Is Cyber Security Worth It in 2026? The Real Career Guide, Skills, Jobs & Free Resources

Let’s skip the suits and buzzwords—cyber security’s still a big deal in 2026. I’m Jake, sysadmin at an MSP serving banks and credit unions. I’ve seen all sides, so let me give you the real story, not the hype.

Why’s cyber security still such a huge focus?

When I first got into IT, everyone treated cyber roles like reaching the big leagues—you’re fighting hackers, defending systems, pulling some superhero moves. It sounded intense, and I totally bought it. But let’s be honest, most days aren’t like Hollywood at all. Once I traded in the help desk gig for sysadmin work, reality set in.

Is cyber security worth it in 2026? For sure—it just helps to know what you’re actually signing up for.

So, what’s the actual day-to-day?

If you’re picturing yourself hacking away like some red team action movie, sorry, but that’s not most of it. My real days? Setting up MFA, running phishing drills, installing patches, and constantly tweaking Microsoft policies. DNS filtering, compliance headaches—the boring, behind-the-scenes stuff. Thing is, all that boring work is what keeps the bad stuff out.

You’re not fighting hackers every other hour. The goal is to make sure things are so tight that the attackers don’t even get in. Good cyber security is more about keeping fires from starting than putting them out.

So why’s everyone chasing this career?

Well, the titles sound badass. The paycheck’s nice. And news feeds love making every breach a headline. But here’s the catch: entry-level jobs are stacked with competition. Tons of people collect certs—A+, Net+, Sec+, sometimes even CISSP—and all line up for the same gigs. It’s a crowded field starting out.

Don’t skip the basics.

People ask me all the time if they should jump right into security. My answer? Don’t. Get your hands dirty with IT first. Knowing how things work underneath—networks, servers, all of it—sets you up for real success in security. Start as a generalist—help desk, sysadmin—then pinpoint security. Once you pivot, the whole picture makes sense and you move faster.

But what’s it actually like at entry-level?

Expect a ton of phishing simulations, tackling spam, and scrubbing up minor incidents. The cool “investigator” part? These days, automation does a lot of the heavy lifting. Mostly you’re reviewing logs and alerts—not exactly living a detective movie.

If you’re working at a bank, everything’s tight and regulated. True breaches are rare (thank God). At a smaller place, brace yourself—messy setups, missing MFA, firewall fails. More chaos, more hands-on work.

Who’s keeping things protected?

It’s not just the “cyber security” folks. Sysadmins and network engineers are in the trenches—managing access, locking down firewalls, rolling out password managers. We build the walls, not just stand guard.

So, who should actually aim for cyber security?

If you’re still shaky on IT basics, slow down. You can’t lock up what you don’t understand. But if you geek out on processes, compliance, and documentation, you’ll fit right in. Chasing non-stop excitement? You’ll burn out fast.

Sure, some people love homelabs, snatching up every cert, and always picking up new tricks. That learning side is legit—but if you want endless drama, you’re in for a disappointment. Cyber security is about routines and consistency, not a real-life action movie.

Here’s the best route I can suggest:

Start with some basics—A+, Net+, Sec+ (or Google’s version). But don’t ignore the real skills: networks, cloud, OS fundamentals. Grind a couple years at the help desk or as a sysadmin, then slide over to entry-level security, like SOC analyst.

Honestly, being a sysadmin or cloud admin is fantastic, and from there, moving into security is smoother. Jump straight in too early, you may find it tough to back up and get core IT experience later on. But the other way around? No problem.

Bottom line—cyber security is worth it.

Not because it’s glamorous, but because it keeps everything running, everywhere: banks, hospitals, you name it. Every good IT pro needs at least some security know-how.

Will I go full-on security one day? Maybe. But for now, I love building the guts and locking them down. Security is only as strong as your basics.

Forget wild chase scenes and “movie hacker” nonsense. Cyber security is all about mindset. Get that straight, and everything else just clicks.

If you’re new, check out my other guides about certs and everyday life in the trenches. Got questions? Shoot them my way. Stay sharp.

A 2024 Update: What It’s Really Like as a SOC Analyst

Here’s a quick 2024 update. I’m now wrapping up my second year as a SOC analyst, and things have shifted since I started out. Here’s a window into what the job really looks like now, with a bit more time under my belt.

I work from home pretty much all the time. For this job, whether you’re at home or in an office—makes no real difference. No need for those fake “morning routine hacks”—if you know, you know.

First thing? Check my calendar.

Meetings run my day now. If it’s quiet, less chaos. It used to be lighter last year, but these days I’ve got more—vendor chats, planning sessions, manager one-on-ones. Not the funnest, but that’s how you know you’re leveling up.

Splunk SOAR: The phishing battle

Next, Splunk SOAR. It scoops up all the phishing emails users report, lets automation clear the boring ones, and leaves us the real threats to chase. I scan through new events, see what automations did, dig into artifacts, and check how much time automation saved (it’s a lot).

Hunting bad emails looks like this: sketchy subject lines with endless exclamation points, messages “from the boss” that look fishy, weird links. Anything off, I dump it in VirusTotal—if it comes back bad, I block the sender and clean up the mess.

We use low-code playbooks—just drag and drop, and the system handles most of the aftermath.

Splunk SIEM: Chasing weird stuff

Once that’s done, I head into the SIEM dashboards, which basically pull logs from everywhere and help spot risky activity. I’ve made custom dashboards to catch things like brute-force login attempts—it’s one of the best ways to head off trouble early. The query language seems scary at first, but you get used to it.

Help desk tickets are next. Most are routine—access changes, account oddities. Sometimes you stumble on real incidents: sudden logins from out-of-state, weird new devices, login spikes. Those are fun—you dig in, try to figure out what’s actually going on.

Afternoons: Compliance and patching headaches

Afternoon rolls in and I’m onto the deep stuff: ISO 27001, vendor calls, chasing down app security problems, checking encryption and backups. It can feel like endless checklists, but that’s how you learn and level up fast.

For vulnerabilities, CrowdStrike keeps watch. I scan for outdated software, push updates, and hope users don’t hit “postpone.” If someone grabs some sketchy malware—say an Autodesk keygen—CrowdStrike tries to block it. If not, I block it manually.

End of the day, I sneak in some dashboard coding. I’m a developer at heart, so this gives me a break from endless tickets and meetings. Plus, I use these dashboards to show management how many threats we’ve blocked—even if nothing awful happens. That’s the goal: be so good that disasters just don’t make it through.

So, that’s my day: phishing, logs, tickets, disagreement with the patch guy, meetings, dashboards. Not glamorous, but solid work. If this helps you picture the daily grind, glad to help. Good luck.

Cyber Security Explained Through Anne’s Story

Let’s talk about Anne. She shops a lot on www.shoppingcart.com—saves her email, address, credit card info, you know, normal stuff. All her details are stored there for easy checkouts.

One day Anne gets an email: “Congrats! You’ve won a discount voucher from shoppingcart.com.” Looks legit. She just needs to log in. She does… and the next thing she knows, a good chunk of cash is gone from her account.

What happened? That email was a scam. Somebody tricked her and broke into her shoppingcart.com account—a straight-up cyber attack. The person pulling the strings? A hacker.

Could Anne have stopped it? Definitely. Cyber security’s about guarding your data, devices, and whatever else you care about from people who want to mess with them. It’s not one magic tool—it’s habits and a toolkit based on what you’re trying to protect and who might come for it.

Common Cyber Security Attacks Anne Could Run Into

Here are the common attacks Anne could run into.

Malware

Malware—like trojans, adware, spyware. If she’d clicked on a sketchy attachment, she could have installed a virus without even knowing.

Phishing

Phishing—the trick that got her here. Hackers send fake emails to steal passwords or install malware. Looks real, but it’s bait.

Man-in-the-Middle Attacks

Man-in-the-middle attacks—here, an attacker wedges themselves between Anne’s device and the website, hijacks her IP, and silently snoops on her info. Think sketchy Wi-Fi or after malware is already on her system.

Password Attacks

Password attacks—hackers guess or brute-force their way in, trying common passwords over and over until they get lucky.

How Anne Improved Her Security

After her disaster, Anne got her act together. She set up a firewall—a digital bouncer that decides what data gets in or out. There are software and hardware versions.

She started using honeypots—fake servers designed to waste hackers’ time, keeping her real stuff safe.

She switched to strong, unique passwords, grabbed antivirus software, and started deleting shady emails without opening them. Smart moves.

Cyber Attacks Against Organizations

It’s not just about one person, either. Big companies and public agencies get hit, sometimes for money, sometimes for sabotage.

Major targets face things like APTs (Advanced Persistent Threats): attackers sneak in and quietly steal data for months or years.

Denial-of-service (DoS) and DDoS attacks? Hackers flood a network with junk traffic to shut down the real business. A DDoS just means lots of compromised devices are in on it.

SQL injection? Hackers mess with a site’s database to steal or change what they want.

Cyber Security Career Paths

Threats keep growing, which is why we need people who can spot and block them. That’s really what a cyber security career is—it’s outsmarting the bad folks. If you love the chase, think about ethical hacking—find weak spots and fix them before real attackers do.

Or maybe you want to design the big picture as a security architect, or be the top dog: Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).

Cyber Security Quick Quiz

Quick quiz: In which attack does a hacker hijack the client’s IP address? Is it A) DDoS, B) man-in-the-middle, C) phishing, or D) password attack? Drop your answer below—three winners get Amazon vouchers.

Cyber attacks aren’t slowing down, and with digital life busier every year, companies need security pros more than ever. If you’re looking at this field, you’re not just running after a trending job—it pays well, too.

So don’t just sit there. Get a certification (check out Simply Learn if you want) and start your journey. If this helped, like, subscribe, or follow to keep up with new tech stuff. Thanks for reading, and stay secure out there.

How to Get Into Cyber Security

Lately, I see a lot of questions about breaking into cyber security. Where do you even start? Which certs actually matter? It’s no wonder people are lost—the internet is all over the place with advice.

First, you do NOT need a computer science degree or tons of technical chops to get into cyber security. But you’re also not becoming an expert after three months at a bootcamp. Don’t buy the fantasy. I want to walk through what cyber security really is, the skills and certs that count, and common stereotypes that derail people.

I’m Jonno, by the way—I work in cyber security. Let’s get back to the basics. Most people hear “cyber security” and imagine a hoodie-wearing hacker pounding away on a keyboard, kind of like Hollywood. That exists—it’s penetration testing—but that’s only a small part of the field.

The industry covers way more ground. Some folks dive into logs and hunt for suspicious activity all day. Others design secure systems from scratch. There are teams focused on policy, compliance, and building training programs—mostly to keep employees from getting phished. The field is massive. That’s good news—there’s a role out there for you, whether your strengths are technical, analytical, or people-oriented.

What You Need to Know to Start

Now, about getting hired. Yes, there are a ton of open jobs. But prepare yourself—sometimes even “entry-level” gigs want three to five years of experience. It makes no sense, but it happens everywhere. The upside? Companies can’t afford to be that picky forever. They need bodies, so now they’re way more open to training someone dedicated with solid fundamentals. Be that person.

What do you actually need to know? It’s a list, but let’s keep it simple. The big one is networking—TCP, UDP, IPs, OSI model, major ports/protocols, DNS, firewalls, routers, switches, you name it. Is it always fun? Nope. But if you skip the basics, you’ll just keep tripping up.

Operating systems? Next in line. You’ll…

7 Free Cyber Security Websites to Start Learning

Getting started in cyber security isn’t always easy. There are two big things that throw beginners off right away. First, the price tag. Cyber security certifications and trainings aren’t cheap—sometimes you’re looking at hundreds of dollars just to get access. Second, there’s just a sea of resources out there. There’s so much information, it’s tough to even figure out where to begin or what’s actually worth your time.

In this video, I want to make things simpler. I’m going to show you seven completely free websites you can use right now to kick off your cyber security learning journey without spending a dime.

By the way, I regularly make videos like this, breaking down free trainings and other resources—so if you’re new here, hey, I’m Ben. Definitely consider subscribing so you don’t miss out. Plus, once we hit 100,000 subscribers, I’ll pick one of you and give away a free Security Plus voucher. Just hit that subscribe button to enter!

Alright, let’s get into the seven free resources. No particular order here—just solid options you should check out.

1. AWS Skill Builder

First up is AWS Skill Builder. This is a free site from Amazon where you can pick up all sorts of cloud computing basics and even some advanced stuff. There are hundreds of training modules, and you can sort them based on what kind of job you’re interested in, the specific cloud area you want to learn, or even by your preferred learning style.

What’s cool is, you can use their modules to prep for AWS certifications like Certified Cloud Practitioner or Solutions Architect. A lot of their learning plans are 100% online and free, and you get a mix of readings, videos, and hands-on labs. It’s solid training direct from AWS.

2. Microsoft Learn

Next is Microsoft Learn. Think of it as the Microsoft version of AWS Skill Builder. Anything Microsoft cloud-related is here—services, tools, you name it. Just like AWS, you can find modules and pathways for different jobs and specialties. If you’re thinking about cloud security, engineering, or just learning how major cloud services work, AWS Skill Builder and Microsoft Learn are both perfect starting points.

3. Security Blue Team Free Courses

Third is Security Blue Team, which has a bunch of free courses too. This company is pretty well-known for blue team (defensive) training. I actually took one of their paid certifications myself a while back, and I loved how hands-on and practical it was.

On their site, you’ll find free courses like an intro to penetration testing, PowerShell basics, the Blue Team Junior Analyst pathway, Python basics—all super useful if you’re after an entry-level role in cyber security. It’s a great way to dip your toes in, pick up some essential skills, and see what you like before you commit to paying for anything.

All the resources I talk about are linked down below, by the way. If you’re finding this helpful, drop a like—it really helps out.

4. TryHackMe Free Learning Path

Coming in at four is TryHackMe’s free learning path. TryHackMe has kind of exploded in popularity, mostly because it’s so interactive and beginner-friendly. You don’t need any previous cyber security experience—just jump into their free learning path, and you’ll hit the basics right away: career paths in cyber, an intro to offensive security, pen testing, Linux fundamentals, and actual hands-on labs using real tools.

You’ll also practice with capture-the-flag challenges, which are a blast and teach you real-world skills. If you only check out one site today, TryHackMe should be on your list.

5. TCM Academy Free Tier Courses

Number five is TCM Academy. They’ve got a free tier with four courses: Linux 100 Fundamentals, Practical Help Desk, Programming 100 Fundamentals, and Soft Skills for the Job Market. It’s not a huge list, but the quality’s there, and TCM Academy has a good reputation in the space.

6. Splunk Free Training Courses

Sixth is Splunk’s free trainings. If you want to be a SOC (Security Operations Center) analyst or cyber security analyst, you’ll run into SIEM tools like Splunk every single day. Knowing how to use them is actually a big advantage.

Their free courses walk you through how Splunk works, how to pull and analyze data, build dashboards, and more. Getting hands-on with Splunk sets you up nicely for entry-level analyst jobs.

7. KC7

And finally, probably the most underrated—KC7. If you like games or puzzles, you’ll love this one. KC7 offers cyber security education in a totally gamified format. Microsoft cyber security professionals helped build it, and it’s made for total beginners. Seriously, I’ve seen everyone from elementary school kids to working adults with no tech background using KC7.

You investigate mysteries in a lab setting, submit your answers, and unlock the next stage. There are tons of modules, mostly focused on blue team skills. So, if you know you’re interested in cyber security but don’t know which part of blue team you want, KC7 lets you get your hands dirty and figure it out while having some fun.

Final Thoughts

Like I said, every single resource I mentioned is linked below. If you got something out of this video, hit like and subscribe—you won’t want to miss the giveaway.

And if you like shorter content, follow me on Instagram at cyberwithben. Appreciate you watching—I’ll see you in the next one. Peace.