Do you know your aptitude and talent for cybersecurity? Do you just have an affinity for keeping things secure, understanding an adversary viewpoint, and a desire to optimize countermeasures and security? Here are a few ways to identify your aptitude:
CyberGEN maps back to four areas, attacking, developing, defending, and exploitation. Many are paid models. The author loves the Cybersecurity Competency Model because of how organized it is into all the skills required for a role in cyber. Some, like ISACA, are difficult to pass and intimidating for new folks considering the industry. If you’re new we recommend checking out The Workforce NICE solution, Cybersecurity Competency Model, and job sites for postings related to jobs considered.
Core Aptitudes
When hiring for security the author always looks for character (you can’t train that), critical thinking skills, and passion/drive. Overall the following core aptitudes have been identified for cybersecurity:
| Ability | Definition |
| Verbal reasoning | Ability to solve verbal/word problems by reasoning logically |
| Nonverbal reasoning | Ability to solve nonverbal problems (graphical, puzzles, and diagrammatic) by reasoning logically |
| Mathematical reasoning | Ability to reason mathematically and choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem |
| Problem sensitivity | Ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem |
| Originality | Ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation or to develop creative ways to solve a problem |
| Information ordering | Ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations) |
| Written communication | Ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing |
| Oral comprehension | Ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences |
| Perceptual speed | Ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns |
| Advanced written comprehension | Ability to read and understand technical and/or government documents |
| Written expression | Ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand |
| Near vision | Ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer) |