Cybersecurity Specialist

Job Details

Sector(s)

Component Manufacturing & Research & Development; Project Development; Construction; Operations & Maintenance

Median Pay

$102,600 per year

$49.33 per hour

Job Type

Mid-Level

Typical Entry-Level Education and Work Experience Requirements

Bachelor’s or associate's degree; 1–5 years of experience in a related field

Position Title

Cybersecurity Specialist

Alternate Titles

Information security analyst and cybersecurity engineer

Job Description

Cybersecurity specialists protect hydropower plants from cybersecurity threats by planning and implementing measures to protect computer networks and systems.

Education and Training Description

Cybersecurity specialists generally need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field and at least 1–5 years of related work experience. Work experience could include working in an information technology (IT) department assessing network vulnerabilities, helping to implement security measures and software, or monitoring network compliance with security standards and regulations.

Information security certifications are preferred by many employers. These certifications exist for both entry-level workers, such as Security+, and experienced workers, such as the certified information systems security professional.

Cybersecurity specialists can advance to become chief security officers or other types of IT managers or senior researchers in the hydropower industry.

Job Profile

Cybersecurity is a growing field in the hydropower industry, especially as more hydropower operational systems are managed through internet and network-connected devices such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition and supervisory control and data acquisition systems. Cyberattacks could damage hydropower assets, lead to the release of large volumes of water through the hydropower dam infrastructure, and potentially cause flooding damage to downstream communities and environments.

Cybersecurity specialists in the hydropower industry design, plan, and implement security measures to protect hydropower plants from cybersecurity threats. Some cybersecurity specialists work for research and development institutions assessing weaknesses in existing network-connected devices and designing devices and software that reduce those weaknesses and the risk of external users gaining access to hydropower plant control systems. Other cybersecurity specialists work at hydropower plants or as hydropower plant consultants. These workers identify weaknesses in the plant’s operational network and implement new cybersecurity measures or software to address the weaknesses.

Cybersecurity specialists working at hydropower facilities are also involved in creating procedures that hydropower operators or other workers managing network-connected devices follow in case of emergency, such as a cyberattack or fire. These procedures are often referred to as a disaster recovery plan. Disaster recovery plans include preventative measures, such as regularly saving data to offsite locations as well as measures to restore hydropower operations after a disaster. Cybersecurity specialists routinely test their recovery plans.

Cybersecurity specialists must stay up to date on the latest methods that cyberattackers use to infiltrate network-connected systems as well as the most up-to-date hardware and software needed to prevent potential cyberattacks.

Cybersecurity specialists typically:

  • Develop new hydropower hardware and software that reduce the risk of cyberattacks
  • Monitor their organization’s networks for security breaches and investigate when one occurs
  • Use and maintain software, such as firewalls and data encryption programs, to protect sensitive information
  • Check for vulnerabilities in computer and network systems
  • Research the latest IT security trends
  • Prepare reports that document general metrics, attempted attacks, and security breaches
  • Develop security standards and best practices for their organization
  • Recommend security enhancements to management or senior IT staff
  • Help computer users when they need to install or learn about new security products and procedures.

Job Skills

Cybersecurity specialists typically need:

  • Analytical skills. Information security analysts study computer systems and networks and assess risks to determine improvements for security policies and protocols.
  • Communication skills. Information security analysts must be able to explain information security needs and potential threats to system operators, managers, and other staff that work with network-connected devices within their organizations.
  • Creative skills. Information security analysts must anticipate information security risks and implement new ways to protect their organizations’ computer systems and networks.
  • To be detail oriented. Because cyberattacks may be difficult to detect, information security analysts must pay careful attention to computer systems and watch for minor changes in performance.
  • Problem-solving skills. Information security analysts must respond to security alerts and uncover and fix flaws in computer systems and networks.

More Information

For more information on cybersecurity specialist jobs, see:

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