The development of information technologies and the entry of the Internet into almost all spheres of life have led to an increase in the demand for information security specialists. Employers are interested in: is it possible to ensure the security of information without resorting to the services of qualified specialists, is it mandatory for an employee of the information security service, and what serves as a criterion for assessing his professionalism. We will try to answer these and other questions.
Selection criteria for specialists
The qualification characteristics of officials of the information security service are given in the Unified Qualification Handbook. The document was approved by Order No. 205 of 04/22/2009 by the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation.
Specialists should be able to:
- find threats to information;
- to develop programs for technical protection and put them into practice.
Also, information security specialists should know the methods of violators (how to get remote access to various mechanisms and systems, make changes or destroy databases).
Knowing the methods of attackers, a specialist will be able to take proactive measures, create a reliable data exchange structure, and eliminate vulnerabilities in the system.
To become in demand in the field of information security, it is important:
- understand the principle of gadgets, computers;
- understand the configuration and maintenance of special programs for data protection;
- have an understanding of information security standards, including how corporate anti-virus programs and intrusion detection systems function.
Professional qualities are improved by practice and are reflected in the career of a beginner, often regardless of the profile of his higher or secondary education.
What is the responsibility of a specialist in charge of information security
As a rule, such specialists work in a team that includes:
- computer security professionals;
- programmers;
- system administrators;
- testers.
Each of them performs functions defined by job descriptions.
The work of an information security specialist is:
- in setting up a multi-level information security system (this includes setting logins and passwords, identifying employees before accessing confidential data);
- in the study of the company's information system for vulnerabilities;
- in taking measures to eliminate identified problems;
- in eliminating the consequences of emergency situations: failure of the information system, hacking of the database;
- in the development and implementation of new regulations to ensure the safety and integrity of classified information;
- in conducting classes (briefings) with users of the system to explain the importance and types of protective measures applied;
- in the maintenance of documentation, preparation of reports on the state of IT systems.
Among other things, a competent information security specialist must know and take into account:
- statutory rights to receive reliable information;
- norms of legal documents of internal use on restricting access to data.
Universal competencies and personal qualities required in the field of information security
The responsibility assigned to those in charge of safety involves high risks and stressful situations. Hacking technologies and methods of work of attackers are constantly being improved, which obliges an information security specialist to regularly engage in self-education, monitor new developments in software and hardware that ensure the security of important documents, personal and secret data.
A lot of technical literature in this area is published in English, therefore, knowledge of the language will provide an opportunity to keep abreast of the latest news.
Despite the fact that security workers are, first of all, highly qualified technical specialists, in further development, promotion (which will be reflected in the salary level) they need:
- have an analytical mindset;
- have patience and resistance to stress;
- be attentive even to seemingly insignificant details;
- constantly engage in self-development;
- be able to make responsible decisions, work in a team.
One should not underestimate the efficiency of the employee's actions, the ability to quickly find the information of interest in the search engines, since sometimes it is easier to find a solution to the current problem situation and build it into the workflow than to rewrite it. In addition to professional training, which must be constantly improved, perseverance, dedication, and out-of-the-box thinking are useful.
Staff training in safety rules
Knowing the basics of ensuring the safety of information is necessary not only for people who have decided to build a career in the field of information security, but also for ordinary users in order to prevent theft of personal data.
Leaders of large companies interested in guaranteed security of classified information, as a rule, employ trained professionals with practical experience who are ready to improve their skills and abilities, monitor all changes in the legal framework and new developments.
The job responsibilities of information security specialists often include carrying out planned and extraordinary measures to train company employees in the rules for the safety of confidential information.
The IS specialists themselves must also regularly improve their qualifications and, if necessary, undergo retraining in licensed training centers according to programs agreed with the FSTEC and the FSB.
The most relevant areas include:
- technical protection of information constituting a state secret (confidential information);
- countering foreign technical intelligence;
- organization of cryptographic protection of confidential information;
- organization and technology of information protection.
To master information security at a professional level, it is also necessary to study the practices of international standards, for example, ISO / IEC 27000, advanced developments of various institutions.
Demand in the labor market
The urgency of the problem of data security contributes to the demand for information security specialists:
- in large companies and enterprises, regardless of their form of ownership;
- in banks and other credit institutions;
- in government agencies, where a special form of access to state secrets is required, which imposes certain restrictions on the employee, for example, regarding travel abroad.
In addition to the availability of specialized education, employers assess the candidate's ability to make decisions quickly. The higher the professionalism, practical work experience, the greater the chances for employment.
The amount of earnings even for young specialists without work experience is quite high in comparison with the national average and amounts to about 40,000 rubles. And for professionals with work experience of 3 years or more - about 100,000 rubles. Ability to use international standards, higher education, knowledge of a foreign language accelerates career growth. In order for the employer to be interested in further cooperation, the specialist needs to constantly improve, take advanced training courses and follow all the innovations in the information security solutions market.
17.12.2020
