Is Cybersecurity a Good Career Option?

With the emergence of the digital era, business and society rely heavily on technology for daily operations. Along with the multitude of benefits, this transformation has also brought certain threats and issues that need to be addressed. Cybersecurity has increasingly become a collective problem faced by every organization and is getting worldwide attention.

Evolution of Cybersecurity

Sometime in the early 1970s, BBN Technologies engineer Bob Thomas let loose a worm that would move among systems connected by ARPANET, the basis for today’s internet, slowing them down. The program was brazenly called creeper and earned itself the title of the ‘first computer worm’.

While regional networks had to be shut down to tackle this breach, the same action today would bring international business to a standstill. Cybersecurity, that was once limited to merely antivirus software, has expanded exponentially with companies spending time, money and other resources tackling it. Cybersecurity experts are playing a crucial role in ensuring that no sensitive information is ever compromised, but despite all this, there is a large still a large demand for new professionals in the field

Cybersecurity is a critical part of global business

A global giant like Yahoo fell prey to a malicious attack in 2016 where personal information of its users was exposed. A similar data breach happened in late 2018 to Marriott International which caused the company tremendous harm. This is proof in itself that cybersecurity is an integral need for companies around the world and there is a dire need for more experts and advancements in this field.

Gartner, a leading research company predicts that expenditure on cybersecurity costs will rise to an estimated $133.7 billion in 2022. Cybersecurity companies are coming up with new strategies to meet high-level threats by bringing AI and machine learning into use. In this modern business

environment, the cybersecurity career path certainly offers rich prospects and there is a lot to gain in terms of financial compensation, skill-building and knowledge.

Impact on organizations

Data is currently ruling the world of business and giving valuable insights that have resulted in an explosion of possibilities. Use of user data by organizations for the purposes of enhancing business processes is being targeted and exploited by malevolent entities. From common malware to large data breaches, each attack can gravely impact the business in terms of financial losses and reputation.

From a global giant like Facebook to smaller enterprises, businesses are rapidly strengthening preventive measures against such attacks. A huge market has opened up in terms of cybersecurity job roles as companies are on the lookout for astute experts whom they can rely on.

Companies that neglect such an important issue and don’t have a cybersecurity department are at the disposal of hackers. Recent times have seen a streak of business owners taking strong measures to deal with this issue as there has been a backlash by customers who have had their private information compromised. There are tremendous legal consequences to the leak of users’ personal data which makes having cybersecurity experts a mandatory requirement in the modern business context.

Dire need for cybersecurity experts

With a rise in cybersecurity attacks there is a growing need for improved technological defense systems. This means that in the years, as we advance with information technology, cybersecurity will become an essential part of everyday business. Expertise in this field can be extremely useful and can help in building a dynamic and rewarding cybersecurity career.

Given the shortage of professionals in this sector, even entry level cybersecurity jobs come with a good pay package. This means along with a promise of a stable and long-lasting career, you enjoy excellent remuneration as well.

High demand in Canada

In the light of the worst cybersecurity breach that happened in Canada in 2019, security strategy has amped up. Lifelabs lost private information of 15 million customers hampering its reputation and causing significant fiscal damages. After this event, all companies are substantially investing in addressing the gaps in security and filling them with necessary job roles and technological tools.

Cybersecurity job roles in Canada are all the more in demand due to the large talent crunch in the industry. The demand for proficient experts is growing by seven per cent annually which roughly translates to at least 8000 new job roles by 2022.

A skillset in this field can be your ticket to a prosperous career as there is a huge potential for growth and professionals are in demand. Obtaining a good program diploma such as the 1-year Cybersecurity Analyst course by the Canadian College of Technology and Business (CCTB) can place you in a favorable position in the job market.