In this age of technology, the world has been transformed into a global village with everything connected to everything. The Internet played a huge role in this revolution, thanks to the emergence of smartphones and similar mobile devices.
We can easily connect to social media and chat with people we don’t know, sign up for online banking and much more. What many people don’t realize, however, is that with such convenience comes certain risks – mainly cybersecurity concerns.
While using various online systems through these devices, bad guys can hack into your account, steal your personal information and use it in destructive ways. Even systems that you think may be so secure can still be vulnerable to such problems internally and externally.
News headlines like “Uganda security exchange caught leaking 32GB of sensitive data” have become all too familiar. And hence the necessity and importance of understanding your online privacy and security vulnerabilities.
What is network security?
Cybersecurity is simply defined as the defense and protection of PCs, servers, technical infrastructure, mobile devices, electronic systems, networks, and sensitive data from malicious attackers.
Some people call it IT security, a term that applies in a wide range of markets, including enterprise and mobile computing (know the difference). This practice is divided into different categories: networking, information, operations, and end-user education, among others.
Why you should learn about cybersecurity
There is a lot of information about the benefits of learning cybersecurity, but not too much focus on the end user. The information in these publications focuses solely on the career benefits of studying this subject at higher levels of study.
Here, we will focus on end users, who download apps, sign up for apps and perform financial transactions, among other activities. Consider the following five general reasons why you should or must learn about cybersecurity.
#1: The Growing Scale of Cyber Threats
As the need for technological advancements increases, so does the number of data breaches. A recent publication in Forbes revealed alarming statistics about cyberspace that everyone must know about by 2022. Part of this article is a quote from another source that shows how cybercrime can be. how to penetrate more than 90% of corporate networks. Attackers can breach these systems in a very short period of time.
And that’s only for companies; what about an everyday person. A 2019 report from RiskBased Security came up with overwhelming 7.9billlion records related to a data breach. Health services, retailers and public institutions appear to have the biggest gaps. Along with that, International Data Corporation predicts that reliance on cybersecurity solutions will grow to $133.7 billion by the end of 2022.
Cybercriminals are getting smarter by the day, using sophisticated programs like malware (viruses, Trojans, spyware, ransomware, botnets, etc.), SQL Injections, and phishing to attack their victims. Learning about cybersecurity helps you become more aware of these threats. Therefore, you will be more careful when accessing any internet related services.
#2: Growing demand for cybersecurity professionals
Due to the above reasons, the demand for cybersecurity jobs is constantly increasing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the industry is expected to grow back to 28% by 2026.
One of the main reasons for this spike is the automation of many industries. If you are career-oriented, trying your hand at cybersecurity can make your future brighter.
#3: Cyberattacks affect everyone
Anyone in that coverage area would feel affected if cybercriminals hit a power breach. And no one is safe if they touch military equipment, violate national security, or steal sensitive information like medical records.
A cyber attack could even occur globally, disrupting government institutions and causing chaos. Only those who understand such threats are sane enough to know what to do.
#4: Anyone can be targeted by cyber attacks
Identity theft through phishing has become one of the biggest concerns for the modern internet generation. Many times we hear friends complain about their Facebook or Twitter accounts being hacked, not to mention having a financial attack.
Hackers can use stolen personal information such as location, name and identification to blackmail you or sell it to terrorists which will cause serious damage. With some knowledge, you can take quick action to prevent further damage as soon as you realize the problem.
#5 Network Concerns Increasing Regulatory and Legal
Consider an internet user adopting a giga-fast-like box-like tool for torrenting and to avoid ISP throttling by service providers. This tool protects them from prying eyes of ISPs/governments, protects them from potential cyber threats and allows them to access content from restricted platforms by masking their IP .
All must understand the threats these activities present, which is what would happen if they were unaware of cybersecurity. You can also use similar tools to avoid leaving a large online footprint.
Inference
Much of the world today depends on the Internet and automated technologies, which have security holes. Although better cybersecurity technologies have been created, the threats are still real. We can no longer live in ignorance of the security threats that come from activities on the internet. And that’s why you should learn about the industry – cyberattacks affect us all.
