Cybersecurity is complex, especially as cybercriminals continue to evolve their tactics, tools, and procedures. While becoming a cybersecurity expert takes time, learning about the why behind the strategy and understanding how some of the tools work will help you create a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that protects your business at every level.
Starting from scratch, this can be a long process full of learning, questions, and confusion as you sift through the tools, programs, software, equipment, best practices, trends, and instinctual aspects of cyber that only come from experience.
For more insight into how cybersecurity applies to everyday businesses, watch Impact’s webinar, Keys to Cybersecurity in Manufacturing: Prevent Downtime, Stop Threats.
Building an Expertise in Cybersecurity
Learning cybersecurity is too vague to give an absolute number. There are so many branches of cybersecurity that each requires its own expertise that, for one person, it could take decades of education and experience, and that’s only if you can somehow put a definition as to what “learning” cybersecurity even is. It’s always changing, so much, in fact, that even today’s experts must dedicate hours of time each day to learning new things.
A cybersecurity expert needs three main things: education, experience, and certifications. Those three things will grant most of the knowledge required for success in cybersecurity, including:
- What to look for when securing a business from modern threats
- The necessary tools and how to use them
- How to respond to breaches,
- How to write protocols and build security strategies
- How to audit a business’s current security standing,
- Compliance knowledge
- General best practices for strong cybersecurity
Even for experts, it may not be possible to fully understand every aspect of cybersecurity. That’s why managed security service providers (MSSPs) contain multiple teams of experts, each with a specific dedication to a certain discipline of the industry.
So, though it may take a long time to become a true expert, there are ways for anyone to start developing their knowledge base of cybersecurity terms, best practices, tools, and more.
How to Learn More About Cybersecurity
With a topic so fluid and difficult, it’s important to know how and where to find educational resources to improve your well of knowledge and, in time, to become an expert. Here are some of the main ways that security experts stay on top of it all and learn more about their industry:
Online Training Courses, Videos, and Other Resources
The internet is rife with cybersecurity training courses and training from blogs to YouTube videos to phishing training courses backed by larger cybersecurity organizations. Spending time immersed in the topics, trends, news, and best practices from these types of resources can help you get a more surface-level grasp of what makes cybersecurity tick while picking up some tricks and tips on improving your own cybersecurity posture.
But, when utilizing resources like these, it’s important to understand that anything not accredited by a university or by the government should be examined with a critical eye. Who is publishing the content and what makes them an expert worth learning from?
Be sure to do your due diligence before leaning too heavily on one channel without digging in to ensure the content is being created by actual experts in the field.
Staying Current on the News and Trends of the Industry
Reading is a noted key to success for many titans of industry who state that they read up to three hours a day to keep up on the latest buzz in their industries. This is true for cybersecurity, also, because it changes so rapidly and so often that you can quickly fall behind.
Build a list of cybersecurity resources that you trust—these can be thought leaders’ social accounts, news publications, blogs from security providers, or official releases from government agencies (ex. CISA)—and check them regularly, read their articles, absorb the information, and do your best to put it into practice during your workday.
These resources should bring you up to speed on the latest technologies, software, attack trends, large breaches, and new vulnerabilities; key information to use when improving your cybersecurity posture.
Certifications and Degrees
For something more official, you can pursue academic titles like a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degree in cybersecurity, which can take anywhere from 2-10 years to accomplish. This requires dedication, time, and money, but will give you much of the required information you need to fully understand the scope of cybersecurity.
Smaller certifications can be won through online courses sponsored by the government or other expert bodies like the EC-Council's certification for ethical hackers or CompTIA’s Security+ certification.
Each certification tends to focus on one area of cybersecurity, and collecting more and more can give hopeful security personnel the chance to obtain more knowledge and the proof that they have it.
Certifications and Degrees
For something more official, you can pursue academic titles like a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degree in cybersecurity, which can take anywhere from 2-10 years to accomplish. This requires dedication, time, and money, but will give you much of the required information you need to fully understand the scope of cybersecurity.
Smaller certifications can be won through online courses sponsored by the government or other expert bodies, like the EC-council's certification for ethical hackers or CompTIA's Security+ Certification.
Each certification tends to focus on one area of cybersecurity, and collecting more and more can give hopeful security personnel the chance to obtain more knowledge and the proof that they have it.
Paying Attention to AI in the Cybersecurity Industry
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the cybersecurity industry, bringing both advantages and new risks. Security platforms now use AI to detect unusual patterns in network traffic, flag phishing attempts, and predict potential breaches before they happen. These capabilities give defenders more speed and efficiency than ever, reducing the time it takes to respond to threats.
At the same time, attackers are also harnessing AI to their advantage. From creating more convincing phishing emails to generating malware that learns and adapts, AI is leveling the playing field in ways that make cybersecurity more complex. For anyone learning the field, developing a strong understanding of AI’s dual role—as both a shield and a sword—is quickly becoming a non-negotiable skill.
A Word on the Cybersecurity Talent Shortage
The global demand for cybersecurity professionals far exceeds the available supply, creating one of the largest skills gaps in the tech industry. Businesses are eager to hire analysts, engineers, and specialists who can protect critical systems, but finding qualified candidates remains a challenge. For learners, this shortage translates into opportunity—those who invest the time to gain hands-on skills can stand out quickly.
This imbalance also underscores the importance of continuous growth. Cybersecurity is not a field where skills learned once will last a lifetime; the threats and technologies evolve too rapidly. To thrive, professionals must commit to lifelong learning, building expertise step by step, while taking advantage of a job market that is actively seeking new talent.
Wrapping Up on Learning Cybersecurity
It can take years of experience, education, and training to become a cybersecurity expert. However, with resources like the ones above and enough time and dedication, everyone can become cyber-competent with a general knowledge of how to stay safe.
Having the cybersecurity expertise that you need to keep your business protected from modern cyberthreats and ready to handle any breaches that may occur.
To see how cybersecurity can apply to an everyday business, watch Impact’s webinar, Keys to Cybersecurity in Manufacturing: Prevent Downtime, Stop Threats.
