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What's currently one of the fastest-growing industries in the world? It's cybersecurity, and for a good reason, friend. When you consider all the impressive innovations of technology, it brings with it tons of opportunities.
Unfortunately, that also means there's an increase in the opportunity for malicious individuals to take advantage of online platforms.
Hackers and cybercriminals have used technological advancements to ravage the web, putting businesses, individuals, and organisations at risk. Cybersecurity is the first line of defense, protecting the world from cybercrime.
In this article, we'll cover postgraduate degrees in cyber-security and how you can use these studies to succeed in the world of cybersecurity.
What is cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity refers to the method of protecting devices and platforms that connect to the web from malicious attacks from cyber criminals. These attacks often come in the form of phishing attempts, hacks and other forms of online sabotage or theft.
Businesses, individuals and organisations often use cybersecurity to protect their personal devices from outside risks.
For businesses that are based online and have huge data servers with personal information from clients, the risk of losing that data could be catastrophic. Thus, there is a need for a robust cyber-security system.
What makes cybersecurity challenging?
For anyone familiar with the cyber world, getting the hang of cyber security could be a walk in the park. However, for those who consider themselves "technologically challenged", it could be a bit tricky.
There are a ton of terms, protocols, and techniques you'd like to learn, but with a bit of determination and consistency, it's possible to develop this skill.
As hackers and criminals find more loopholes and advance in their ability to find their way around security measures, cyber-security engineers have to respond by improving security measures from their side.
Three things that will help you in your cyber security journey
Cyber-security is an exciting and rewarding profession. However, it can be challenging to get into the profession because of the saturated market.
Here are five quick tips that'll help you stand out among the rest:
1- Practice often
Ever heard the saying, "Practice makes perfect"? Well, in this case, it's true. The more you learn and practice cybersecurity methods, the better you'll get.
With cybersecurity, there are always new risks arising which cyber-security engineers need to address by using their experience to design new ways of dealing with issues.
As you learn and develop your skills through practice, you broaden your ability to solve complex issues that you may face. So practice, practice, practice.
2- Get to know your tech
A workman is only as good as his tools. While this statement is only partially true, having the right tech to help you combat cybercrime will make the job a whole lot easier.
Get to know what your devices can do, and make sure you invest in quality products that'll help you do the job well. For instance, a computer that lags and struggles to open the browser might not be the best option for a person working in cyber-security.
3- Get work experience
Finally, employers love to see that you're qualified. It assures them that you know what you're doing. However, in addition to being qualified, employers also want to know that you have experience in the cybersecurity industry.
So, it's vital that you get as much work experience with cyber-security as you can. Whether it be as a freelancer or through an internship, the more work experience you have, the better.
4- Study further
There are several post-graduate courses in cybersecurity you can take that will allow you to specialise in one aspect of the subject, while others offer a broader overview of it.
Here are some postgrad courses in cyber-security that you can do:
- Master of Science (MSc) in Cybersecurity
- Master of Cybersecurity (MCS)
- Master of Information Security (MIS)
- Master of Cyber Defense and Information Assurance (MCDIA)
- Master of Science in Cyber Operations and Resilience
- Master of Science in Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity
- Master of Science in Information Assurance and Security
- Master of Cybersecurity Policy and Governance
Final thoughts
The world needs more people who are well-versed in cybersecurity.
From protecting businesses' online assets to ensuring our personal credentials aren't involved in a data leak, cybersecurity is among the most important industries of today's modern technological world.
So, for those of you looking to pursue a career in cyber-security, you have our full support!