A Day in the Life of a Cyber Security Professional

It’s 2:17 AM—your phone rings. A major healthcare provider’s patient portal has been compromised, potentially exposing thousands of medical records.

While most of the city sleeps, the incident response team at your organisation springs into action, isolating affected systems, tracing the attack path, and working to contain the breach before sensitive information hits the dark web.

By dawn, they’ve patched the vulnerability, secured the data, and begun forensic analysis to ensure no backdoors remain.

This is just another day in the life of a cyber security professional—the digital guardians who stand as a barrier between our most sensitive information and those who seek to exploit it.

From preventing ransomware attacks that could shut down hospitals to securing financial systems that power the global economy, cyber security experts are the unseen heroes of our connected world.

If you’re fascinated by this field or are considering it as a career path, this comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about joining the ranks of these digital defenders.

What is Cyber Security?

Cyber security refers to the process of securing all your digital systems—mobile phones, computers, networks, data, and even financial assets—from theft, damage, or unauthorised access.

It involves implementing certain measures and taking precautions while using digital platforms to prevent cyberattacks and ensuring the safety and privacy of your digital information against ransomware, malware, phishing scams, data theft, and other cyberthreats.

The OTP’s you receive every time you make a card payment or the two-factor authentication you must use to log into your own accounts—all these are strategies to prevent or stop malicious logins or transactions.

According to a study done by IBM, in 2024, the global average cost of a data breach was $4.88 million—a 10% increase from 2023. Malware-free activity (phishing, social engineering, using trusted relationships, and others) made up 75% of identity attacks in 2023.

This has created a growing need for updated strategies and talent to curb cyberattacks before hackers develop newer ways to breach.

The Growing Demand for Cyber Security Professionals

The cyber security job market is experiencing unprecedented growth since the past few years, especially post-COVID. The 2020 pandemic forced the world to shift all its manual processes online, making it the catalyst for increased cyberattacks.

With increased attacks, it became essential for businesses across industries and countries to safeguard their data and other assets—leading to an increase in cyber security job roles.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, information security analyst positions are projected to grow 33% from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations. This translates to approximately 17,300 openings each year over the decade.

Source: ISC2

But the industry suffers from an unequal supply-demand of professionals. The current global cyber security workforce gap is massive—estimated at around 3.4 million professionals. Meaning the requirement is high, but the supply of skilled professionals is still low in comparison.

👉 How you can benefit: This shortage means organisations are desperate for qualified talent, creating excellent opportunities for newcomers to the field.

Cyber Security Skills Required to Become a Professional

Cyber security professionals need a variety of skills—technical as well as non-technical—to perform in their roles. You don’t just have to know how to identify threats, but also know how to quickly solve problems, work together with your team, and build secure systems.

If you’re someone who has some experience working in IT, it can be easier for you to understand what it takes and transition into a cyber security role. If you’re a fresher or someone new in the field, here are some of the important skills you must have:

Technical Skills:

1. Network Security: Understanding how networks work and how to secure them.
2. Operating Systems: Proficiency in Windows, Linux, and macOS security features and vulnerabilities.
3. Programming/Coding: Knowledge of languages like Python, JavaScript, C++, and SQL helps in understanding and creating security tools.
4. Cloud Security: Understanding AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud security is increasingly becoming valuable.
5. Digital Forensics: How to investigate security incidents and perform root cause analysis.

Non-Technical Skills of Cyber Security Professionals:

1. Analytical Thinking: The ability to analyse complex systems and identify potential vulnerabilities.
2. Problem-Solving: Quick thinking and effective resolution of security issues.
3. Communication: Explaining complex technical issues to non-technical stakeholders.
4. Collaboration: You’ll likely work with a larger security team, along with IT, Legal, Public Relations teams to share your findings.
5. Continuous Learning: The cyber security landscape evolves almost every day; professionals must stay updated with the latest threats and solutions.
6. Strong Ethics: Strong ethical foundations are essential in a field where you’ll have access to sensitive information.

This was about the skills you need to be in cyber security. To really understand what their daily job entails, the tasks and responsibilities they have, let’s go through a day in the life of an Ethical Hacker.

A Day in the Life: Ethical Hacker

Ethical hackers (also known as penetration testers or white hat hackers) are the cyber security professionals hired to break into systems—legally and with permission—to identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.

With an emphasis on the word “ethical”, their job is mainly to use their skills and knowledge to help identify the weak spots in a system and alert their organisation to patch it before an outside party can take advantage of it.

In-house ethical hackers (often called security engineers with offensive security specialisation) work to continuously test and secure their own organisation’s systems. Here’s what a typical day in their life, working for a mid-sized e-commerce organisation looks like:

MORNING

Security Review

• • Arrive at the office and check the security dashboards for any overnight alerts.
  • Review the latest threat intelligence feeds for new vulnerabilities affecting the company’s technology stack.
  • Join the security team’s daily standup to discuss ongoing projects and prioritise the day’s tasks.

Automated Security Testing

• • Run scheduled automated scans against the pre-production environment where developers pushed code yesterday.
  • Review scan results and identify potential vulnerabilities in a new API endpoint.
  • Verify findings manually to eliminate false positives.
  • Create tickets in the development team’s issue tracker with clear reproduction steps and security impact.

Targeted Security Testing

• • Begin a focused assessment of the company’s new customer loyalty program feature before it goes live.
  • Use specialised tools to find input validation issues in the points redemption process.
  • Successfully identify a business logic flaw that could allow points multiplication.
  • Record a short video demonstrating the vulnerability for the development team.
  • Join a quick call with the product manager and lead developer to explain the finding and discuss mitigation options.

AFTERNOON

Lunch and Security Research

• • Have lunch.
  • Use downtime to research a new attack technique that might affect the company’s containerised applications.
  • Test a proof-of-concept in the lab environment.

Security Architecture Review

• • Participate in an architecture review meeting for an upcoming system redesign.
  • Provide input on secure design patterns and potential attack vectors.
  • Recommend security controls that won’t impede the user experience or system performance.
  • Schedule follow-up testing time once the initial implementation is ready.

Red Team Activity

• • Continue an ongoing authorised simulation of a sophisticated attack against company systems.
  • Leverage access gained yesterday to attempt lateral movement across the network.
  • Document security controls that worked effectively and those that failed
  • Use the company’s EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) solution to verify if attack attempts were detected.

Documentation and Reporting

• • Update the security testing documentation with today’s findings.
  • Work on the monthly security posture report.
  • Analyse trends in vulnerability types discovered over the past quarter.
  • Prepare metrics showing time-to-remediation improvements.

EVENING

Professional Development and Wrap-up

• • Check for critical security bulletins or patches released during the day.
  • Ensure all sensitive testing tools and data are properly secured.
  • Set priorities for tomorrow’s security testing activities.

Unlike external consultants, in-house ethical hackers see the complete lifecycle of security improvements and can measure their impact over time. They become trusted security advisors with a seat at the table when important decisions are made about new products, features, and infrastructure.

The level of work-life balance for a cyber security professional varies significantly by their role:

• Consultant roles may involve travel and irregular hours.
• In-house security teams often have more predictable and regular schedules.
• Management positions typically follow business hours but with added responsibilities.
• Incident responders face the most unpredictable schedules, having to work longer hours till a problem is fixed.

Common Cyber Security Roles and Responsibilities

Security Analyst

• Monitors networks for security breaches
• Investigates violations when they occur
• Helps develop security measures and protocols
• Works with day-to-day operations of security systems

Security Engineer

• Designs and implements secure network solutions
• Tests and screens security software
• Monitors networks for vulnerabilities
• Responds to security breaches

Ethical Hacker/Penetration Tester

• Conducts authorised simulations of cyberattacks to find vulnerabilities
• Uses the same tools and techniques as malicious hackers, but with permission
• Creates detailed reports with remediation recommendations
• May specialise in web applications, networks, cloud environments, or social engineering

Network Security Specialist (CCNA/CompTIA Network+)

• Configures and maintains network security devices like firewalls and IDS/IPS
• Implements security policies at the network level
• Monitors network traffic for unusual patterns
• Maintains secure network architecture and segmentation

CompTIA Security+ Professional

• Entry-level role focused on operational security
• Handles security fundamentals across various platforms
• Implements basic security controls and protocols
• Often serves as a stepping stone to more specialised roles

Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

• Executive-level position overseeing security strategy
• Develops security policies and procedures
• Manages security teams
• Works with other executives to align security with business goals

Salary Ranges of Cyber Security Professionals by Region

Cyber security professionals are well-compensated, with salaries varying by location, experience, and specialisation. Here is a region-wise breakdown of the salaries of a cyber security professional.

Middle East

• • UAE (Dubai/Abu Dhabi): $60,000 – $180,000 (significantly higher for expatriates)
  • Saudi Arabia: $55,000 – $160,000 (with tax benefits making net income attractive)
  • Qatar: $65,000 – $170,000 (often with housing and other allowances)
  • Israel: $60,000 – $150,000 (with Tel Aviv offering the highest salaries)

The Middle East region has seen substantial growth in cyber security hiring. Government initiatives like Saudi Vision 2030 and UAE’s National Cybersecurity Strategy have driven significant investment in cyber security talent, particularly in the financial and energy sectors.

United States

• • Entry-Level (0-2 years): $70,000 – $90,000
  • Mid-Level (3-5 years): $90,000 – $120,000
  • Senior-Level (6+ years): $120,000 – $200,000+
  • CISO: $175,000 – $350,000+

Regional variations exist, with higher salaries in tech hubs like San Francisco/Silicon Valley (25-40% above national average), New York (15-30% above national average), and Washington DC (10-25% above national average)

Europe

• • UK: £35,000 – £100,000+ (£150,000+ for senior roles)
  • Germany: €45,000 – €120,000
  • France: €40,000 – €90,000

Asia-Pacific

• • Australia: AU$70,000 – AU$170,000
  • Singapore: S$60,000 – S$180,000
  • Japan: ¥5,000,000 – ¥15,000,000

How to Improve Cyber Security Skills – Education and Qualifications

Being in cyber security might require an innate skill and/or passion for it, but it can also be an acquired liking. Here are the education qualifications and certifications you will need to become a professional.

Formal Education

While not always required, many employers prefer candidates with:

• Bachelor’s degree in cyber security, Computer Science, IT, or related field.
• Master’s degrees for advanced positions or management roles

Certifications

Industry certifications often carry significant weight:

Entry-Level:

• • CompTIA Security+
  • Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
  • Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Security

Mid-Level:

• • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
  • Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
  • SANS GIAC certifications

Specialised:

• • Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
  • Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
  • Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP)

WingsWay Training Institute offers many beginner to advanced level cyber security courses for people like you to start your career in the cyber security space. Click here to know more.

Alternative Pathways

College isn’t the only route into cyber security. You can try joining bootcamps like Flatiron School, SecureSet, and Evolve Security Academy. You can also self-study with platforms like TryHackMe, HackTheBox, and CyberDefenders if you have that discipline.

Breaking Into the Field: Practical Tips

1. Build a Home Lab: Set up virtual environments to practice security techniques regularly.
2. Participate in CTF Competitions: Participating in Capture The Flag and other such events helps build skills in a gamified environment.
3. Contribute to Open-Source Projects: Getting a job without any experience might be tough. Instead, start building your portfolio by contributing in open-source projects.
4. Network with Professionals: Attend conferences, join forums like Reddit’s r/cybersecurity to stay updated and connected with the industry.
5. Create a Security Blog: Demonstrate your knowledge and communication skills by documenting your experience in a blog.
6. Pursue Bug Bounties: Platforms like HackerOne and Bugcrowd let you earn while learning.

Stay Safe with WingsWay’s Cyber Security Courses

The cyber security field offers rewarding careers with strong job security, competitive compensation, and the satisfaction of protecting organisations and individuals from digital threats. While the learning curve can be steep, the persistent skills gap means opportunities abound for those willing to invest in developing their expertise.

Whether you’re a recent graduate, a mid-career professional looking to pivot, or someone fascinated by the cat-and-mouse game of cyber defence, there has never been a better time to enter this dynamic field.

If you want to learn more about this field or are interested in starting your career in the cyber security space, talk to our Training Solutions Specialist today.