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Why Does Cybersecurity Matter?

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Recently, we wrote about what cybersecurity is and why a Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity is worth acquiring. Today, we’re going to explore what makes cybersecurity so important. 

As part of our discussion, we’ll go over what cybersecurity includes, what roles cybersecurity professionals play in an organization, and why you should consider starting a career in this field. 

After you’ve discovered what makes cybersecurity so important, fill out our information request form to receive more information about CSU Global’s 100% online Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity.

If you’re ready to get started, submit your application today! 

 

What is Cybersecurity and Why is it So Important?

Cybersecurity refers to the process of protecting organizations from the growing threat of cyber attacks and other various cyber threats.

Nearly every modern business regularly faces cybersecurity attacks, which makes this an incredibly important discipline for virtually every organization. 

Cybersecurity is a crucial part of an organization’s success, and every organization in any industry can benefit from a great cybersecurity professional who has expertise in identifying and protecting an organization from cyber threats. 

The core responsibility of a cybersecurity professional is to ensure that a business remains both operational and protected from cyber attacks, which is what makes cybersecurity such an important industry.

 

What Do Cybersecurity Professionals Actually Do? 

Cybersecurity professionals are responsible for ensuring a business’ files, applications, and systems are protected from a wide array of different cyber threats. 

The specific details of any given cybersecurity professional’s duties will depend on their organization and industry, but here are some of the most typical responsibilities and tasks for people operating in this industry:

  • Monitoring network traffic for security incidents and events.
  • Communicating effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
  • Making informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
  • Applying security principles and practices to maintain operations in the presence of risks and threats.
  • Investigating incidents and responding to events in real time.
  • Writing detailed incident response reports.
  • Conducting detailed threat and vulnerability research.
  • Performing periodic risk assessments and penetration tests.

As you might imagine, these responsibilities can apply to individuals working in nearly any industry or field, which is one of the best reasons to consider a career in cybersecurity.

 

Where Do Cybersecurity Professionals Work? 

Cybersecurity professionals can find positions in virtually any organization or industry. 

While it’s common to assume that cybersecurity professionals may only be found in large corporations, they can find work in a much more extensive range of environments. 

Below are some of the most common places of work for cybersecurity professionals: 

  • Finance and Banking
  • Healthcare
  • Transportation
  • Government
  • Communications
  • Energy and Utilities
  • Manufacturing

While the typical cybersecurity professional works in-house within an organization, many others serve as independent consultants. 

One thing to consider is that getting your Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity doesn’t mean it’s the only potential career for you.

The skills and abilities you’d develop during a B.S. in Cybersecurity Program would lend themselves to many other careers, including roles like:

  • Computer Network Architect
  • Forensic Computer Analyst
  • Computer Systems Analyst
  • Software Engineer
  • Computer and Information Systems Managers

If you’re interested in helping organizations secure their operations and systems then cybersecurity could be the perfect field for you.

 

Should You Pursue a Career in Cybersecurity?

Deciding to pursue a career in cybersecurity depends on what you enjoy, what you are good at, and what you want to accomplish in terms of your professional goals.

If you have enjoyed successful technical-focused roles in the past, or if you’re simply interested in learning more about protecting an organization’s data, then cybersecurity could be the right choice for you. 

Virtually every organization or company needs a cybersecurity professional, and many of them need several to protect the different units, departments, or divisions of the company. That means you can find employment as a cybersecurity professional in pretty much any industry you are interested in, like government, technology, or healthcare. 

One compelling reason to study this field is that the skills you learn during your degree program are in very high demand. In other words, the concepts you’ll learn about will make you a working professional who has highly valued skills capable of solving real-world problems.

Accordingly, pursuing an education in cybersecurity should lead to developing a versatile set of knowledge and skills that provides you with a range of professional opportunities. 

 

Demand for Cybersecurity Professionals is Projected to Continue Growing

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of Information Security Analysts, a common role in the cybersecurity industry, is expected to grow 33% by 2030. 

Many other cybersecurity jobs will continue to see growth as the industry continues to expand and organizations need to protect their data from various cyber threats. 

Below are the projected growth rates for some of the fastest-growing, relevant positions:

Knowing that the demand for cybersecurity professionals will continue to grow over the coming decade means that your skills should be incredibly relevant to a wide range of jobs, providing you with lots of potential career opportunities.

 

Cybersecurity Professionals Are Critical to Organizational Success

Cybersecurity professionals play a critical role in ensuring the success of their organization. These professionals monitor and manage everything from an organization’s confidential data to important applications, so their importance cannot be overstated. 

Regardless of the industry or organization type, a cybersecurity professional is most likely involved in running things behind the scenes, planning projects, assessing various cyber risks, and making strategic decisions focused on identifying and preventing dangerous cyber threats. 

Some of the most critical daily tasks that cybersecurity professionals are asked to handle include: 

  • Protecting data and sensitive information from cyber threats.
  • Differentiating between various informal cybersecurity models.
  • Evaluating, testing, and analyzing network vulnerabilities.
  • Understanding the ethical and legal issues surrounding information security operations.

Without a capable cybersecurity professional ensuring that systems, applications, and important files are protected, organizations may find themselves at risk of potentially devastating cyberattacks.

In this way, cybersecurity professionals play a significant role in the process of ensuring an organization’s operations are secure, which is what makes this such a great role for anyone looking to have a significant impact on the organization they work for.

 

Cybersecurity Professionals Have Excellent Earnings Potential

Highly skilled cybersecurity professionals are a valuable addition to any organization, and earnings tend to reflect that. Cybersecurity professionals often out-earn other members of an organization, thanks to their critical position. 

Recent BLS statistics indicate that the salary expectations for cybersecurity professionals in a variety of industries are quite high. The median annual wage for Information Security Analysts, a popular role in the industry, was $102,600 in 2021.

The top-earning positions within the cybersecurity industry are: 

Other cybersecurity positions in different industries see similarly high wages, so don’t feel like you have to choose one of these areas when it comes time to choose a career specialty.

Once you’ve developed the skills needed to succeed in cybersecurity, your knowledge and abilities will transfer easily to many roles in nearly any industry, so you can feel free to pursue a career in whatever field is of particular interest to you.

 

How to Launch Your Career in Cybersecurity

The best way to start a career in cybersecurity begins with earning your degree in the field. 

A good cybersecurity professional is expected to be well-rounded and capable of implementing various cybersecurity best practices and procedures.

The reason it’s so important to develop your abilities in different areas is that cybersecurity professionals are often expected to be the first line of defense when protecting an organization’s vital data, systems, and applications. 

These concepts – and how they interact within a business – are significant areas of study which you’ll focus on during courses in cybersecurity. Obtaining your degree proves to potential employers that you have spent the time required to develop your abilities and knowledge in these areas, proving that you’re prepared to take on the difficult role of cybersecurity professional. 

To increase the odds of launching a successful career in cybersecurity, consider enrolling in CSU Global’s 100% online Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity.

Our program will provide you with everything you need to jumpstart a successful, lifelong career in the exciting and challenging field.

 

Should You Get Your Cybersecurity Degree Online?

Yes, you should consider getting your cybersecurity degree online with CSU Global. 

Our accelerated programs are delivered 100% online, so you’ve got more freedom and flexibility than you would with a traditional on-campus program. 

Juggling family and work responsibilities while pursuing a degree can be challenging, but our online courses provide you the freedom to study when it’s convenient for you. 

Here are a few other advantages you can look forward to if you choose to enroll in one of our online programs: 

  • No set times or locations for classes.
  • Monthly class starts.
  • Accelerated, eight-week courses.

If you’re ready to get your degree, but require flexibility, then our 100% online programs are the perfect way to complete your educational goals. 

 

Why Should You Pick CSU Global’s Online Cybersecurity Program? 

Our online Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity provides far more than just a diploma; instead, we prepare graduates for a successful, lifelong career in this competitive, yet rewarding field.

This program is also widely recognized as one of the best in the industry, as it’s been awarded several excellent rankings, including:

  • A #3 ranking on Top 10 Onlne Cyber Security Undergraduate Certificate Programs for 2021 from Security Degree Hub.
  • A #10 ranking on Best Online Cyber Security Degree Programs of 2022 from Intelligent.

And CSU Global itself is also regarded as an industry leader in higher education, having recently achieved important rankings of its own, including:

  • A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges & Schools in Colorado from Best Accredited Colleges.
  • A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges in Colorado from Best Colleges.
  • A #10 ranking for Best Online Colleges for ROI from OnlineU.

To ensure that you’re learning the latest techniques and best practices, all of our cybersecurity faculty have recent industry experience and the program’s coursework is aligned with professional certification exams that matter for cybersecurity professionals, including:

  • (ISC)2 Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
  • (ISC)2 Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)
  • EC-Council Certified Encryption Specialist (EC-Council ECES)
  • EC-Council Certified Incident Handler (EC-Council ECIH)
  • CompTIA A+, Network +, Security+, and Project+

Completing this program will provide you with competence in the areas associated with the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) exam, preparing you to deliver real results from your first day in the industry.

Finally, to help save you time and money on your degree, we also offer competitive tuition rates and a tuition guarantee that ensures your rate won’t increase from enrollment through graduation.

For additional details about our fully accredited, 100% online Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity, please give us a call at 800-462-7845 or fill out our Information Request Form.

Ready to get started today? Apply now!