Cybersecurity is in demand and will continue to be in the future. This article analyzes the reasons behind the rapid cybersecurity growth.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought negative impacts on the global workforce. Yet, it seems like even the pandemic can’t stop cybersecurity growth. No career field other than cybersecurity has seemed to get so much attention and seemed to grow at such a fast pace.
As a result, many people are now starting to consider cybersecurity as a career option. But is that a safe bet? Absolutely! Read on to see the reasons why cybersecurity growth increases rapidly.
We rely on technology more than ever – and there is no rolling back
Can you give up your device access for a week? Nearly every home has a computer and nearly every person has a device. Furthermore, many people will not leave the house without bringing their phones.
Our reliance on technology is so strong that they have become a part of our lives. It’s just not the number of devices and users that have grown, but also how often people use devices.
Just imagine what would happen if the local pharmacy lost access to their computer systems for a week. Or what if your grocery store lost electrical power or access to the credit card network? Indeed, our economy is completely reliant on technology. Thus, the need for cybersecurity is greater than ever.
The growing number of devices and users
As mentioned, both the number of devices and their users have grown exponentially. It is true that such devices have brought immeasurable benefits to our lives. However, this just means that hackers have more entry points in carrying out a data breach. They now have several billion more options for targeting.
Moreover, it’s not just phones and computers that have Internet connectivity features. The emergence of the Internet of Things or IoT means that many televisions, security cameras, and other appliances are now online.
It is possible for hackers to attack these devices. This means that the number of devices that need to be protected has also grown exponentially.
It’s not just about the number of devices online, but also about the people. For instance, populations in developing countries are now gaining access to the Internet for the first time. In some developing countries, it is possible that a person would have a cell phone before gaining actual necessities, such as jobs.
Populations not experienced with technology are online too
Most employees are computer literate and receive security awareness training annually. However, tens of millions of other people are online too, and chances are most of them don’t practice cybersecurity hygiene.
For instance, senior citizens are now online. However, most of them did not grow up with technology and are not trained on its threats. Meanwhile, millions of children are also online even they have not developed the life skills needed for cybersecurity.
This means that there are potentially hundreds of millions of people online but may not be security-aware. This greatly interests hackers and scam artists.
