As this is a curated collection of books from a personal library, please be mindful that some books may be out of print, have more current editions, or be available in digital formats. A large portion of the books presented are related to research and reference.
General Career Guidance
For those that want to explore a career in cybersecurity, we first want to say, “Welcome, we need the help!” A job in cybersecurity is dedicated to a mission to protect. At the same time, it is very rewarding—both in knowing that what you do makes a difference and, frankly, unmatched job security. The cybersecurity field has many more positions available than qualified candidates.In the CISO Desk Reference Guide: Develop Your Cybersecurity Career Path, we’ll show you how to break into cybersecurity at any level. Whether you are just starting and are looking for an entry-level position or want to translate many years of experience to the right level, this book will help. We start at the beginning of your journey and help you determine if this is the right field for you. Then we give you’re the tools to conduct a self-assessment to see how you stack up to the requirements of the field. After the self-assessment, we transition to your human network, the job search itself, and then guide you through the transition into your cybersecurity career.Gary has been writing articles and mentoring would-be cyber-warriors for several years. He has selflessly shared every aspect of his journey, from the head-shaking behavior of clueless recruiters to the vulnerabilities of not feeling qualified for the job that would help him provide for his family when he left the military after a long and secure career. Chris and Renee have been hosting a weekly podcast called Breaking into Cybersecurity since September of 2019, having met just before then online, engaging with the community. The three authors met online, using the same networking techniques they recommend throughout this book.There is no better way to blend these varied perspectives than to use the tri-perspective storytelling technique that Gary helped pioneer along with Bill Bonney and Matt Stamper, the three amigos that authored the CISO Desk Reference Guide and now publish the CISO DRG catalog of titles. Gary, Christophe, and Renee care deeply about their chosen career field and our collective mission. In addition to shepherding their own careers, each has been involved in hiring, developing, and mentoring cyber-pros and would-be cyber-pros for years. In Develop Your Cybersecurity Career Path, they each share their perspective about the career, the community, and the commitment and how you can develop your cybersecurity career and land your first cybersecurity job.
Cybersecurity is an emerging career trend and will continue to become increasingly important. Despite the lucrative pay and significant career growth opportunities, many people are unsure of how to get started.This book is designed by leading industry experts to help you enter the world of cybersecurity with confidence, covering everything from gaining the right certification to tips and tools for finding your first job. The book starts by helping you gain a foundational understanding of cybersecurity, covering cyber law, cyber policy, and frameworks. Next, you’ll focus on how to choose the career field best suited to you from options such as security operations, penetration testing, and risk analysis. The book also guides you through the different certification options as well as the pros and cons of a formal college education versus formal certificate courses. Later, you’ll discover the importance of defining and understanding your brand. Finally, you’ll get up to speed with different career paths and learning opportunities.By the end of this cyber book, you will have gained the knowledge you need to clearly define your career path and develop goals relating to career progression.
Land the perfect cybersecurity role―and move up the ladder―with this insightful resourceFinding the right position in cybersecurity is challenging. Being successful in the profession takes a lot of work. And becoming a cybersecurity leader responsible for a security team is even more difficult.In Navigating the Cybersecurity Career Path, decorated Chief Information Security Officer Helen Patton delivers a practical and insightful discussion designed to assist aspiring cybersecurity professionals entering the industry and help those already in the industry advance their careers and lead their first security teams. In this book, readers will find:
- Explanations of why and how the cybersecurity industry is unique and how to use this knowledge to succeed
- Discussions of how to progress from an entry-level position in the industry to a position leading security teams and programs
- Advice for every stage of the cybersecurity career arc
- Instructions on how to move from single contributor to team leader, and how to build a security program from scratch
- Guidance on how to apply the insights included in this book to the reader's own situation and where to look for personalized help
- A unique perspective based on the personal experiences of a cybersecurity leader with an extensive security background
Perfect for aspiring and practicing cybersecurity professionals at any level of their career, Navigating the Cybersecurity Career Path is an essential, one-stop resource that includes everything readers need to know about thriving in the cybersecurity industry.
The cybersecurity field is evolving fast, and so are its job interviews. Hack the Cybersecurity Interview, Second Edition is your go-to guide for landing your dream cybersecurity job—whether you're breaking in or aiming for a senior role.This expanded edition builds on reader feedback, refines career paths, and updates strategies for success. With a real-world approach, it preps you for key technical and behavioral questions, covering roles like Cybersecurity Engineer, SOC Analyst, and CISO. You'll learn best practices for answering with confidence and standing out in a competitive market.The book helps you showcase problem-solving skills, highlight transferable experience, and navigate personal branding, job offers, and interview stress. Using the HACK method, it provides a structured approach to adapt to different roles and employer expectations.Whether you're switching careers, advancing in cybersecurity, or preparing for your first role, this book equips you with the insights, strategies, and confidence to secure your ideal cybersecurity job.
Whether you're searching for new or additional opportunities, information security can be vast and overwhelming. In this practical guide, author Christina Morillo introduces technical knowledge from a diverse range of experts in the infosec field. Through 97 concise and useful tips, you'll learn how to expand your skills and solve common issues by working through everyday security problems.You'll also receive valuable guidance from professionals on how to navigate your career within this industry. How do you get buy-in from the C-suite for your security program? How do you establish an incident and disaster response plan? This practical book takes you through actionable advice on a wide variety of infosec topics, including thought-provoking questions that drive the direction of the field.
- Continuously Learn to Protect Tomorrow's Technology - Alyssa Columbus
- Fight in Cyber Like the Military Fights in the Physical - Andrew Harris
- Keep People at the Center of Your Work - Camille Stewart
- Infosec Professionals Need to Know Operational Resilience - Ann Johnson
- Taking Control of Your Own Journey - Antoine Middleton
- Security, Privacy, and Messy Data Webs: Taking Back Control in Third-Party Environments - Ben Brook
- Every Information Security Problem Boils Down to One Thing - Ben Smith
- Focus on the WHAT and the Why First, Not the Tool - Christina Morillo
Earn what you are worth, achieve breakthrough professional success, financial freedom, and layoff-proof your career.While you do not choose the circumstances of birth, you have the power to choose your destiny by building a unique and compelling personal brand to enhance your value and change the trajectory of your success. You can choose to solve your problems and harsh conditions so they lose prominence and fade into the background. You can welcome others to join your circle of greatness so everyone can enjoy a better life. You do not have to look for greatness outside because you are already born unique. In a world of several billion people you are a supply of one! You must find the unique gifts you have inside, your likes and dislikes, things you can be good at, polish them, showcase them, and monetize them for multiple customers all over the world. All of a sudden you will cease to be a common flower and become the extraordinary and valuable flower that you are. That is what this book is about. Come with me on your journey to a lifetime of greatness!What is a personal brand? Can I build a personal brand? How does it help me? Why do movie actors, singers, TV anchors, and athletes earn millions of dollars? Could I be globally famous like them? Can I get better returns from my marketing? How do I become the best in the world? How do I grow my small business without spending a lot of money on advertising? How can I be better at marketing and branding? How can I use social media for marketing and sales? How can I publish and market my books independently and be paid more for my work? How do I publish audiobooks or narrate for others? How do I create multiple streams of income? Gain better job security? Create my own success? How can I prepare for and survive layoffs? How should I negotiate salary? How can I get fair pay? How do I prepare for job interviews? Write a good resume? Why am I the best candidate for this job? How can I justify my salary requirements? How can I be more effective at professional networking? How do I search for jobs that are not even advertised? Why are less qualified people always getting that job or promotion I wanted? What is my life purpose? How do I find it?If any of these questions are swirling in your mind, this book has your answers. In one book, you get a completely new perspective to improve your life by building a valuable personal brand and gaining confidence, just as it has for countless others globally. Follow the easy step-by-step process and be amazed at the rapid results. Greatness is truly a choice. You do not need to be perfect; you need to perfect your uniqueness. Greatness has no end. You can #RideTheRainbow forever!This book enables anyone in any field at any stage of their career to rise and stay at the top of their chosen field and compete on a global scale. Use this book as your trusty guide for the rest of your professional career! Ride The Rainbow!
Cybersecurity Architecture
Security architects are responsible for maintaining the security of an organisation's computer systems as well as designing, developing and reviewing security architectures that fit business requirements, mitigate risk and conform to security policies. This book gives practical career guidance to those interested in the security architect role. It covers areas such as required skills, responsibilities, dependencies and career progression as well as relevant tools, standards and frameworks.
This resource introduces IT architecture to professionals looking for guidance to embark on a successful path to become an IT architect. This book defines the various types of IT architecture in the industry, highlights the rewards of becoming an architect, and explores the details of the deliverable, project structure, and how to approach their creation. Performance competencies are examined by discussing T-shape personality traits, leadership qualities, and communication skills, as well as highlighting various backgrounds suitable for different types of architect positions.
Software Architecture
Thousands of software professionals have the necessary technical qualifications to become architects, but far fewer have the crucial non-technical skills needed to get hired and succeed in this role. In today’s agile environments, these “soft” skills have grown even more crucial to success as an architect. For many developers, however, these skills don’t come naturally–and they’re rarely addressed in formal training. Now, long-time software architect Dave Hendricksen helps you fill this gap, supercharge your organizational impact, and quickly move to the next level in your career. In 12 Essential Skills for Software Architects, Hendricksen begins by pinpointing the specific relationship, personal, and business skills that successful architects rely upon. Next, he presents proven methods for systematically developing and sharpening every one of these skills, from negotiation and leadership to pragmatism and vision. From start to finish, this book’s practical insights can help you get the architect position you want–and thrive once you have it!
To succeed as a software architect, you must master both technical skills and soft skills. Dave Hendricksen illuminated the soft skills in his highly-regarded 12 Essential Skills for Software Architects. Now, in 12 More Essential Skills for Software Architects he turns to the technical side. Drawing on his decades of experience, Hendricksen organizes technical skills into three areas. PROJECT SKILLS: driving projects from ideation through deliveryTECHNOLOGY SKILLS: building, buying, and/or leveraging the right technologiesVISIONARY SKILLS: realizing an architectural vision that improves long-term competitiveness He helps you develop and sharpen these key technical skills: from conceptualizing solutions to developing platforms and governance, and from selecting technology innovations to infusing architectures with an entrepreneurial spirit. This guide reveals the technical skills you need and provides a coherent framework and practical methodology for mastering them. Taken together, Hendricksen’s two books offer the most complete, practical pathway to excellence in software architecture. They’ll guide you through every step of your architecture career—from getting the right position to thriving once you have it.
As a working cybersecurity professional, every attempt is made to separate professional and personal endeavors in a manner consistent with reducing conflicts of interest and maintaining ethics. Statements contained within this site are the explicit and implicit goals, objectives, endorsements, and educated opinion of the author of this site and not those of current or former employers.
