What You Need to Know About Niche Specialties in the IT Field

The IT job market extends beyond vacancies for programmers, developers, and project managers. In this industry, there are niche specialists highly sought after for their expertise in analytics and cybersecurity. Sooner or later, every major IT company grapples with the need to recruit such professionals, and assembling a team with the requisite skills is a significant achievement. But what precisely do these specialised professionals undertake? Let’s delve into this with Alexander Kozkin, Senior Information Security Compliance Analyst at international IT company SOFTSWISS.

Information Security Compliance Analyst – Ensuring Compliance and Processes in the IT Sector

IT companies committed to continuous product development must guarantee compliance across their various systems and processes, particularly in the realm of information security. Enter the information security compliance analyst, whose primary responsibility is to harmonise the company’s activities with relevant laws and regulations in this domain.

An individual in the role of an IT security compliance analyst oversees the company’s adherence to information security requirements and legal obligations. For instance, in the iGaming sector, these duties may pertain to complying with gambling licensing prerequisites and regulations concerning the handling of personal data.

The information security compliance analyst’s duties encompass:

• Developing company processes and policies pertaining to information security.
• Implementing new measures to ensure compliance with information security requirements and best practices.
• Generating reports on conducted audits and the steps taken.
• Staying abreast of changes in the legislation of the jurisdictions where the company operates.

Prospective candidates for the information security compliance analyst position should possess experience in compliance, auditing, and risk management, as well as technical expertise and skills in the realm of information security. This includes proficiency in gathering, analysing, and managing company data.

The role of an information security compliance analyst is becoming increasingly prized among IT employers. Why is this the case? It’s because hiring such an expert mitigates the potentially substantial costs and risks associated with actions that might run afoul of the law. iGaming companies grapple with these challenges on a daily basis, contributing to the surging demand for qualified IT analysts.

Application Security Engineer – Safeguarding Applications in a Growing Digital Landscape

An application security engineer, also known as an application security tester, occupies a highly specialised and well-remunerated role within the field of IT. The demand for security application engineers is in a constant state of growth, directly correlated with the evolution of this domain. To illustrate, the Google Play Store already boasts nearly three million applications, underscoring the sheer volume of digital products in existence.

The application security engineer’s job description:

• Identifying security system vulnerabilities in mobile and web applications.
• Conducting both static Application Security Testing (SAST) and dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST).
• Proactively preventing potential attacks through the implementation of security safeguards.
• Providing consultancy and knowledge-sharing with Quality Assurance (QA) development teams throughout the entire development life cycle.
• Safeguarding confidential data belonging to both the application developer and its users.

It’s worth noting that these responsibilities extend to the iGaming industry, where applications must maintain robust security systems. It’s crucial to remember that iGaming applications typically process sensitive personal data and payment information. This highlights one of the many reasons why companies opt to engage an application security engineer.

The ideal candidate for this role should possess technical expertise in network and operating system security, a profound understanding of web application security and common vulnerabilities, knowledge of how to detect and mitigate them, experience with the DevSecOps methodology, and relevant certifications such as OSWE, GWEB, and others, which would be an added advantage.

Infrastructure Security Engineer – Protecting IT Environments from Cyber Threats

The role of an infrastructure security engineer comes with a broad range of responsibilities and requirements. Such professionals are tasked with overseeing security at all levels within an IT company. Their work encompasses aspects like authentication, authorisation, encryption, and auditing.

This role often involves close engagement with the entire IT ecosystem of a specific company. A security infrastructure engineer is responsible for monitoring and analysing security not only on-site but also in the cloud. Furthermore, they may take on managerial responsibilities, guiding other employees in the proper implementation of data and resource protection.

The infrastructure security engineer’s job description:

• Representing the company in making security decisions.
• Planning and coordinating software upgrades, database migrations, and new infrastructure development.
• Collaborating closely with other company personnel and providing them with training on infrastructure security.
• Managing and communicating with participants in various company projects.

The cyber security infrastructure engineer position is tailored for highly experienced IT professionals who aspire to take charge of cybersecurity. To enhance their employability, candidates should possess practical experience in administering, configuring, and analysing SIEM & IRP/SOAR events, implementing security controls in cloud technologies, and have a deep understanding of technologies and solutions such as IAM, SSO, VPN, OpenID, SAML, Kubernetes, CI/CD, PAM, and more. Additionally, they should comprehend service and system architecture, along with associated security best practices.

Information security compliance analysts, application security engineers, and infrastructure security engineers represent some of the most sought-after niche professions in the cybersecurity field within the modern IT business landscape. Experts in these roles play a crucial part in safeguarding companies and user data against cyberattacks and threats that could disrupt smooth operations. Those possessing the requisite skills and experience can be confident that they will not struggle to find rewarding employment opportunities.