In the age of software reliance and computerized productivity, a sense of online security is increasingly sought after. WVJC Online is doing its part to equip business leaders and companies with the next group of online professionals by providing the training, skills, and experience needed to start a career in the wide-ranging field of cybersecurity. Read on to learn more about why cybersecurity matters.
CYBERCRIME EXPOSES PRIVACY
A career in cybersecurity is a profession in online privacy, and the importance of cybersecurity cannot be understated. Simply put, cybersecurity is essential because it protects the public’s welfare from loss, theft, and damage to sensitive data and private information.
Living online has added a level of security risk and exposure that was otherwise absent a few decades ago. People put everything on their smart devices — from bank accounts and credit cards to online passwords and high school graduation dates. As a result, nearly anything there is to know about someone can be discovered on the Internet.
Without cybersecurity, private individuals and public organizations increase their risk of attempted cyber attacks, fraud, hacking, and data corruption. In addition, online hackers are always on the lookout for backdoor entries to personal information and data. The acquisition of this data could prove disastrous to the quality of life of the affected person(s).
The online community consists primarily of consumers, so awareness of cybersecurity is only now beginning to rise. As our communities become more dependent upon computerized and software products, the need for an expansive and qualified cybersecurity field will grow too.
CYBERCRIME IS INCREASING
Cybercrime is on the rise, and while international and state governments have begun to crack down on most present and potential threats, these crimes aren’t going away anytime soon.
UpGuard reports four of the top reasons for the recent uptick in cybercrime. They include:
- The distributed nature of the Internet
- The ability for cybercriminals to attack targets outside their jurisdiction making policing extremely difficult
- Increasing profitability and ease of commerce on the dark web
- The proliferation of mobile devices and the Internet of Things
As information breaches continue to occur, they will cost people money, resources, and time. But, unfortunately, cybercriminals are every bit as qualified as the professionals hired to protect the public from theft. They are highly sophisticated, trained, evolving, and elusive to the public eye — and with the inclusion of bot activity in cybercrime, the task of keeping criminals out of your stuff has only grown more challenging.
CYBERCRIME IS COSTLY
According to the Ninth Annual Cost of Cybercrime Study from Accenture and the Ponemon Institute, the average cost of cybercrime for an organization increased from $1.4 million over the last year to $13.0 million. In addition, the average number of data breaches rose by 11% to 145%.
Cybercriminals are adept at stealing intellectual property, personal and company data and have harnessed a wide-ranging ability to disseminate information quickly and for profit. Not only do these criminals steal your currency, but they also affect your public reputation. That loss of consumer trust could prove more costly than any single article of sensitive information. Furthermore, online lawmakers are at liberty to impose strict fines on those companies that do not have security systems readily in place to police these criminals.
Most online communicants lack cybersecurity awareness. For this reason, people-based attacks have increased the most over the years through ransomware, phishing, social engineering, and web-based crimes. Again, these attacks could prove detrimental to the well-being of private individuals and families.
WHERE DO I START? CALL WVJC ONLINE TODAY!
A career in cybersecurity is a career in online privacy. Through this pathway, you can help police these cybercriminals and ensure the continued well-being of the online community. As cybercrime continues to rise, so will the need for qualified men and women to prevent their harmful threats upon society.
At WVJC Online, our goal is to provide accessible courses and degrees in careers our students will love. If you would like to learn more about our Cybersecurity program, give us a call at 877-25ONLINE. You can also download our FREE Ebook to begin learning about what it takes to get your degree in cybersecurity!