🎯 Cybersecurity Specialization Paths

1. Network Security
Focus: Protecting data as it moves across networks.
Skills: Firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPNs, packet analysis, secure protocols.
Tools: Wireshark, Nmap, Snort, pfSense.
Roles: Network Security Engineer, SOC Analyst, Firewall Administrator.

2. Application Security (AppSec)
Focus: Securing software and web apps.
Skills: OWASP Top 10, secure coding, threat modeling.
Tools: Burp Suite, ZAP, SAST/DAST tools.
Roles: AppSec Engineer, Web Pen Tester, Secure Code Reviewer.

3. Penetration Testing / Ethical Hacking
Focus: Offensive security (finding & exploiting vulnerabilities).
Skills: Reconnaissance, exploitation, privilege escalation, reporting.
Tools: Kali Linux, Metasploit, Burp Suite, Hydra.
Roles: Pen Tester, Red Team Specialist, Bug Bounty Hunter.

4. Cloud Security
Focus: Securing cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
Skills: Identity & Access Management (IAM), encryption, cloud compliance.
Tools: CloudTrail, Security Hub, Prisma Cloud.
Roles: Cloud Security Engineer, Cloud Risk Analyst.

5. Digital Forensics & Incident Response (DFIR)
Focus: Investigating and responding to security incidents.
Skills: Log analysis, malware reverse engineering, memory forensics.
Tools: Volatility, Autopsy, FTK, ELK Stack.
Roles: Forensic Analyst, Incident Responder, SOC Specialist.

6. Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC)
Focus: Policies, risk management, legal & regulatory requirements.
Skills: Risk assessments, security frameworks (ISO 27001, NIST).
Tools: GRC platforms, audit tools.
Roles: Compliance Analyst, Risk Manager, Security Auditor.

7. Industrial & IoT Security

Focus: Protecting critical infrastructure (power plants, factories, IoT devices).
Skills: ICS/SCADA protocols, OT security.
Tools: Nessus, Wireshark, specialized OT firewalls.
Roles: OT Security Engineer, ICS Security Analyst.

8. Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI)
Focus: Tracking attackers, analyzing threats, predicting attacks.
Skills: Malware analysis, threat hunting, OSINT.
Tools: MISP, VirusTotal, Shodan.
Roles: Threat Analyst, Threat Hunter, Intelligence Researcher.

🚀 How to Choose Your Specialization
Ask yourself:
Do you like breaking things? → Penetration Testing / Red Team.
Do you like fixing & building defenses? → Network / Cloud / AppSec.
Do you like investigation & detective work? → Forensics / Threat Hunting.
Do you prefer policies & frameworks? → GRC / Risk Management.