What is a Cybersecurity generalist?

What is a cyber security generalist?

As a Cyber Security Generalist, you'll be largely responsible for every aspect of the security of an organisation’s data and its information systems. It's a fantastic career for someone who didn't comfortable with a niche and wants multiple specialists. 

In detail, you may:

• Track vulnerabilities in software, systems and networks

• Identify and assess cyber threats

• Identify and assess cyber security risks and recommend measures to manage them

• Design security controls, including those affecting the selection and development of

  systems

• Draft cyber security policies and procedures, particularly for the secure operation of

  systems

• Test and report on the security of an organisation’s systems and networks

• Manage external providers

• Advise IT staff and business managers on cyber security risks and controls, including

  procedures and staff behaviours

• Brief and train non-cyber staff on cyber security awareness and safe practice

   

As a Senior Practitioner, you may also:

• Be responsible for the overall performance and security of live systems

• Work with managers in other teams to ensure effective cyber security across the

  organisation

• Recruit, train and assess practitioners

What are the transferable skills?

Personal

• Remaining calm under pressure

• Self-management

• Communicating with non-technical colleagues about technical matters

• Producing written and verbal reports

• Managing suppliers

• Prioritising complex sets of demands

• Understanding business and user needs

• Evaluating the probable social, commercial, cultural, ethical and environmental

  consequences of an action Specialist

• Risk assessment and management

• Project management

• Procurement

• Cyber security awareness training

• Monitoring system performance and security

   

Junior

• IT helpdesk

Senior:

• IT project manager or development manager

• IT operations manager

• business operations manager

• security officer or manager

Can you join from other roles? 

You might start, as a junior generalist practitioner, as an apprentice. If you start as a graduate you should have a degree in

• Cyber security or information security

• Software or computer engineering

• Computer science

Or, within an organisation, you might move into this specialism from a role in:

• IT development

• IT management

• Security

• Business risk management

You might also move into this specialism from a different role in one of these cyber security specialisms:

• Cyber Security Governance & Risk Management

• Vulnerability Management

• Cyber Security Audit & Assurance

• Secure System Development

• Secure Operations

If you're looking for a new role in cybersecurity then view our latest vacancies page here, or get in touch with a member of the team here