A security software developer is someone with skills and knowledge in cybersecurity who comes up with programs used to test how strong or vulnerable a program is to cyber threats.

Companies such as Ethyca Fides give developers a chance to test their skills on already developed programs or programs that are under development.

Many people always have the desire to gain skills in this field as it is also one of the best paying jobs. Below are some ways one can become a security software developer.

Attending school

If you had a chance to talk to several security software developers, you would notice 70% of them attained their skills from school. Various colleges and universities offer degrees in computer science and masters in software security.

Companies that hire security software developers most of the time ask someone to prove they have attended a computer science course and majored in the same.

Attending bootcamps

Are you someone who likes to be busy over the holidays? Attending bootcamps and hackathons can give someone the skills to develop and test security programs. Among the 30% of this category of experts who do not attend school to gain the skills, 5% of them attended bootcamps and had the chance to learn skills that help them achieve what they desire in life.

Attending online training

Online platforms have a lot of materials you can make use of and gain any type of skills you wish to acquire. For example, YouTube. A lot of tutors have videos you do not have to subscribe to or pay for to access them. Here, you have the advantage of going at your own pace to understand what is being taught.

Alternatively, you can subscribe to programs offered by leading technology institutions such as Google or Andela. If you are a good student, and you grasp skills fast, they offer paid internship programs that could lead to employment.

Working in teams

If you and your friends have the same interest in security software development, then you can work together to gain skills and eventually come up with your own company. Among your team members, ensure you have someone more experienced to help you in case you guys are stuck, or you need help.

What are some of the skills needed

Honesty

A security software developer has to be honest enough to tell whether the developed software is secure or not and what can be done to reduce or eliminate vulnerabilities.

Good time manager

Some vulnerabilities are time-sensitive. If no action is done on time, then more harm will occur, which will be hard to recover from. You should be able to tell when a program is most prone to attacks and when security actions should take place to avoid inconveniences.

Good team player

A program takes a group of persons to be developed and ensured it is running. This includes a programmer, a tester, and a project manager. A good security software developer should be able to work with the above persons and know how to handle the team at large.

In conclusion, this is a sensitive job, at the same time good for someone who likes to explore computer programs while trying to fix them.