How to Get a Cybersecurity Internship in 2024?

A cybersecurity internship is a temporary position that provides practical experience in the web security testing and incident response areas. There are three types of cybersecurity internships available – paid, for-credit, and job shadow internships. You should apply online by preparing your resume along with educational and work documents. Your internship will get a boost if you do your internship with a government organization like DHS or a reputed private organization like IBM. After an internship, you'll find that you now have work experience, you've expanded your network and you have more job opportunities. Don't forget to build relationships with your team. Always be eager to learn and request a 'letter of recommendation' from the manager or team leader before completing an internship which will open doors to future job opportunities.

As you begin your job search in cybersecurity, you'll find that many job postings require previous experience, sometimes even for entry-level positions. In this article, you will learn what cybersecurity interns do and what internships are available. You'll also better understand the benefits of getting an internship and get tips for getting the most out of your internship time.

What does a cybersecurity intern do?

As you know, cyber security internships are temporary positions at a company or an organization. As an intern, you'll gain experience performing some of the basic, administrative tasks of a cybersecurity analyst, often under the supervision of an experienced professional. The exact nature of the internship will vary depending on the company. Here are some tasks and responsibilities taken from a real cybersecurity internship listing on LinkedIn:

• Web application security testing
• Monitoring incoming security data
• Responding to minor security incidents
• escalate events as needed
• Assessing network security for vulnerabilities
• Isolating and debugging malicious software
• researching threats
• assist in penetration testing
• Developing scripts and automation
• Helping design and implement security solutions

In some internships, you can work as needed or join the Performing security team as needed. In other internships, you may be assigned a specific security project to work on alone or with other interns. Projects may include designing and building a security system for a specific purpose, auditing the system, planning and performing penetration testing, or conducting security awareness training.

Also Read -

Types of Cyber Security Internships

Internships can vary from company to company based on how much they compensate you for your work. Let's start by learning about some common cybersecurity internships.

Paid Internship

If you are an intern, some organizations may pay some amount for your work. Many organizations and companies offer payment at work rates. According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary for a Cyber Security Intern in the United States is $30 per hour.

For-Credit Internship

Check your university or college that may be organizing internship programs. It may be icing on the cake if you earn credits toward your degree program by completing an internship. Academic internships may be paid or unpaid, depending on your university and college. Many students believe that it is a good idea to do an internship during summer because regular classes are not happening at that time.

Job Shadow

Job shadow can allow you to follow a cybersecurity professional. You can achieve a better experience in just several months. However, most job shadow internships are unpaid so people do not prefer them.

How to get a cybersecurity internship

Are you thinking about a cybersecurity internship, here are some suggestions for you. See how the internship suits your needs to get the most benefit.

• You should apply for more than one internship so you will be able to choose the best option for you. Some programs may be competitive but don't worry about them. Using this method will give you better cybersecurity internship options.
• You should document your academic and independent work. Keep track records of your work and projects. Organize your learned security software that is helpful when creating a resume.

The 3 Steps to get a cybersecurity internship

1. Make sure you meet the general cyber security trainee requirements.

An internship is a good step toward a career in cybersecurity. These courses are designed for students without prior job experience and career changers.

1. You should be a student of a recognized institute.
2. You will need to be a US citizen.
3. You may need to obtain a certain level of security clearance.

2. Tailor your resume.

Like a job first, you must apply for an internship and complete an application, then submit your resume along with a cover letter. You may also be required to complete one or more interviews as part of the application process.

Since you may not have work experience directly related to cybersecurity, your resume should highlight any relevant coursework, information technology (IT) experience, and transferable skills (such as programming, leadership, or technical writing).

3. Find cybersecurity internship opportunities.

You may be wondering where you can find internships, especially if you are not currently a student with access to a career services office. In this section, we'll take a closer look at sources of government and non-government internships to speed up your search. Because much of cybersecurity involves monitoring systems and responding to any security incident, these types of tasks can be performed from anywhere with a strong Internet connection.

Essential skills for cybersecurity interns

Experience can be the best teacher. Putting your cyber security knowledge to work in a real company setting can be a great way to accelerate your skills development. Depending on the role, you may also hone your programming skills by writing scripts and automating tasks. Here are some cybersecurity skills and concepts you can expand on as a cybersecurity trainee:

Technical Skills	Workplace Skills
Knowledge of network security monitoring tools	Problem-solving
Incident response	Attention to detail
Working with firewalls and antivirus software	Written and oral communication
Web application security testing	Critical thinking
Penetration testing	Eager to learn
Threat research and evaluation	Eager to grow

Don't worry if you don't have the above technical skills. You can prepare yourself for the opportunity of an entity-level role by learning from an industry leader through online study.

Cyber Security Internship Opportunities

Government organizations may be Suitable for cyber security internships because many government internships run at regular intervals. However, companies and organizations also offer internships for aspiring cybersecurity professionals. You can find these opportunities by searching "cyber security internship" on Google or "cyber security intern" on job boards like LinkedIn, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter.

Government Internship	Private organization Internship
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)	IBM
Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)	Lockheed Martin
National Security Agency (NSA)	Facebook
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)	Palo alto Networks
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)	Hyper Verge

Also Read -

Advantage of a cybersecurity internship

The advantage of a cybersecurity internship can be movable beyond salary. Here are some charming advantages of a cybersecurity internship:

• The most valuable advantage of an internship is gaining work experience for your resume which can help in searching for jobs.
• When you were working, you met and worked with cybersecurity professionals from a variety of roles and backgrounds. You may find it beneficial to partner with a manager or senior cybersecurity team member to expand your network.
• Some internships may end with an offer of full employment at the company but this is a rare case. Our suggestion here is, don't forget to get a job recommendation letter from your internship manager.
• Internships will increase your passion for work. Internships hone your talents and skills, making you a perfect fit for the cybersecurity field.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Cyber Security Internship

Here are some ways that can help you get more out of your cybersecurity internship:

• Be eager to learn and ask lots of questions but remember that you're also there to do a job.
• Build relationships with the people you meet. If someone at the company is working on a project you're interested in, ask if you can have lunch together to talk about it.
• Remember to ask for letters of recommendation when your internship ends. Your manager can write a stronger letter when your work is fresh in their memory, rather than a few weeks or months after you apply for jobs.