Table of Contents
In recent years, headlines about creating awareness on the importance of cyber security for students has become increasingly common. Thieves steal customer social security numbers from corporations’ computer systems. Unscrupulous hackers grab passwords and personal information from social media sites, or pluck company secrets from the cloud. For companies of all sizes, keeping information safe is a growing concern.
What Is Cyber Security?
Cyber security consists of all the technologies and practices that keep computer systems and electronic data safe. And, in a world where more and more of our business and social network are online, it’s an enormous and growing field. Thus the importance of cyber security for students to study in this field is increasing.
What Is The Importance Of Cyber Security?
Getting hacked isn’t just a direct threat to the confidential data companies. It can also ruin their relationships with customers, and even place them in significant legal jeopardy. With new technology, from self-driving cars to internet-enabled home security systems, the dangers of cyber crime become even more serious.
These days, the need to shield information from malicious actors is a concern at the highest levels of business and government. State secrets can be stolen from the other side of the world. Companies, whose whole business models depend on control of customers data, can find their databases compromised. In just one high-profile 2017 case, personal information for 147.9 million people, about half the United States, was compromised in a breach of credit reporting company Equifax. It is important to know the answer to “What is the importance of computer security?” because even small companies face threats if they don’t keep their security strong.
Career Opportunity and Salary Potential in Cyber Security
Entry-Level Cyber Security Roles
- Cyber Security Technician – Cyber security technicians make an average salary of $89,000 and important skills for the role include information security, network security and information assurance.
- Cyber Crime Analyst or Investigator – Cyber crime analysts make an average salary of $93,000 and common skills necessary for the role include computer forensics, information security and malware engineering.
- Incident Responder or Analyst – Incident analysts make an average salary of $85,000 and common skills needed include project management, network security and intrusion detection.
- IT Auditor – Information technology auditors make an average salary of $95,000 and common skills for the role include internal auditing and audit planning, accounting and risk assessment.
Mid-Level Cyber Security Roles
- Cyber Security Analyst – Security analysts make an average of $96,000 and top skills required include information security and systems, network security and threat analysis.
- Cyber Security Consultant – Consultants in cyber security make an average salary of $91,000 and need skills in information security and surveillance, asset protection and security operations.
- Penetration and Vulnerability Tester – Penetration testers make an average salary of $104,000 and need to have skills in penetration testing, Java, vulnerability assessment and software development.
Advanced-Level Cyber Security Roles
- Cyber Security Manager – Managers in this field make an average salary of $103,000 and top skills include project management, network security and risk management.
- Cyber Security Engineer – Cyber security engineers make an average of $99,000 a year and need skills in cryptography, authentication, and network security.
- Cyber Security Architect – Cyber security architects make an average salary of $131,000 and top skills for the role include software development, network and information security and authentication.
What Does a Cyber Security Professional Do?
The increasing rate of cyber crime has made individuals aware about the importance of cyber security for students. Students could pursue their future as a cyber security professional and can play in a modern company. Some small businesses may hire a single person to handle all kinds of work protecting its data. Others contract with consultants, which can offer a variety of targeted services. Meanwhile, larger firms may have whole departments dedicated to protecting information and chasing down threats.
While companies define roles related to information security in a variety of ways, there are some specific tasks that these employees are commonly called on to do. In many cases, they must analyze threats, gather information from a company’s servers and cloud services, as well as employees’ computers and mobile devices. Security specialists work with other information technology professionals to make sure a company’s systems are secure. That involves not just technical know-how but also people-oriented skills.
Good Security Means:
- Making sure employees use strong passwords
- Downloading the latest patches and software updates
- Ensuring data is secure
But breaches don’t just take the form of someone hacking into a server. They can also involve customer lists sent through unencrypted email, a password written on a sticky note in a cubicle, or a company laptop stolen from an employee’s car. Depending on their specific role, many cyber security professionals must also think big strategically. In many industries, companies depend on many employees having quick access to highly sensitive data, such as medical records or bank account information.
How to Get Into Cyber Security
If you’re considering a job in cyber security, it’s clear the positions are out there. The question is how to make sure you’re a good fit for them. Most information security analyst jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information assurance, programming or another related field. In some cases, the work calls for a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in information systems. That’s a degree that typically takes an additional 2 years of study and involves both technical and business management courses.
The importance of cyber security for students’ job requirements also sometimes include related work experience. Rather than jumping right into the security side of information technology, you can start out as a network or computer systems administrator. Depending on the specific cyber security position, employers may have other job requirements. For instance, keeping databases secure might be an ideal job for someone who’s spent time as a database administrator and is also well-versed in security issues.
PS: If there’s anything more you’d like us to know about. Add it to the comments section!
Thank you for reading this blog on ‘The Importance Of Cyber Security For Students’ . If you’d like to read more, here are some blogs that might be of interest to you:
