New Video from @madhatistaken Explores Cybersecurity Careers

In this video, content creator @madhatistaken delves into the various careers in cybersecurity, ranking them based on several criteria to determine which is "objectively the best." He begins by explaining that jobs in cybersecurity, like those of doctors, lawyers, or executives, are considered "gold collar" – highly skilled and well-paid professions. However, despite this recognition, there is a wide variety of roles in this field, each with its own advantages, challenges, and career prospects. The video aims to help those interested in cybersecurity choose the job that best suits them, based on concrete criteria: salary, required skill level, job availability, resistance to automation by AI, and the morale of professionals in the field.

The creator groups the jobs into several categories for easier analysis. Among the roles discussed are IT/System Administrators, often seen as stepping stones to cybersecurity. These positions, although less technical than others, offer an accessible entry point into the field, with salaries ranging from $45,000 to $140,000 depending on experience and market. However, these roles are exposed to automation, especially for first-level support tasks, and can be stressful due to workload and constant user expectations. Morale in these jobs is mixed, with a high risk of burnout, especially in understaffed companies. Despite these challenges, these positions remain a solid entry point for those wishing to enter cybersecurity.

Next, the video covers defensive roles, or "blue team," which include Security Operations Center (SOC) analysts, incident response (DFIR), and threat intelligence. SOC analysts, particularly level 1, often face repetitive tasks and a constant stream of alerts, which can lead to rapid fatigue and low morale. However, more advanced roles, such as threat detection engineers or security architects, offer higher salaries (up to $200,000) and better job satisfaction. Incident response (DFIR) is presented as a highly specialized and well-paid job (up to $220,000), with strong demand due to the increase in cyberattacks. Professionals in this field enjoy high job stability, as companies always need experts to manage crises. On the other hand, threat intelligence, although exciting, is a niche area with fewer opportunities and a higher risk of automation by AI, making it a less secure choice for a long-term career.

The creator then moves on to offensive roles, or "red team," which attract many beginners due to their glamorous and media-hyped nature. Penetration testers and red team experts simulate attacks to identify vulnerabilities in systems. These roles are well-paid (up to $240,000 for seniors) and offer varied and stimulating work, but they are also highly competitive and difficult for beginners to access. Automation by AI is beginning to affect certain tasks, such as reconnaissance or malicious code generation, but the creative and strategic aspects of red teaming remain difficult to replace. Application security (AppSec) is another high-demand field where professionals work to integrate security into the software development lifecycle. This job, which combines development and security skills, is very well-paid (up to $180,000) and offers excellent job stability, as companies need specialists to secure their applications before deployment.

The video also highlights emerging and specialized roles, such as cloud security, identity and access management (IAM), governance, risk, and compliance (GRC), as well as leadership positions in cybersecurity. Cloud security is presented as the most promising field, with explosive demand and high salaries (up to $240,000), due to the massive migration of companies to the cloud. IAM roles, although less known, are essential for managing identities and access in a world where the traditional network perimeter has disappeared. GRC, on the other hand, is a stable and well-paid field, but often perceived as boring due to its focus on audits and regulations. Finally, leadership positions, such as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), offer very high salaries (up to $700,000), but come with extreme levels of stress and responsibility, making them a risky choice.

The creator concludes by sharing his own journey and explaining why he chose to specialize in cloud security. He encourages viewers to consider their own preferences and skills to choose the job that best suits them. The video ends with an invitation to comment and share their own experiences or opinions on the different roles presented. This ranking, although subjective, provides a clear and detailed view of the opportunities and challenges in the field of cybersecurity, helping beginners and professionals in transition make an informed choice.