Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is the practice of defending computer systems, networks, and data from digital attacks.
It uses technologies, processes, and policies to protect against threats like malware, ransomware, and phishing, aiming to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information.
This includes network security, application security, and information security, and requires a layered defense strategy combining technology, processes, and user education.
What is meant by Cybersecurity?
Definition:
Cybersecurity is the protection of systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks.
These attacks often aim to access, change, or destroy sensitive information, extort money, or disrupt normal business operations.
Goals of Cyber security:
To protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of computer systems, networks, and data against both external and internal threats.
Types of Cyber security:
The main types of cybersecurity include network, application, cloud, endpoint, and information security, which focus on protecting different parts of a digital environment.
Other key areas are IoT security, mobile security, and operational technology (OT) security.
These types of security work together to protect systems, networks, and data from various threats.
Application security
Cloud security
Endpoint security
Information security
IoT security
Mobile security
Operational technology (OT) security
Zero Trust
AI security
Cyber security salary
United States:
Entry-level salaries average around $90,000, with senior roles exceeding $165,000.
Silicon Valley often offers salaries over $500,000 for top executive roles.
Germany:
Entry-level cybersecurity professionals earn approximately $59,000, and mid-level salaries are around $90,000.
Switzerland and the UK:
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) salaries range from €150,000 to €300,000.
India:
The average annual salary for a cybersecurity analyst is around ₹6,00,000, with ranges from ₹4,00,000 to ₹10,00,000.
United Arab Emirates:
A cybersecurity analyst can expect an average annual salary of about AED 165,684.
Japan:
The average annual salary for a cybersecurity analyst is around ¥9,723,635.
France:
A cyber security analyst’s average annual salary is around €60,400, with a typical range of €34,000 to €74,000.
Australia:
The average salary for a cyber security analyst is approximately $152,500 annually.
Cyber security Salary in pakistan:
The average cyber security salary in Pakistan is around PKR 3,300,249 per year, with entry-level salaries averaging around PKR 2,361,218 and senior roles averaging PKR 4,159,430. Salaries vary by city, with Lahore and Karachi generally having higher average salaries than Islamabad and Faisalabad.
Other roles, like cyber security engineer, have an average salary of PKR 3,667,305 annually.
Salary by experience
Entry-Level (1-3 years): Average of PKR 2,361,218 per year
Senior-Level (8+ years): Average of PKR 4,159,430 per year
Salary by role
C.S Specialist: Average of PKR 3,300,249 per year.
C.S Engineer: Average of PKR 3,667,305 per year.
C,S Analyst: Average of PKR 2,219,232 for entry-level and PKR 3,909,313 for senior-level
C,S Manager: Average of PKR 3,971,214 per year in Lahore .
Salary by city
Lahore: PKR 1,305,968
Karachi: PKR 1,165,360
Islamabad: PKR 983,692
Faisalabad: PKR 903,518
Cyber security coures and fee
Cybersecurity course fees vary widely depending on the type of program, ranging from free introductory courses to those costing PKR 140,857 for professional certification and over PKR 231,700 for a full undergraduate degree.
Options include short-term certifications from institutions like skillogic, diplomas from organizations such as Arfa Karim Technology Incubator.
Free and low-cost options
Online Introductory Courses:
Providers like Cisco Networking Academy and EC-Council offer free introductory courses to get started.
YouTube Videos:
Resources like the videos from Pnytrainings and other channels offer free cybersecurity content and tutorials.
Paid courses of cyber security in pakistan
Professional Certificates:
A four-month online certification program from a provider like skillogic costs around 140,857 PKR and is globally accredited.
Diplomas and Post-Graduate Diplomas:
A diploma or postgraduate diploma in cybersecurity, offered by institutions such as Preston University, requires completing a certain number of credit hours and costs around PKR 60,000, as seen with the Arfa Karim Technology Incubator program.
Bachelor’s Degrees:
A BS in Cybersecurity from a university like the University of Central Punjab can cost over PKR 231,700 for the first semester alone.
Fastest-Growing Cyber security Niche
Cloud Security (especially AWS & Azure)
Zero-Trust Architecture & SASE.
AI/ML Security (securing LLMs, prompt injection, model poisoning).
Offensive Security for AI/red teaming GenAI systems (new & extremely well paid).
Cyber security Pakistan
The establishment of National Centre for Cyber Security (NCCS) has been commenced by Government of Pakistan in June 2018.
The NCCS project is a joint initiative of Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Planning Commission.
The Centre constitutes Research and Development (R&D) Labs in reputed universities of Pakistan which were shortlisted after the open call for proposals made by HEC in early 2018.
After meticulous scrutiny in two rounds of evaluation, technical proposals from 11 universities of Pakistan were shortlisted.
These universities were given the mandate to establish NCCS affiliated Labs in different specialized areas of cyber security under the secretariat of centre.
It is honour for Air University that it is entrusted with the status of NCCS Secretariat in addition to the two affiliated labs in the domain of Cyber Crime Forensics and Smart Devices and Networks Security.