Digital forensics expert to embedded systems security engineer
A digital forensics expert already meets 31% of what the embedded systems security engineer role asks for. The move turns on 21 required skills not yet in the profile.
74.9/ 100
1 How much of what an embedded systems security engineer is expected to do is already part of a digital forensics expert’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the embedded systems security engineer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
An embedded systems security engineer role treats 10 of its required skills as things a digital forensics expert already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- ICT network security risks
- ICT security standards
- cyber attack counter-measures
- identify ICT security risks
- identify ICT system weaknesses
- information security strategy
What stands in the way is 21 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 12 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. An embedded systems security engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a digital forensics expert background worth leading with.
- already held perform ICT security testing working with computers
- already held identify ICT system weaknesses working with computers
- already held cyber attack counter-measures services
- already held identify ICT security risks information skills
- already held ICT encryption information and communication technologies (icts)
- already held manage IT security compliances working with computers
All 12 carried skills, including the 10 the embedded systems security engineer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 29 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn develop ICT device driver required
- still to learn analyse ICT system required
- still to learn develop software prototype required
- still to learn execute software tests required
- still to learn use software libraries required
- still to learn utilise computer-aided software engineering tools required
- optional, not held ICT safety optional
- optional, not held debug software optional
- optional, not held integrate system components optional
- still to learn Internet of Things required
- still to learn software anomalies required
- still to learn computer programming required
- still to learn digital systems required
- optional, not held ethical hacking principles optional
- still to learn interpret technical texts required
- still to learn keep up with the latest information systems solutions required
- still to learn perform risk analysis required
- still to learn report test findings required
- still to learn use software design patterns required
- still to learn create flowchart diagram required
- optional, not held design user interface optional
- optional, not held develop creative ideas optional
- still to learn define security policies required
- still to learn define technical requirements required
- optional, not held perform project management optional
- still to learn embedded systems required
- still to learn safety engineering required
2 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries an embedded systems security engineer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 develop ICT device driver practise this
- 02 Internet of Things study this
- 03 analyse ICT system practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 12 skills that carry over
- already held ICT network security risks knowledge
- already held ICT security standards knowledge
- already held cyber attack counter-measures knowledge
- already held identify ICT security risks skill
- already held identify ICT system weaknesses skill
- already held information security strategy knowledge
- already held manage IT security compliances skill
- already held perform ICT security testing skill
- already held provide ICT consulting advice skill
- already held security engineering knowledge
- already held ICT encryption knowledge
- already held cloud technologies knowledge
The 2 learning areas not shown above
- still to learn monitor system performance required
- optional, not held organisational resilience optional
8 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held ICT safety optional
- optional, not held debug software optional
- optional, not held design user interface optional
- optional, not held ethical hacking principles optional
- optional, not held integrate system components optional
- optional, not held organisational resilience optional
- optional, not held develop creative ideas optional
- optional, not held perform project management optional
65 held skills the embedded systems security engineer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role Aircrack (penetration testing tool) knowledge
- not needed by the target role Backbox (penetration testing tool) knowledge
- not needed by the target role BlackArch knowledge
- not needed by the target role Cain and Abel (penetration testing tool) knowledge
- not needed by the target role GDPR knowledge
- not needed by the target role ICT infrastructure knowledge
- not needed by the target role ICT security legislation knowledge
- not needed by the target role John The Ripper (penetration testing tool) knowledge
- not needed by the target role Kali Linux knowledge
- not needed by the target role LDAP knowledge
- not needed by the target role LINQ knowledge
- not needed by the target role MDX knowledge
- not needed by the target role Maltego knowledge
- not needed by the target role Metasploit knowledge
- not needed by the target role N1QL knowledge
- not needed by the target role Nessus knowledge
- not needed by the target role Nexpose knowledge
- not needed by the target role OWASP ZAP knowledge
- not needed by the target role Parrot Security OS knowledge
- not needed by the target role SPARQL knowledge
- not needed by the target role Samurai Web Testing Framework knowledge
- not needed by the target role THC Hydra knowledge
- not needed by the target role WhiteHat Sentinel knowledge
- not needed by the target role Wireshark knowledge
- not needed by the target role XQuery knowledge
- not needed by the target role analyse network configuration and performance skill
- not needed by the target role apply reverse engineering skill
- not needed by the target role attack vectors knowledge
- not needed by the target role audit techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role check methods knowledge
- not needed by the target role collect cyber defence data skill
- not needed by the target role computer forensics knowledge
- not needed by the target role cyber security knowledge
- not needed by the target role data storage knowledge
- not needed by the target role design computer network skill
- not needed by the target role develop information security strategy skill
- not needed by the target role digital data processing skill
- not needed by the target role educate on data confidentiality skill
- not needed by the target role establish an ICT security prevention plan skill
- not needed by the target role forensic intelligence knowledge
25 further entries not listed here
8 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn Internet of Things required
- still to learn embedded systems required
- still to learn software anomalies required
- still to learn computer programming required
- still to learn digital systems required
- still to learn safety engineering required
- optional, not held ethical hacking principles optional
- optional, not held organisational resilience optional
Common questions about this move
Can a digital forensics expert become an embedded systems security engineer?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A digital forensics expert already covers 31% of what an embedded systems security engineer is expected to do: 12 skills carry over, 10 of which the embedded systems security engineer role treats as required.
What skills does a digital forensics expert need to become an embedded systems security engineer?
21 required skills are missing, plus 8 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by working with computers. The single most important is develop ICT device driver.
How hard is the move from digital forensics expert to embedded systems security engineer?
Its learning distance is 74.9 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.