  This study employs a systematic literature review approach to identify the
requirements of a career as a cybersecurity professional. It aims to raise
public awareness regarding opportunities in the Information Security (IS)
profession. A total of 1,520 articles were identified from four academic
databases by searching using the terms "cybersecurity" and "skills". After
rigorous screening according to various criteria, 31 papers remained. The
findings of these studies were thematically analyzed to describe the knowledge
and skills an IS professional should possess. The research found that a
considerable investment in time is necessary for cybersecurity professionals to
reach the required technical proficiency. It also identified female gender
barriers to cybersecurity careers due to the unique requirements of the field
and suggests that females may successfully enter at lower levels and progress
up the tiers as circumstances dictate.
