How to get involved in cyber-security

With the vast majority of business now taking place on smartphones, laptops, tablets and desktop computers, it has become more important than ever to take steps to prevent cyber criminals getting hold of accounts and data and control of devices.

In his day job, 26-year-old Lieutenant Olle Hawes of E (HQ) Company, Sussex ACF, is tasked with keeping businesses and organisations safe from the threat of cyber attacks and preventing unauthorised access to information that’s stored online.

Olle and his team at Computacenter are on a daily mission to outwit cyber criminals and protect companies’ devices and the services they access on them. We quizzed him to find out what qualities and skills are required to secure networks from intruders and combat malicious attacks on confidential and sensitive data.

What does it take to succeed in cyber security?

All sorts of people enjoy careers in cyber security. It’s helpful if you can focus and think clearly as you’ll need to make sense of loads of complicated data, often under pressure. Sometimes the data can be intentionally flawed to distract from the real aim of the threat, so you need to think outside the box to identify the ultimate target and motive.

Being good at cyber security takes teamwork – within an organisation and globally – so different skills and personality traits are all welcome, along with plenty of team spirit.

How did you get involved in cyber security?

I first realised I enjoyed IT when I was a cadet with Signals Platoon. I’d intended to join the Army but an injury prevented me following that career path, so I opted for a degree in forensic computing and cyber security. While studying, I did a placement at Computacenter and returned to the company after graduation – I’m still here today! University is just one route into cyber security but there are many others, including lots of excellent apprenticeships.

What does your role as head of cyberthreat hunting involve?

My team carries out various tasks. We look for signs that an organisation has been compromised in the past. Quite often, an organisation doesn’t even realise it has been attacked and that information has been stolen, or that a threat is lying dormant in its systems.

We also run simulations to test security systems and carry out malware analysis, which involves running malware in a segregated environment to analyse it, reverse engineer it, potentially trace its source and prevent further threats.

My team also includes hunters who actively looks for fresh threats in response to intelligence.

Is cyber security a rewarding career?

It’s a global issue and is always evolving because of geopolitical factors and the fact that cyber criminals are striving to stay one step ahead of us.

The motivations and attack methods vary so preventing and countering those attacks is interesting and rewarding, and likely to be in demand for a long time.

Sophos, a cyber-security software and service provider, recently reported 650,000 malware binaries (malicious software) a day – that’s just one provider, so the challenge is huge.

How can cadets get into cyber security?

Army Cadets offers lots of opportunities for cadets to learn about cyber security and there are dedicated initiatives to encourage more girls into cyber security careers. The CyberFirst programme is a free nationwide scheme set up by the National Cyber Security Centre, part of Joint Communications HQ, which I’d encourage all cadets to explore. See their resources page nationally run courses and talk to your detachment commander for information on local courses.

The programme is a great introduction to cyber security and, if you want to progress further, there are bursary schemes and financial support available to support your studies.

What role has Army Cadets played in your career?

My relationship with Army Cadets has continued throughout my career. While at university, I joined the University Officers’ Training Corps and later became a CFAV before eventually becoming Communications and Information Systems Officer (CISO) for Sussex ACF.

Without Army Cadets, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It gave me skills and confidence and my experience in Signals Platoon became the first step in my career. That’s why I’m so passionate about introducing other cadets to IT and helping them engage with CIS programmes such as CyberFirst.

Go further with Army Cadets

Communications & Information Systems is a core part of the Army Cadets syllabus, and includes a dedicated Cadet CyberFirst course. Get in touch with your local Army Cadets detatchment and find out more today.

Featured image by Pixabay.