Cryptography Professional

Cryptology professionals create, validate, implement and decipher codes and cryptograms.

Role overview

Cryptologists ensure safe communication within governments, businesses, and non-profit settings by writing ciphers, algorithms, and security protocols to encrypt data. Cryptanalysts then break down existing code to decrypt and access information. As security breaches continue to attack financial institutions, government agencies, and the business sector, cryptology professionals are vital in keeping valuable information safe.

Cryptology Professionals

may also be referred to as:

Cryptographer

Cryptography Engineer

Cyber Encryption Analyst

Cryptanalyst

Career Path

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Average Salary

Based upon experience, salary for this role ranges from:

$115,000

National Average

$144,000

$182,000

* based upon those with two plus years of cybersecurity experience

Responsibilities

• Creating algorithms and ciphers to encrypt data for businesses, government, healthcare companies, financial organizations, and the military.

• Deciphering algorithms and ciphertext to decrypt information.

• Analyzing existing encryption systems to identify weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

• Testing cryptology theories and techniques to implement new and improved encryption solutions.

• Advising staff on cryptical/mathematical methods and applications.

• Ensuring wireless networks are not illegally accessed or altered.

Tools & Environment

Cryptography professionals must be familiar with data structures, algorithms, and complicated mathematical concepts, and should be able to apply them to encryption. Cryptography experts are also fluent in multiple programming languages including Python, Java, and C++, and operating systems like Microsoft Windows and UNIX. Common algorithms used by cryptographers include Triple Data Encryption Algorithm (Triple DES) and Rivest-Shamir-Adelman (RAS).