and other security technologies.
2. Network Administrator: Network administrators are responsible for managing and maintaining computer networks. They oversee network security, manage user access, and troubleshoot network issues.
3. Security Analyst: Security analysts monitor and analyze network traffic and security logs to identify security threats and vulnerabilities. They are responsible for ensuring that security policies and procedures are followed, and they may also be involved in developing security strategies and implementing security technologies.
4. Network Architect: Network architects design and implement network infrastructures, including security architectures, protocols, and technologies. They ensure that networks are secure, reliable, and scalable, and they may also be involved in developing disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
5. Cybersecurity Consultant: Cybersecurity consultants are responsible for advising organizations on their network security strategies and helping them to develop and implement effective security measures. They may also be involved in conducting security assessments, risk analyses, and vulnerability assessments.
6. Penetration Tester: Penetration testers are responsible for testing the security of network infrastructures and applications by simulating attacks and identifying vulnerabilities. They use a variety of tools and techniques to conduct their tests, and they work closely with network security engineers and other security professionals to address any identified issues.

Identity & Access Management (IAM)

Identity and Access Management (IAM) covers the principles and best practices related to managing user access and authentication, including user identification and authorization, access control, and identity management technologies. Here are some job roles in this domain:

1. IAM Engineer: This role involves designing, developing, and implementing IAM solutions to manage user access and authentication, including user provisioning and de-provisioning, access control, and identity federation.
2. IAM Architect: This role involves designing and developing IAM architecture, including the development of identity and access policies, the integration of IAM systems with other security solutions, and the evaluation of IAM technologies.
3. IAM Analyst: This role involves analyzing user access and authentication data to identify potential security risks and develop recommendations for improving IAM practices.
4. IAM Administrator: This role involves managing and maintaining IAM systems, including user provisioning, user authentication, and access control policies.
5. IAM Consultant: This role involves providing consulting services to organizations on IAM best practices, including the development of IAM strategies, the implementation of IAM solutions, and the evaluation of IAM systems.
6. IAM Auditor: This role involves conducting audits of IAM systems to ensure compliance with security policies, regulations, and industry standards.
7. Identity Federation Specialist: This role involves developing and managing identity federation solutions to enable secure authentication and access control across different systems and applications.

Security Assessment & Testing

Security Assessment and Testing covers the methods, tools, and best practices for assessing and testing system security, including vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and security audits. Here are some job roles in this domain:

1. Vulnerability Analyst: Responsible for identifying vulnerabilities in software and networks, assessing risks and recommending mitigation strategies.
2. Penetration Tester: Responsible for simulating real-world cyber attacks to identify vulnerabilities in computer systems, networks and applications.
3. Security Auditor: Responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of existing security controls and recommending improvements.
4. Security Analyst: Responsible for monitoring and analyzing security alerts, conducting investigations into security incidents and identifying security risks.
5. Red Teamer: Responsible for simulating real-world cyber attacks and testing the effectiveness of security defenses.
6. Security Consultant: Responsible for providing expert advice and guidance on security assessment and testing.
7. Forensic Analyst: Responsible for investigating security breaches, analyzing data to determine the cause of the breach and developing remediation strategies.

Security Operations

Security Operations covers the principles and best practices for managing cybersecurity operations, including incident response, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning. Here are some job roles in this domain:

1. Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst: SOC analysts monitor security events and alerts, investigate incidents, and implement incident response processes. They also perform vulnerability assessments, network monitoring, and threat analysis to identify and mitigate security risks.
2. Security Operations Manager: Security operations managers are responsible for managing a team of security professionals, developing and implementing security policies and procedures, and overseeing the security operations function.
3. Incident Response Manager: Incident response managers are responsible for managing the response to security incidents, coordinating with different teams, conducting forensic analysis, and ensuring the recovery of systems and data.
4. Security Engineer: Security engineers design, implement, and maintain security systems and technologies, including firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and security information and event management (SIEM) systems.
5. Threat Intelligence Analyst: Threat intelligence analysts gather and analyze information about potential security threats and vulnerabilities to provide actionable insights and recommendations for improving security posture.
6. Penetration Tester: Penetration testers conduct controlled simulated attacks on systems and networks to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses and assess the effectiveness of security controls.
7. Security Consultant: Security consultants provide advisory and consultancy services to organizations on cybersecurity best practices, risk assessments, compliance requirements, and security technology implementations.

Software Development Security

Software Development Security covers the principles and best practices for secure software development, including secure coding, software testing, and the use of security frameworks and methodologies. Here are some job roles in this domain:

1. Software security engineer: Software security engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and implementing secure software applications. They work closely with software developers to ensure that security features are integrated into the software development lifecycle.
2. Application security architect: Application security architects design and implement security architectures for applications, including evaluating the security risks and threats associated with the application and implementing controls to mitigate those risks.
3. DevSecOps engineer: DevSecOps engineers are responsible for integrating security into the software development lifecycle, working closely with developers and operations teams to ensure that security is built into every stage of the development process.
4. Security analyst: Security analysts assess and analyze software applications to identify security vulnerabilities and risks. They work with software developers to remediate those vulnerabilities and implement security controls.
5. Security tester: Security testers are responsible for testing software applications to identify security vulnerabilities and risks. They use a variety of testing techniques, including vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, and code analysis.
6. Security consultant: Security consultants provide expertise and guidance to organizations on software development security best practices, including conducting security assessments, developing security policies and procedures, and implementing security controls.
7. Secure code reviewer: Secure code reviewers review software code to identify security vulnerabilities and risks. They work with software developers to remediate those vulnerabilities and ensure that secure coding practices are followed.

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My name is Quinyon Nave, aka Digital Quinn, and I am an Active Duty Soldier and the Founder of Nave Security. I want to be a cybersecurity pioneer and teach others about data and information security. My other professional ambition is to research the brain and create new forms of neuro-biomedical technology. I am an outspoken proponent of self-love and self-care, and I am on a mission to spread positivity throughout the world.