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What should I be looking forward to learning in the future in terms of cyber-security?

I know that I'd like to go down the cyber-security path, but I want to look at stuff ahead of time. Especially this upcoming summer, since I have free time.

cyber-security
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Alice’s Answer

You may explore beginner courses, certifications, coding basics, and hands-on labs to see which area interests you most. Try explore LinkedIn free learning courses, Cisco website. All the best!
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Chip’s Answer

You’re at the point where it makes sense to start thinking less about cybersecurity as one big field and more about where it’s headed. If you want to stay relevant, focus on learning the areas that are becoming more important as threats get faster, more automated, and more centered around identity and cloud environments. Going forward, it won’t be enough to just know tools — you’ll want to understand how systems work, how risk shows up in real environments, how automation changes the job, and how to make good decisions under pressure.
Here are the areas I’d encourage you to pay attention to next:
• Cloud security — Start learning how security works in AWS, Azure, or GCP. That includes things like IAM, cloud configuration, workload protection, and SaaS risk. Cloud is now a core part of most environments, so this is one of the most practical places to build skills.
• Identity security — Spend time understanding IAM, MFA, PAM, passwordless access, and service accounts. Identity has become one of the biggest attack surfaces, so this is a strong area to build depth in.
• AI security — This is worth watching closely. You should learn both how attackers are using AI and how defenders are using it, but also how to secure AI systems themselves.
• DevSecOps and software supply chain security — As you grow, it’ll help to understand how security fits into development pipelines, secure coding, containers, and open-source risk. More security work is shifting left into the development process.
• Detection engineering and security operations — Learn how to work with logs, alerts, SIEMs, threat detection logic, and frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK. A big part of the future is being able to tell the difference between noise and a real threat quickly.
• Zero Trust — You should get comfortable with concepts like least privilege, segmentation, and continuous verification. This is becoming more than a buzzword — it’s turning into a real operating model.
• Post-quantum cryptography — You do not need to specialize in this right away, but it’s a smart area to keep on your radar early because organizations are already starting to prepare for it.
• Soft skills — Just as important, keep building your communication, adaptability, and critical thinking. Cybersecurity is not only technical — it also requires explaining risk clearly and working well with other people.

Chip recommends the following next steps:

If I were advising you on order, I’d suggest this: start with the fundamentals, then build into cloud and identity, and after that choose one area to go deeper in, like AI security, detection engineering, or DevSecOps. That path is a lot more realistic than trying to learn everything at once, and it gives you a stronger foundation for whatever direction you decide to pursue next.
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Che'’s Answer

Hello Zachary,

I applaud you for your desire to use your summer productively! Cybersecurity is a great field with many avenues you can consider. Building a strong foundation is a good next step. To do that, you can focus on learning the cybersecurity basics first. Don't overwhelm yourself! You do not need to learn everything right away. A strong start is understanding how computers, networks, and the internet work, because that knowledge helps in every cybersecurity job.

Here are some essential topics to learn:

Networking basics — things like IP addresses, Wi-Fi, routers, and how devices connect
Linux and Windows basics — how computers work behind the scenes
Online safety and threats — phishing, malware, scams, and passwords
Beginner cyber tools — logs, alerts, and simple security labs
Future topics — cloud security, AI in cybersecurity, and secure coding

My advice: pick one path to explore after the basics. For a beginner, good choices are:
SOC / cyber defense if you like solving problems and spotting threats
Cloud security if you’re curious about how apps and data are stored online
Secure coding if you enjoy programming

The main goal this summer is to discover what cyber topics excite you, start getting hands on practice in those areas to begin building confidence.
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Sameer’s Answer

Hi Zachary,

I've spent over ten years in cybersecurity consulting, and we're at an exciting time with the rise of AI. Companies are changing how they use cyber services. It's crucial to see cybersecurity not just as a product but as a mix of products, governance, and operations working together to protect assets like data. Cyber threats are growing faster than ever, which means defense programs need to adapt quickly. I encourage you to explore how AI is impacting cybersecurity. Consider diving into AI Security and Post-Quantum Cryptography, as these areas are becoming increasingly important. Just some ideas to spark your interest.

Take care!
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Joshua’s Answer

The internet is a fantastic resource for learning about cyber security because there's so much information available. You can find certifications that guide you into specific roles or career paths in the field. In your spare time, try reading about general cyber threat intelligence. Many companies share public information that helps you learn how the cyber world works and the language used. This can help you discover what you find interesting, whether it's understanding how hackers operate or how defenders protect against them.
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Randall’s Answer

Choose an area to focus on, such as:

- Vulnerability management and remediation
- Governance, risk, and compliance (GRC)
- Penetration testing
- Threat detection and response
- Security operations center (SOC)

For vulnerability management, check out tools like Tenable, Qualys, or Microsoft Defender. If you're interested in GRC, start with the NIST SP 800 series, especially NIST SP 800-53 and 53a. For SOC, explore Splunk and Microsoft Sentinel.

Consider foundational courses from the SANS Institute, ISC2, or the Security+ course by CompTIA.
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Maddie’s Answer

Hey Zachary! I think one of the best things you can look at even seeing these other responses is the diversity of the cybersecurity field. Figure out your interests and that will help you have some great discussions with your professors about how to get the most from your education. From computer forensics, complex project management, data analysis and code development it will be an exciting journey!

All the best in your summer preparation and enjoy the path ahead! What makes this industry exciting is it's ever-changing and we remain learners forever.
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Quintin’s Answer

Hi there! Start by learning the basics of Cyber, and then shift to AI security. This field is set to be very important in the future, so you're on a great path!
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Arlandas’s Answer

If you’re looking ahead in cybersecurity, I’d say the two areas worth paying the most attention to are cloud security and AI security. Those are not side topics anymore — they’re becoming part of the job. More companies are moving everything into the cloud, which means security people need to understand how to protect identities, data, workloads, and access in cloud environments. At the same time, AI is changing how both attackers and defenders work, so knowing how AI tools can be misused — and how they can help security teams — is going to matter a lot.
What’s exciting about cloud security is that it sits right at the center of modern work. You’ll learn how systems are set up, how permissions are managed, how to spot misconfigurations, and how to make sure the right people have the right access. It’s one of those areas where the work feels very real because a small mistake can have a big impact. If you like the idea of solving practical problems and protecting actual business systems, cloud security is a strong place to lean into.
AI is the other big one. A lot of people think of AI as a buzzword, but in cybersecurity it’s already changing the game. You’ll see AI used for faster alert review, threat detection, phishing analysis, and response support — but you’ll also need to understand the risks, like people using AI to create better scams, automate attacks, or trick systems. So the future isn’t just “learning AI tools,” it’s learning how to work safely in a world where AI is everywhere.
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Jin’s Answer

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere! Hackers are now using AI to break into companies, so we need AI to fight back just as quickly. Our old ways of protecting against cyber threats won't work much longer. If you're not using fast AI solutions to stop AI-based attacks, you could be at risk. If you're interested in cybersecurity, I highly suggest focusing on AI. Learn how AI can improve cybersecurity and how to keep AI safe and secure.
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