Cybersecurity Expertise in 2026: Top Skills Recruiters Are Really Looking For

Cybersecurity: A Rapidly Evolving Field with High Recruitment Needs

In 2026, cybersecurity is undergoing a significant transformation driven by closely interconnected challenges. Etienne Sellan, a cybersecurity lecturer at Ynov Campus and the creator of cyber war rooms, highlights four main issues: supply chain security, digital sovereignty, the integration of AI in offensive and defensive strategies, and evolving regulatory frameworks at both national and European levels.

The supply chain is a critical concern in the sector. Modern infrastructures depend on thousands of third-party services, libraries, and software, each presenting potential attack surfaces. AI is changing the balance between offense and defense by enabling exploration of these dependencies on a scale unachievable by human resources alone.

“We now have greater thoroughness in vulnerability research, making it slightly easier for attackers: instead of searching for a complicated flaw in a specific service, they can cover a wider area, cast their nets further, and find a vulnerable element.”

On the defensive side, IT security teams are seeing similar efficiency gains, including improved vulnerability detection, automation of certain patches, and more comprehensive fraud filtering. However, AI also indirectly broadens the perimeters that need protection. As all teams within an organization become more productive using these tools, deployments speed up, functionalities increase, and the exposure surface naturally expands.

“Currently, our perimeters are expanding somewhat exponentially, which also adds a burden since all this new code produced and new services also need protection,” notes Etienne Sellan.

Digital sovereignty is another key issue at the heart of cybersecurity. For the most sensitive organizations, the trend is towards adopting local models, operated internally to avoid transferring data to third-party platforms. The lecturer notes a tangible shift in practices: given equivalent solutions, technical teams now prefer sovereign, French or European options, even if it means allocating more time or budget. Solutions developed by Mistral AI are cited as a concrete example of this ongoing dynamic.

The Many Facets of a Cybersecurity Expert

In this context, cybersecurity experts are among the most sought-after profiles by companies. Their roles and work environments vary greatly:

• Consulting and auditing, where they test client security sequentially,
• Strategic support, which involves designing and structuring an organization’s security,
• Integration within an internal team, managing all of a company’s security issues over the long term.

“As a cybersecurity expert, you can work in an audit firm, changing clients regularly. Our tasks may also include designing, advising, and supporting the company’s security by creating its infrastructure, its technical foundation, and offering regulatory advice. Or, as in my case, being part of a dedicated security team in a company, to handle all these issues internally, over the long term.”

Skills Required to Become a Cybersecurity Expert

This diversity directly impacts the required skills. Unlike other technical professions where advanced specialization may suffice, cybersecurity demands the ability to work on systems that a professional might not have been trained on. The information system architecture of a client during an audit, or the existing technical setup of a company one joins, are realities that might be encountered at the start of a mission. Therefore, knowing and being able to manipulate the most common vulnerabilities is a fundamental requirement. To assist, the expert suggests starting to practice on platforms like Hack The Box or Root Me.

The Growing Importance of Soft Skills in This Role

Soft skills are increasingly important in this profession, and Etienne Sellan directly relates this to the realities of working in a company. Since perfect security doesn’t exist, experts must deal with organizational constraints, defend priorities, and balance between protection level and user experience.

“Sometimes you have to strike a balance, find compromises, because in the end, perfect security doesn’t exist, and if it did, it would be very restrictive for the user. You need to balance things out, have a long-term vision, to organize your ideas and all the projects you want to implement. That’s why soft skills are very important in this profession.”

Practical Training in Cybersecurity at Ynov Campus

The cybersecurity training program offered by Ynov Campus is based on a key principle: exposing students to real-world situations as early as possible. Etienne Sellan, who attended the school as a student before returning as a lecturer, describes a direct continuity between what is learned in training and what is encountered in the workplace.

“This professional aspect is really tied to the field of cybersecurity, because what matters is the result. If you find a quicker way to complete a task in ten minutes, that’s the right way. We are in the real world. What we expect is exactly what will be expected in a professional setting.”

In practice, this translates into practical exercises performed by students on real equipment: a fake ATM, a carnival machine, a safe, a mini missile launcher… Each piece of equipment adds a gamification element to the learning experience, while simulating a flaw to identify and exploit. Cyber war rooms take this approach even further, reconstructing a full-scale security incident over an entire day.

These dedicated spaces, available on each campus, blend technical challenges with crisis management, featuring AI-generated phone calls simulating a pressured CEO, real-time ransom demands, and fictional news flashes. “Our starting principle: what could possibly go wrong in a company, and how could we work on it, mixing both soft skills and hard skills,” the Ynov Campus lecturer adds.

The title of expert in cybersecurity is a level 7 professional title recognized by the state, designed directly with industry professionals, which allows it to closely match the real needs of recruiters. “With an employability rate of 92% six months after graduation, companies clearly recognize the skills of Ynov Campus students and the quality of the training.”

Whether through formal education, personal projects, or outside activities, repeated practice and exposure to real challenges help build an employable profile, making a difference in a market where a degree alone is not enough. Etienne Sellan advises future learners to undertake projects, regardless of the context.

“Take on projects, take initiatives based on topics that interest you. Any idea you might have and develop will lead you to problems that will push you to find solutions on your own. And all this are skills that will be valuable in the professional world,” concludes the cybersecurity expert.