Why pursue the Cyber Security Master’s degree in 2021?
2020 has seen some of the biggest changes in our time, which has also pushed businesses to adopt new transformation tools. Amidst all the positive developments these tools brought, there was a looming threat – security breach. While the Yahoo data theft among many others had already pushed firms to tighten their cybersecurity, the measures quickened this year.
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The surge in internet usage leads to an increase in data production giving criminals further chances at theft. Companies unaware of gaping holes in their cybersecurity had to pay for it heavily. This led to stringent steps being taken to deal with the problem and the market further opened for cybersecurity professionals.
This means that students looking for stable career options can’t go wrong with a cybersecurity degree. The already fast-growing sector had a huge demand to supply ratio and judging by recent events, the demand for cybersecurity specialists will shoot up.
Cybersecurity in the digital era
The world is making a giant shift towards digitalisation in every sector, be it educational institutions or hospitality. As physical spaces are crumbling, online platforms are booming with apps such as the Zoom helping many to stay connected. Whilst these advances in technology help us all become more connected, one problem is the vulnerability of the application to cyber threats which led to 500,000 passwords getting stolen and sold on the dark web.
This is not just the case for new brands however, even established organisations like Twitter and Marriott fell prey to hackers. Accounts of Barack Obama, Elon Musk, Bill Gates and many more were breached and in case of Marriott, the data of 5.2 million hotel guests were impacted.
Such attacks are a big blow to business impacting their relationship with customers, market standing and also profitability. Hence, businesses are putting in stronger efforts to prevent any cybersecurity attacks in the future. This includes onboarding everything from the latest tech-tools to skilled professionals.
Trends in cybersecurity
As remote working is now a dominant part of work culture, cyberattacks have become more common and sophisticated. Companies this year have been dealing with ransomware, hacking, phishing and many other kinds of cybercrime.
These challenges disrupted workflow and pushed firms to update their security tactics. Hence 2020 also witnessed many new growing trends in terms of data security which includes the following:
- Use of artificial intelligence – As machine usage grows in every sector, AI is being used to understand or spot patterns that can alert the company of any suspicious activity. Security algorithms, biometric identity protection and more are examples of machine technology being used in firms currently which are continuously being updated.
- Political disparity – 2020 restricted trade and many other activities within nations and also led to countries looking for alternatives in terms of new resource usage. Countries were experimenting with the internet to seek new trade routes which opened newer routes for cyber felonies. Also, international cooperation on regulating cybersecurity took a backseat in 2020 as many other issues took precedence.
Impact on a cybersecurity career
Jobs in the security sector were already prominent and growing at a fast rate but now the numbers have multiplied manifold. According to the New York Times research, cybersecurity jobs have gone from 1 million in 2014 to 3.5 million in 2020.
As threats in the cyberspace increase and become more sophisticated, there is a need for more proficient professionals. This sector is in growing need of skilled experts who can help the business meet security lapses and put stronger protection in place.
Hence, students who are looking to invest in and pursue a master’s in cybersecurity are likely to find many doors of opportunity open for them in the future. At present, many technological developments are being made in cyberspace and one can only assume that new threats will crop up in the future.
Data breaches and cyber threats have badly impacted larger firms in the past and continue to be a threat to many. Even smaller businesses are investing in cybersecurity as a lack of effective security protection can be detrimental to them.
As mitigating cyberattacks become a crucial part of all business activities, careers with cybersecurity will continue to rise. Problems of short staffing can be advantageous for professionals who enter this field as there will be plenty of opportunities with excellent financial rewards.
By equipping yourself with a degree like MSc Cyber Security and Data Governance from The University of Law at GISMA Business School you can hold a good standing in this field. The postgraduate programme will provide expert knowledge in the areas of data management and cybersecurity with special emphasis on technology, business and policy.
– This article is written by Nandita Kaushal.