How to Become a Cyber Security Auditor

In preparing to pursue a career as a cyber security auditor, your first priority should be education, followed by certifications and work experience.

Begin your journey on this career path with a solid education in information technology and cyber security to gain an understanding of how information systems work and the vulnerabilities that leave them susceptible to cyberattacks.

At DeVry, we offer several cyber security-related degree and certificate programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, including our online Bachelor's Degree in Cyber Security and Networking. Exploring topics like small enterprise networks, digital devices, operating systems and OS architecture and design, network security testing, ethical hacking and more, this tech-infused bachelor’s degree program is designed to help you gain the skills required to defend networks, applications and systems against ever-increasing cybercriminal threats.

Earned as part of our Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology and Networking, this program can be completed 100% online, allowing you to learn when and where you like while balancing commitments to work, family and other elements of your busy life. This bachelor’s degree specialization can be earned in as little as 2 years and 8 months on an accelerated schedule, or 4 years on a normal one.*

*Accelerated schedule is per 12 month period, does not include breaks and assumes year-round, full-time enrollment. Normal schedule is per 12 month period, does not include breaks and assumes 2 semesters of full-time enrollment.

Learn more about the other cyber security programs we offer to see if one of them makes a good fit for you.

Another important consideration as you work toward how to become a cyber security auditor is the importance of industry-recognized certifications that validate the skills you’ve learned, demonstrate your abilities as a job-ready candidate and may help you stand out on your pathway toward career advancement.

A few of the certifications relevant to cyber security auditing include:

The cyber security auditor’s role is not considered an entry-level position, but rather one that you pursue over time. To help get yourself started toward this career path, it can be helpful to gain relevant work experience by securing other related positions first. Work experience as a cyber security analyst, network administrator or information security specialist may help establish your knowledge and sharpen your skills in recognizing common security weaknesses, identifying potential risks and developing effective strategic measures to protect against them. You may even be able to gain entry-level employment or an internship while you’re still working toward your undergraduate degree. 

Cyber security IT auditors need to acquire and develop nearly the same technical and non-technical cyber security skills as others in their field. Continuing education is crucial, particularly in sharpening technical skills, to stay up to date as new technologies and practices emerge and the threat environment evolves.

A partial list of the technical skills required for this career includes:

Workplace skills that help cyber security auditors and other IT professionals function at an optimal level include:

Cyber security auditors protect businesses, government agencies and other organizations from cyberattacks. To achieve that, here’s some of what they do day to day:

Several indicators point to significant job growth in the cyber security field over the next decade. According to the World Economic Forum, to adequately defend organizations’ critical assets, the global cyber security workforce needs to grow by 65%. They believe that in closing this workforce gap, there has never been a better time to create a new, more diverse cyber security talent pool that includes under-represented minorities, veterans and women. This sentiment was shared by a panel of 6 tech leaders in our CEO Roundtable, Innovative Solutions to the Cyber Talent Gap, hosted by DeVry CEO Tom Monahan, that discussed how DEI commitments can be used to enrich measures to close cyber talent gaps.

DeVry’s commitment to creating a more diverse cyber workforce is shown in our Women+Tech Scholarship, which provides up to $1,500 per semester in awards for female students enrolled in a qualifying Engineering and Information Sciences undergraduate program¹, and our NextGen Hispanic Scholars Program. In this scholars program, Hispanic and Latinx students who are enrolled in a qualifying Engineering & Information Sciences certificate or degree program² or are pursuing a master’s degree program will automatically be enrolled in a COMPTIA Basic Student membership, receive reimbursement for select professional certifications³, and have the opportunity to connect with mentors and peers as they prepare to enter the workforce.⁴

Occupational outlook data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) appears to confirm industry leaders’ forecasts. The BLS projects employment of information security analysts (a category that includes computer systems analysts and network support specialists, penetration testers, vulnerability assessors and other cyber security-related roles) to grow 35% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 19,500 job openings projected each year, on average, over the decade.⁵ This growth is projected on a national level and local growth will vary by location. This projection is not specific to DeVry graduates and may include earners at all stages of their careers.

In making their projections, the BLS points to the need for solutions to defend against the growing frequency of cyberattacks, the shift to remote work and the rise of e-commerce. They also cite the strong growth in digital health services and telehealth, which will increase security risks for healthcare providers.

Whether you’re considering a career as a cyber security auditor or looking pursue another role in protecting data systems from cyberattacks, our Bachelor's Degree in Cyber Security and Networking can help you gain hands-on experience and prepare you to make an impact in this growing field.