Why Does Cyber Security Matter to Everyone?

Technology is a double-edged sword. It changed many aspects of modern civilization, from the way companies operate their businesses to the way people lead their lives. However, the convenience that comes with technology also comes with threats to security. These cyber threats are, unfortunately, sometimes complicated and difficult to deal with. It can take special training and education in cybersecurity to be able to work confidently in the field.

These threats are more palpable in recent years because of the many high-profile companies that have fallen victim to cyber attacks. Target, Walmart, JPMorgan Chase, Equifax, Yahoo!, Facebook -- they are just a handful of big names which were unable to protect their customers' sensitive information from major data breaches.

Cybercriminals attack organizations, but when it all comes down to it, the real victims are individuals -- average people. Thus, it's crucial for people to recognize why cybersecurity matters and how it affects them.

What is cybersecurity?

But before people can understand why cybersecurity is important, they have to comprehend what it is in the first place. Simply put, cybersecurity collectively refers to the techniques, methods, and practices that protect computers, devices, networks, applications, programs, and data (including sensitive data) from malicious attacks and unauthorized access. The cybercriminals behind these threats intend to use the information they gather and the systems they control for personal gain, and at the expense of their victims.

Who should care about cybersecurity?

In today's digital age, organizations aren't the only ones who should care about cybersecurity. Regular folks should too, and for a good reason. People upload a lot of personal information on social media sites, such as phone number, email address, home address, and credit/debit card numbers. That's not to mention other information like photos, opinions, and anything else that can be used for incriminating purposes by black-hat hackers.

Aside from social media sites, people share their details for business reasons, like signing up for services, buying stuff on e-commerce sites, subscribing to newsletters, to name a few. Folks who aren't active on social media still find themselves unable to fully escape from divulging some of their personal information when performing online transactions. Thus, there's no denying that cybersecurity matters to practically everyone, even if they don't realize it yet.

How can you help improve cybersecurity?

Unfortunately, many people neglect best practices for security in their own lives, which is a shame because some measures are easy to apply. They can help improve cybersecurity in simple ways, like limiting the information they share online, changing their passwords often, verifying a link source before clicking, etc.

But if you're already conscientious in this regard, and if you want to do more, you can take it to the next level by making a career out of it, especially if the idea of beating cybercriminals at their own game sounds exciting to you.

Career-wise, it's a very lucrative step to take. Almost all industries are already online one way or the other, so cybersecurity experts are in demand in a variety of sectors. In addition, cybersecurity is so broad that you can jump from niche to niche if you crave for a lot of variety in what you do. For example, you can design systems as a security architect, or find flaws in systems as a penetration tester, or provide advice on how to protect systems as an IT consultant.

Do you need education in cybersecurity to make a start in the field?

Are you interested in cybersecurity? If you want to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer and Information Science with a Major in Cyber and Network Security - Cybersecurity Track, ECPI University offers this degree at an accelerated pace. For more information about this exciting opportunity, connect with a friendly admissions advisor today.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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Gainful Employment Information – Cybersecurity Track - Bachelor’s

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