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I am wanting to do Cybersecurity work in my future, where can i get started on projects and things to build experience? Additionally, do i need to major in it?

I am a sophomore at USF, and i am not currently majored in cybersecurity, but have a concentration and just need help on if it is realistic to want do to this work. I need help!

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Han’s Answer

Hi Seth,

Glad that you want to pursue cybersecurity! To answer your question on experience, you can get started with a variety of open courses depending on your specific interests. For example, if you're interested in reverse engineering (RE) there are a variety of websites with RE challenges such as crackmes.one or challenges.re, as of June, 2025. To showcase that progress, post write ups about the courses or challenges.

In terms of projects, try writing small programs that you find useful to solving cybersecurity challenges that you practice/train on. For instance, if you find that existing directory brute force traversal tools don't recurse deep enough for certain web bug bounty challenges, you can write a custom directory traversal brute forcer.

Finally, it is totally possible to get into cybersecurity without majoring in it. I know several people that transitioned into it from a variety of different backgrounds.
 
Hope this helps, and happy that you're pursuing cybersecurity!
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sountheriya’s Answer

Begin with free labs such as TryHackMe and HackTheBox. Get involved with your campus cyber club, take on Capture the Flag (CTF) challenges, and contribute to open-source security tools. Keep track of your projects on GitHub and aim for entry-level certifications like Security+ and Network+. While majoring in cybersecurity is beneficial, a degree in computer science or IT with security electives and internships is more than enough. You’ve got this!
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Sneha’s Answer

Hey Seth! It’s absolutely realistic to want to work in cybersecurity even if you’re not majoring in it, especially since you already have a concentration. Start building experience by working on small projects like setting up your own virtual lab, exploring ethical hacking through platforms like TryHackMe or Hack The Box, or participating in Capture the Flag competitions. Look for student clubs or local meetups focused on cybersecurity where you can learn and connect with others in the field. Internships, online certifications, and volunteering to help with tech security for student organizations can also help you build real skills. Good luck!
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Justin’s Answer

You do not need to major in cybersecurity and honestly I don't even know what that major would include? What is your current major in? I work very closely with security and my degree was in comp sci. I implement a lot of our security solutions for my company and my background is all software development. I've done everything in development from front-end work, to full stack, to devops, to platform/security engineering. My advice is to just get your foot in the door somewhere as a software engineer and learn what security team does there. A lot of security teams are very hands off their company's applications which leaves massive unknown security holes because they're more worried about someone playing fantasy football at their cubicle.
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