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Cybersecurity is a broad field with many specialized areas. Here are the main ones, grouped into practical domains:

🔒 Core Domains

  • Network Security → Protecting data as it travels across networks (firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPNs).
  • Endpoint Security → Securing devices like laptops, servers, and mobile phones.
  • Application Security → Securing software during development and after deployment (e.g., code reviews, penetration testing, secure coding).
  • Cloud Security → Protecting cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and shared-responsibility security.
  • Data Security & Privacy → Ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and proper handling of sensitive data.

🛡️ Defensive Security (Blue Team)

  • Security Operations (SOC) → Monitoring, detecting, and responding to incidents.
  • Incident Response & Forensics → Handling breaches, investigating digital evidence.
  • Threat Hunting → Proactively searching for undetected threats inside networks.
  • Identity & Access Management (IAM) → Controlling who can access what.

Responsibilities

  • Day-to-day defense, detection, response.
  • SOC analysts, incident responders, threat hunters, malware analysts.
  • Tools: SIEM, IDS/IPS, EDR, firewalls.
  • Focus: hands-on defense and stopping attacks.

⚔️ Offensive Security (Red Team)

  • Penetration Testing → Simulating attacks to find vulnerabilities.
  • Red Teaming → Full-scope adversarial simulations.
  • Exploit Development → Creating and testing exploits.
  • Reverse Engineering & Malware Analysis → Breaking down malware and software to understand behavior.

🏗️ Strategic & Governance

  • Security Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) → Policies, frameworks (ISO 27001, NIST, GDPR, HIPAA).
  • Cybersecurity Policy & Law → Legal/regulatory aspects of cybercrime and data protection.
  • Security Architecture & Engineering → Designing secure systems from the ground up.

🔬 Specialized Areas

  • Cryptography → Encryption, digital signatures, secure protocols.
  • Operational Technology (OT) & ICS Security → Securing industrial control systems, SCADA.
  • IoT Security → Protecting connected devices (smart homes, medical devices).
  • Mobile Security → Protecting Android/iOS apps and devices.
  • AI/ML Security → Securing and attacking machine learning systems.