5 Fun Side Hustles for Cybersecurity Students
Tags: cybersecurity, tutorial, productivity, career
Published: 2023-06-04 20:28:35


So many online resources seem to be vastly outdated when it comes to side hustles, especially for students. I want to show practical ways that I’ve personally used in the past few months that worked for me and will work for you. What’s great is that all of these can be a learning experience alongside being a fun way to make money.

## 1. Building and Selling Cybersecurity Tools

*Income: $100–$500 per month*

I’ve been developing and selling my own cybersecurity tools extensively. You’ll be surprised how many businesses are willing to pay for customised solutions to meet their specific problems.

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/2000/1*mMzRpROqEjg5oqRDV4L6HQ.png)

Identify a need within the market and develop a tool to meet it. This requires strong programming skills and a good understanding of cybersecurity. Once you’ve developed your tool, you can sell it on platforms like [GitHub Marketplace](https://github.com/marketplace), or directly to businesses.

## 2. Web Hosting Security Consultant

*Income: $100–$1000+ per month*

Now for this method I’m going to use [Fiverr](https://go.fiverr.com/visit/?bta=740228&brand=fiverraffiliates) as an example because that was the site I used but you can use any other number of online freelance websites or even try hosting your own site!

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/2000/1*tLUvOVvxDFHzSgUZoJok9w.png)

The key to this is to offer your services to a niche area of web hosting. For example, I offered setup services in SSL certificates for websites. I also would offer hosting as an option that was bundled with the SSL certificates.

There are two platforms that helped me achieve this named [SSLs.com](http://ssls.sjv.io/AWm0Nx) and [Skystra](http://skystra.sjv.io/homepage) with the former being the main source of income. I gained the skills in my first year of college for choosing the correct SSL certificate and setting this up for the client (naturally charging extra for the setup fee)

Skystra allowed me to scale what I needed by charging monthly so I would recommend looking into the best options for your hustle.

## 3. Security eCommerce

*Income: $100–$10,000+ per month*

Let’s be honest, traditional dropshopping sucks in 2023 but it doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of that concept.

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/3260/1*akpUogkxSwKk6NslgdRugg.png)

You can try your hand at creating  a custom platform or a mobile app that caters to a niche market and integrate it with [Easyship](http://easyship.ilbqy6.net/deal) for seamless fulfillment. For example, you could make an e-commerce platform for physical security goods that are tailored to computers (Encrypted USBs, Webcam covers etc.)

## 4. Online Cybersecurity Tutoring

*Income: $200 — $1000+ per month*

As you know there is a high demand for cybersecurity knowledge and many people are looking for tutors to help them grasp complex cybersecurity concepts.

Join online tutoring platforms like [Chegg](https://www.chegg.com/) and [Tutor.com](https://www.tutor.com/). To be an effective tutor, it’s best if you already have a good grasp of cybersecurity principles, patience, and excellent communication skills.

## 5. Writing Cybersecurity Articles

*Income: $0–$200 per month*

Finally, this is one I do a lot and the key to it is fun!

![](https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/2000/1*KdXj5TdUD4ncvBoMxpHwhg.png)

It’s less of a sidehustle but to me there is nothing better than sharing cool tools within articles about cybersecurity. It also looks really good on your resume if you are actively engaging and contributing to the cybersecurity community. 

Get noticed, get inspired and check out [my profile](https://dev.to/williambaptist) and see if you can spot some more articles you might like!