The pattern of defense and attack is familiar to us since the dawn of time, from tribal struggles through clashing empires, to world wars. The foundation of every struggle is the need to attack the enemy, establish deterrence and maintain order, while at the same time protecting the environment so that it is not vandalized or destroyed. The Internet arena is another incarnation of “struggle”, one that is conducted virtually and may be just as dangerous and critical.
With the rise of the Internet, the entire world converged into the same virtual space, where infinite information is gathered. As the Internet continued to develop and grow, more and more information was routed to the network and people began to conduct their entire lives online, including performing banking operations, entering personal details in search engines and classified information about their private lives. When did this start to become dangerous? When hackers began to diagnose possible entry points to penetrate the sites that store Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and extract the private data that was not intended for distribution.
Chaos, mess, whirlwind – all these words are correct descriptions of a situation where information is hacked and circulates freely. And what is the upside to all of this? That we are lucky to have cyber and information security professionals to counter and limit the attacks. If you want to participate in a cyber-program and be part of the professional cyber warfare system, continue reading this article.
What is Cyber?
Before we can understand what cyber is, let’s talk a little about the origin of the word. The term “cyber” has been widely used in recent years, especially in a digital space context (cybercrime, cyber warfare, cyber bullying and for the general protection of cyberspace). According to a policy study conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute, the origin of the word is rooted in the Greek language, and its meaning is “the ability to navigate and govern”. The first to renew its meaning was Norbert Wiener, an American mathematician and philosopher, who in 1948 used it to describe control and self-monitoring in communication systems between different animals and between industrial machines.
Today, cyber is a general term that embodies the protection of servers, computers, electronic systems, networks, devices and cell phones against possible attacks by malicious hackers. The name synonymous with cyber is information security, and its main purpose is to protect companies/bodies/organizations/individuals from intrusion of online databases and theft of personal information from there.
What areas does the cyber world include?
The cyber domain is divided into several sub-domains, each of which deals with a different aspect:
- Network Security – The security of servers and everything related to them, so that the availability of the information contained in them can be maintained in full.
- Application Security – Hackers often target WEB applications. There are many relatively accessible security hacks, which require strict protection. Companies and organizations therefore seek to secure their applications and protect all personal and sensitive information such as personal details, credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc.
- The Security of the Internet of Things (IoT) – The Internet of Things is attributed to the physical systems and devices connected to the network and used by people on a daily basis, such as smart watches, smart phones, cameras, sensors, industrial equipment and more.
- Cloud Security – The cloud is a remote server that eases the load created on local computers due to the abundance of data and the daily work processes. Use of the cloud is increasing among companies and organizations, thus creating another target in cyberspace for potential attackers. The development of the cloud has resulted in new cyber roles that focus on protecting it from attacks.
Study in a cyber course to become part of the Israeli cyber security system
The State of Israel is renowned as one of the central hubs in the international cyber industry with a global export of cyber companies. The demand for cyber professionals in Israel is therefore soaring, and those connected to the field have plenty of room to develop and make a career out of it. How do you get the qualifications?
Firstly, we would like to debunk the myth that in order to learn cyber, you need a computer science degree. Not only is an academic degree not a prerequisite, but successful completion of a cyber program or cyber training is sufficient to work in the industry. In most programs, no previous background in cyber or information security is necessary, and the materials are focused on learning from the ground up. It is impossible to ignore the fact that cyber is part of a highly technical and complex world, so an affinity for technology and the capability to deal with complex issues are needed.
Is a program in cyber the winning recipe for those who want to become a cyber researcher? The answer to this is that there is not only one correct path. The market is full of various types of training, from short cyber programs through to online lectures and also comprehensive training. So how do you find your way among all those options to select the right fit for you? The answers are right here.
What are the key details to pay attention to before signing up for a cyber course?
The manner and extent of exposure to cyber methodology
Some of the trainings offered by cyber studies today are intent of directing the participants to very specific roles within the cyber world, which is inconsistent with the multitude of fields and roles that exist in the industry. It is of great importance for a cyber researcher to familiarize themselves with the cyber world in a comprehensive way. In order to match a program participant to a particular role in the cyber industry, you need to know their personal qualities and professional abilities well to ensure that they can optimally fit the role. Understanding the methodology of the cyber world enables the participant, and in the future the cyber researcher, to have a much greater professional understanding, even if they will only engage in one specific field within the industry. Some of the various cyber courses that exist in the market today do cover some of the information about cyber, but not necessarily the entire methodology, which is necessary for in depth knowledge of the field and a broader outlook.
Scope and hours of study
The cyber world is saturated with information and data. In order to absorb this in the best possible way, intensive and ongoing learning is required to create the correct sequence of studies. When you apply to participate in a cyber course, it is important to make sure that it is comprehensive and continuous. Programs that take place only once or twice a week will not be able to cover all the information you will need to know to become a cyber researcher, and they will also break up the ideal sequence of studies making the learning process more difficult. The hours when the program takes place are also important – a program that takes place in the evenings, after you have already the day on other tasks, will affect your concentration levels and it is likely you will just feel tired.
Costs
The prices of cyber courses vary from one to another. There are even some programs offered for free. Cost may be a decisive parameter but at the same time, you need to carefully examine the quality of the training and what “benefits” the company yields as a result of your participation especially for a free program. If the benefit is shared then it will serve you too, but if the program offered has no depth it will just be a waste of your time.
Infinity Labs R&D’s new and unique cyber track
The Infinity Labs R&D cyber program provides participants with a holistic approach to all areas of cyber and an in-depth understanding of cyber methodology. The training is provided free of charge to those who qualify. Graduates of the program are placed in the leading high-tech companies in Israel in various cyber roles. Our common goal – to make you the best and most skilled cyber researchers available in the labor market and to place you in a sought after position with one of our clients. Your success is also our success.
The training takes place 5 days a week, Sunday-Thursday, between the hours of 08:30 and 18:30 for 30 weeks.
