Computer Security Consultant

image by Dan Hankin

Computer security consultants work with individuals or small businesses to help protect their private data from security threats involving hackers stealing personal information such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, emails, etc.   Private individuals want to feel safe while browsing around the internet.  Your service can help them feel safer from email viruses and online purchasing security.  Small businesses can suffer loss of private data about their customers from hackers on-site and off-site.  This theft of information could cost the business thousands and thousands of dollars and, being a small business, could pose a threat of shutting them down.   Small businesses such as accountants, financial advisers, mortgage brokers, and law offices especially need extra security on their systems to protect their large databases of client information.

Services that could be offered are setting up anti-virus programs, encryption, firewalls, email security, installations, training, and coach them on the best security practices.   Offer them checkups on an annual or bi-annual basis.

Although preventive services would be key in this business, some people will experience a computer security breach, like downloading a virus, and have lost some functioning of their computers and might not be able to perform any business.  Help clean up their systems to get them operating again., you could also provide backup services as another revenue channel.

Some computer security consultants have been able to provide this service without having any formal education, they’ve gained experience on a previous job or at home over many years.   You could take some formal classes at a local community college or online in network administration, which could add some credibility to your background.  Also a certificate as a Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) or Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) could help too.

As big as computers and the internet are evolving and usage growing worldwide, security will always be a big factor and should be a growing opportunity for more computer security consultants. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that network and database communications will increase by 53 percent from 2008 – 2018 and will include security analysts.