<h1>Cybersecurity vs. Data Science: Which IT Career is Right for You?</h1><h2><strong>Choosing between a </strong><i><strong>cybersecurity</strong></i><strong> career and a </strong><i><strong>data science</strong></i><strong> career in Malaysia?</strong> Here's how to decide based on skills, job scope, and salary potential. Tech professionals in Malaysia are spoiled for choice when it comes to career paths, especially in high-demand fields like <i>cybersecurity</i> and <i>data science</i>. But how do you know which one suits you best?</h2><p>While both offer strong salary growth and job stability, they require different skill sets and offer distinct work experiences. Whether you’re a fresh grad or making a mid-career switch, here’s how these two fields compare.</p><hr><h2>1. Career Focus: What You’ll Be Doing<img src="https://assets.hiredly.com/cms/image_2025_04_02_113912247_e31b68fb8a.png"></h2><p><strong>Cybersecurity</strong>: Protect networks, systems, and data from cyberattacks. Daily tasks include monitoring, risk prevention, ethical hacking, and implementing security protocols.</p><p><strong>Data Science</strong>: Extract insights from raw data to guide business decisions. Expect to build machine learning models, perform statistical analysis, and visualize data trends.</p><p><strong>Quick tip</strong>: If you're analytical and enjoy defending systems, <i>cybersecurity</i> may be for you. If you're curious and enjoy interpreting patterns, try <i>data science</i>.</p><hr><h2>2. Key Skills to Build</h2><p><strong>Cybersecurity</strong>:</p><ul><li>Ethical hacking &amp; penetration testing</li><li>Digital forensics</li><li>Network security (firewalls, protocols)</li><li>Cyber law &amp; compliance (e.g. PDPA)</li></ul><p><strong>Data Science</strong>:</p><ul><li>Statistics and data wrangling</li><li>Python, R, SQL</li><li>Machine learning</li><li>Data visualization (Tableau, Power BI)</li></ul><p>Explore more: <a href="https://my.hiredly.com/advice/soft-skills-or-technical-skills?utm_medium=article&amp;utm_source=career_advice&amp;utm_campaign=cybersecurity_vs._data_science:_which_it_career_is_right_for_you?&amp;utm_content=freelancing_malaysia,_job_seeker,_job_opportunities" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Soft Skills vs Technical Skills – Which Matter More?</a></p><hr><h2>3. Education &amp; Certifications</h2><p>A degree in Computer Science or IT helps, but certifications can give you a big edge.</p><p><strong>For Cybersecurity</strong>:</p><ul><li>CompTIA Security+</li><li>Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)</li><li>CISSP</li></ul><p><strong>For Data Science</strong>:</p><ul><li>Google Data Analytics Certificate</li><li>IBM Data Science Certificate</li><li>Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)</li></ul><hr><h2>4. Job Demand in Malaysia<img src="https://assets.hiredly.com/cms/image_2025_04_02_114115668_439d621948.png"></h2><p>Malaysia’s digital economy is growing fast—and so is the demand for both roles.</p><p><strong>Cybersecurity Roles</strong>:</p><ul><li>Cybersecurity Analyst</li><li>Penetration Tester</li><li>Security Engineer</li></ul><p><strong>Data Science Roles</strong>:</p><ul><li>Data Scientist</li><li>Machine Learning Engineer</li><li>Data Analyst</li></ul><p>Read more: <a href="https://my.hiredly.com/advice/top-10-companies-hiring-data-analyst-in-malaysia?utm_medium=article&amp;utm_source=career_advice&amp;utm_campaign=cybersecurity_vs._data_science:_which_it_career_is_right_for_you?&amp;utm_content=freelancing_malaysia,_job_seeker,_job_opportunities" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Top 10 Companies Hiring Data Analysts in Malaysia</a></p><hr><h2>5. Salary Comparison</h2><figure class="table"><table><thead><tr><th>Role</th><th>Average Monthly Salary (RM)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Cybersecurity Analyst</td><td>3,000 – 12,000+</td></tr><tr><td>Data Scientist</td><td>4,000 – 15,000+</td></tr></tbody></table></figure><p>Both offer high growth and opportunities across fintech, e-commerce, and government sectors.</p><hr><h3>Take the <a href="https://hiredly.typeform.com/to/K4idZTDK?utm_medium=article&amp;utm_source=career_advice&amp;utm_campaign=cybersecurity_vs._data_science:_which_it_career_is_right_for_you?&amp;utm_content=freelancing_malaysia,_job_seeker,_job_opportunities" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hiredly Work Personality Test</a> to get personalised job recommendations based on your personality and working style.</h3><h3>Join the conversation with ambitious young professionals in Hiredly’s <a href="https://hub.hiredly.com/young-leaders-community?utm_medium=article&amp;utm_source=career_advice&amp;utm_campaign=cybersecurity_vs._data_science:_which_it_career_is_right_for_you?&amp;utm_content=freelancing_malaysia,_job_seeker,_job_opportunities" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Young Talent Community</a> and stay ahead in your job search. Start your IT journey today at <a href="https://my.hiredly.com/jobs?utm_medium=article&amp;utm_source=career_advice&amp;utm_campaign=cybersecurity_vs._data_science:_which_it_career_is_right_for_you?&amp;utm_content=freelancing_malaysia,_job_seeker,_job_opportunities" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hiredly</a>.</h3>

Torn between cybersecurity and data science? Explore key differences, skills needed, career paths, and salaries in Malaysia to find the best IT career for you.