Why Get Into Cybersecurity?

The Cybersecurity industry has been getting a lot of attention lately. Every other day, news of breaches spring up from different news outlets. Major organizations facing major cyberattacks propagated by cybercriminals. Some are highly technical and well funded (APTs), and some have little technical knowledge (script kiddies).

PS: Don't worry about these terms, we'll discuss them in a later blog post.

As of the end of 2020, the average cost of a data breach would be about $3.86 million. I'm talking about almost 4 BIG BANDZ! or a private island or a McLaren or a mansion or...the list goes on. We all know what we'd do if we have $4 million.

But the question still remains, Why Get Into Cybersecurity?

The short answer to that is: You're needed : ).

Let me elaborate more on that. Cybersecurity as of recent has become a major part of every organization. Companies, governments, educational institutions, and even households need to implement cybersecurity in their day-to-day proceedings. As stated previously, it is pretty imminent how much damage a cyberattack could cause but being able to implement security features and having the knowledge required to do so can help prevent, mitigate or reduce the effects of a cyber attack.

Cybersecurity skills are in high demand as organizations are starting to recognize the importance of being able to protect themselves from cyber threats. As a matter of fact, The New York Times reports that as of 2021 there will be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs globally. That's a very large amount of unfilled positions.

In addition to being in demand, cybersecurity is a very dynamic field. One can specialize in a particular area and become very proficient at it. In cybersecurity, some of the areas of specialization include:

• Security Analysis

• Network Security

• Penetration Testing

• Malware Analysis

• Application Security

And the list goes on and on.

Another reason to get into cybersecurity is opportunities for career growth and financial incentives. With cybersecurity skills being sought after, employers are willing to pay top dollar (most times, not all the time) for qualified talent. The potential for a six-figure salary within the first couple of years in one's career is very high and the possibilities of growth are also endless.

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Finally, Cybersecurity is a fun field. I can't explain the rush I get at my internship every day when I'm responding to incidents and doing so many other fun things. There's a lot to learn but it is rewarding and fulfilling in the end.

Now you might be wondering, how do I get into Cybersecurity?

That'll be a topic for another blog post ; )