Tristan Cole
November 21, 2024
Cybersecurity Career Professional Paper
The cybersecurity career I chose for this paper is that of a Security consultant. The consultant has a pivotal role because that person is charge of defending the organization from cyber threats in the short or intermediate term. The consultant is a specialist who is tasked with reviewing, implanting, and changing an organization’s specific cyber needs. They will start by doing a comprehensive risk assessment which will distinguish vulnerabilities and seek out prospective threats to analyze. Using these assessments, the consultant will produce unique strategies to in the form of polices for the organization to adhere to that will maintain a secure conditions for the organization to operate. The consultant will implement these strategies using techniques such as encryption, firewalls, MFA, and the like. In the event of a security breach, the consultant has a strong incident response plan ready to go at a moment’s notice. In short, a consultant must be tech savvy, have strong analytical skills, and have excellent communication skills. Consultants use social science principles and research to bring all these skills and abilities together when guiding an organization’s cybersecurity infrastructure. (teal, n.d.)
Consultants use social science principles to do their jobs. Consultants use relativism to acknowledge the affects that one system has on another. To be objective, a consultant must make decisions and give advice based on actual data. Opinions and feelings must be kept to a minimum. For a consultant to be kept in line with parsimony, the security measures they implement must be clear and concise. Ambiguity can lead to confusion and doubt that the organization will have about the consultation given. Empirical research such as the use of logs and incident reports help the consultants to frame their understanding of the types of cyber threats that the organization can and will face. This research is used in conjunction with other data results to produce a plan to combat said threats. Consultants must be skeptical and ever vigilant of any outcome produced by a response. They must verify and check all conclusions to ensure that threats have been mitigated completely. To remain ethically neutral, consultants must adhere to certain standards. They must also account for how their recommendations affect the organization as a whole and the individuals that work there. Many ethical issues will arise, and the consultant must overcome them. To determine the cause of an incident, the consultant will use some form of root-cause analysis. This will help establish how the incident began in the first place and help create unique strategies to fix the incident and prevent it from happening again.
To protect organizations for cyber threats, consultants must apply a variety of concepts. Consultants must recognize the human behavior of cyber threat actors. They must use this concept to understand why their organization has become the target and find the best way to mitigate the outcome. Consultants must also recognize the various social engineering techniques that threat actors would use. This would teach employees how to spot unusual behavior and take corrective action. Risk perception is important because it is different for everyone on the organization hierarchy tree. What one group deems critical may not be critical to another. Ethical issues are faced by consultants all the time. Making sound ethical decisions that affect everyone in a positive manner can be particularly challenging, but the goal must be met. Communication is paramount to the success of a consultant. They must be able to speak the language of everyone in the organization in an effective manner so that there is no confusion about the roles everyone must play to keep a strong security posture. Social science is relied heavily upon when it comes to writing and executing policy development. Consultants must take into consideration the changing aspects of the organization and how their proposals will affect the overall culture of the organization.
Cybersecurity consultants can have a considerable influence on marginalization. These impacts can be both positive and negative. The negative impacts could result in intensifying inequality, show the lack of representation, and be culturally insensitive. To be culturally insensitive, consultants have security measures that would be deemed inappropriate my certain groups of people. Non-compliance with the security measures by these certain groups of people would lead to mistrust and defiance by them. This would only make the situation worse and cause disfunction in the organization. Without diversity in the organization, the way of thinking is one-sided and does not create room for growth and expansion. The consultant knows the importance of inclusion of many people with diverse backgrounds. A consultant must see the inequality when it comes to resources so that no one feels that they are left behind or working with old technology. This would only widen the gap between those that have and those that have not. Conversely, consultants can have a positive effect on marginalized groups. Usually, consultants can have a direct connection with upper management there by advocating and promoting diversity and inclusion can start at the top of the organization and work its way down to even entry-level employees. Consultants can alleviate bias issues. This could prevent discriminatory actions taken by the organization and avoid potential lawsuits. Consultants and the organization should be engaged in outreach programs and educational activities that promote awareness to marginalized communities. Doing such things can facilitate growth and protection from the ever-evolving cyber threats that compromise all communities.
Cybersecurity consultants play a crucial role in identifying and countering these campaigns. By leveraging computational social science techniques, such as social network analysis and machine learning, consultants can detect and mitigate the impact of these malicious activities. This not only protects the targeted individuals but also helps maintain the integrity of societal communication channels. Cybersecurity consultants must balance the need for robust security measures with the protection of individual privacy rights. This involves navigating complex ethical dilemmas and ensuring that security practices do not infringe on personal freedoms. By applying social science insights, consultants can develop strategies that are both effective and ethically sound, fostering trust and compliance among users. By understanding and addressing the human factors involved in cyber threats, consultants can create more comprehensive and effective security strategies. This integrated approach not only enhances organizational security but also contributes to a more secure and resilient society. (Carley, 2020)
In conclusion, cybersecurity consultants play a crucial role in protecting organizations from cyber threats. They conduct thorough risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities and develop tailored strategies to ensure secure operations. These strategies include implementing security measures like encryption, firewalls, and multi-factor authentication, and having strong incident response plans ready. Consultants need to be tech-savvy, analytical, and excellent communicators, using social science principles to guide their work. They apply concepts such as relativism, objectivity, parsimony, empiricism, skepticism, ethical neutrality, and determinism to ensure their recommendations are effective and ethically sound. By understanding human behavior and social engineering tactics, consultants can better protect organizations and educate employees. They also address ethical issues and communicate effectively across the organization. Cybersecurity consultants can positively influence marginalization by promoting diversity and inclusion, but they must also be mindful of cultural sensitivities to avoid negative impacts. By leveraging social science insights, consultants develop comprehensive security strategies that enhance organizational security and contribute to a more secure and resilient society.
References
Carley, K. M. (2020, November 16). Social cybersecurity: an emerging science. Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, 26(4), 365-381. doi:10.1007/s10588-020-09322-9
Drolet, M. (2021, December 23). Diversity in cybersecurity: Barriers and opportunities for women and minorities. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from CSO: https://www.csoonline.com/article/571811/diversity-in-cybersecurity-barriers-and-opportunities-for-women-and-minorities.html
National Academic Press. (2019). Chapter: 6 Integrating Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) Research to Enhance Security in Cyberspace. In A Decadal Survey of the Social and Behavioral Sciences: A Research Agenda for Advancing Intelligence Analysis (pp. 141-188). Washington DC: National Academic Press. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/25335/chapter/10
teal. (n.d.). What is a Cybersecurity Consultant? Retrieved November 21, 2024, from www.tealhq.com: https://www.tealhq.com/career-paths/cybersecurity-consultant