What is Cyber Security?

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The definition of cyber security varies depending on your perspective. As an individual, it is the manner in which you protect your identity and data from attackers. It can also be a great industry to learn, build a career, and work within.

As a business, it is the manner in which you protect access to your systems and sensitive data from attackers. As it has become more important to individuals and businesses, schools have also taken an interest. To high schools, colleges and training providers, it is an important area to offer courses and training to support this growing interest.

Is cyber security important and growing?

As the Internet and its usage has grown, so has the importance and growth of cyber security. Individuals now have the ability to communicate, learn, and share globally.

For businesses, it enables them to offer goods and services worldwide, enhance supply chains, and collaborate with global partners.

However, along with these opportunities, there are also challenges. The global reach and rapid expansion of the Internet have also created opportunities for attacks. These attackers can now engage in data theft and system access. Organizations that integrate connectivity into their systems create additional entry points for attackers.

While the number of jobs created in cyber security may be debated, it is indisputable that there is a significant need for qualified cybersecurity professionals. The industry is important and rapidly growing.

How does cyber security effect our lives?

Individuals have many considerations when it comes to cyber security. In the daily use of technology in our personal lives we must protect our systems and data from attack. Many have suffered theft of their personal information or data leading to fraud or other malicious crimes.

To others cyber security is a great opportunity to improve our lives with better employment or higher paying jobs. Many are looking for training and other resources to support their transition into careers in the discipline.

As a worker we need to learn and practice strong security practices as nearly every job today uses technology or manages sensitive data in some manner. We may also be impacted at work if our companies are breached due to a cyber attack. This could impact the profitability of the organizations we work for or even worse potentially put them out of business.

What can be done to keep my systems and data secure?

The easiest way to keep your systems and personal data secure is to practice effective cyber hygiene. This includes using complex and different passwords on any systems or applications you access. Next, make sure you update and patch systems when directed.

Ensure that all your systems have current anti-virus software. Also, be mindful when clicking on any emails from untrusted sources. Finally, stay vigilant with learning new tips and tricks on how to best use systems securely.

Where can I learn cyber security as a career?

There are many ways to start a career in security, whether you’re an adult changing careers or a student. On-demand training is one option, providing flexibility through self-paced learning and recorded sessions.

A high school or college can also teach programs. Moving on there are training bootcamps or more phased training programs that improve your skills over time.

Finally, there are also work programs such as internships and apprenticeships that can be explored.

How much does cyber security pay?

It depends. In the common organization there can be more than 60 different types of jobs with varying complexities and pay scales. The most popular jobs right now are that of the security analyst or security engineer.

The security analyst position is more analytical, documentation and communication based. Common salaries for the position range from $69K-$118K according to Glassdoor.

The security engineer position is more technical and generally associated with operating various technical safeguards at companies. The salary range for this position is $89K-125K according to Salary.com.

For entry level internships or apprenticeships these may be part-time positions that range from $18 to $24 per hour according to our high school and adult work programs.

Best ways to get into cyber security

There are three common ways to enter the security industry. The first is to take a training program that teaches you how to be a professional. The second is to work at an organization in a related field, such as a helpdesk professional, and then move onto the security team when a position becomes available. The third way is to take an internship or apprenticeship program that gets you working early in the process.

Certifications in cyber security

There are more then 185+ certifications in cyber security. The best way to choose the right ones for you is to develop a certification roadmap that aligns to your objectives. It is important to measure the value that a certification provides associated with the time and money it takes to become certified in that program.

How do I practice cyber security at work?

To practice cyber security at work, understand your responsibilities. Be aware of any security duties in your job description. Attend required security training and read and comprehend security policies. Report incidents and ask for help when needed.

Steps for a large business to become secure

In todays digital age organizations of all sizes need to protect their sensitive information and systems from attack. The best way to do this is begin with an assessment of how cyber security is currently implemented.

From there, identified gaps should then be organized into a roadmap and budget. The organization should then hire a team and build a security program. You can go here to learn about building a cyber security program at any organization.

This management system helps to manage security and effectively implement the remediation over time. IIn line with this, you should implement appropriate technical security safeguards to protect systems connected to the Internet.Finally, data backups and signing up for cyber insurance are important.

Small business security steps

In small businesses, like large ones, start with an assessment. With this said, small businesses still often lack resources and expertise compared to their larger counterparts. However, patching, backing up, and protecting all systems with modern anti-virus is still necessary at small businesses. Additionally, experts recommend using multifactor authentication and having cyber insurance.

Schools and cyber security

Academic institutions, including elementary, high schools, colleges, and universities, have become increasingly involved in the field of cyber security from various perspectives.. First, there has been a dramatic increase in attacks on schools due to limited protections and focus on security. Second, with the demand from many individuals wanting to learn cyber security as a career, they are also deploying more and more training programs to develop professionals. If you are a school you can go here to learn to develop a training program.

Next Steps

If you are an individual looking to get trained in cyber security, here is another article on types of available training programs that might be of interest. Please also reach out to us at CyberForward Academy on our Getting started page if you are interested in getting training in cyber security.