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Why Will Almost all Office-Based Businesses Need Dedicated Cybersecurity Employees Moving Ahead?

The modern business world is becoming increasingly tech-heavy and reliant on the latest IT solutions to operate. This is especially true in office-based companies as businesses like these rely on their IT network, internet-connected devices and online tools to function. 

One threat to these IT networks and the data they contain is cybercrime. In 2021, cybercrime was estimated to have cost the business world around $6trn globally. Due to this, more and more office-based businesses are focusing on cybersecurity now to stay safe. This simply refers to the actions that organizations take to protect their networks, devices and data from hackers. 

But what can be done about cybersecurity for office-based firms moving forward? 

Dedicated cybersecurity staff crucial 

Although generally educating a business’ entire workforce as to the importance of cybersecurity is useful, hiring dedicated cybersecurity experts with the right knowledge to help will also be crucial as time moves on. 

But what sort of qualifications should businesses be looking for when hiring people to deal with cybersecurity risk factors? The Master of Science in Cybersecurity offered by St Bonaventure University Online is a great example. This not only teaches students all they need to know about cybersecurity in a convenient online setting, but also means businesses have a steady stream of online security graduates to choose from. If you are someone looking at moving into this sort of job after graduation, it is the ideal course to consider.

Cybersecurity roles could be a hit recruitment trend moving forward

Just as stopping data breaches is key in healthcare, office-based companies must secure themselves against threats like these. As a result, the predicted future demand for dedicated cybersecurity staff in business is expected to increase as we see more and more companies hiring people to work in these roles. As a result, it is expected to be one of the hot trends across both education and recruitment as time moves on. It should also lead to more companies looking for people with specific cybersecurity qualifications.  

From the point of view of those looking to pursue higher education and forge an exciting, rewarding career afterwards, this is great news. If you enjoy working with IT networks, computer devices and online systems, this is a fabulous path to take. The average salary for those working in this industry currently is around $92,000 and there are a variety of roles to consider. 

Of course, office businesses will only benefit from having skilled, knowledgeable cybersecurity experts to hire. This will help them find the dedicated support they need to stay safe from cybercriminals and the dangers they expose businesses to. 

What are the key roles in cybersecurity? 

Whether you are someone looking at what type of cybersecurity job you could move into once qualified or a business wondering what sort of staff you might need to guard against cybercrime, there are some important roles in this employment sector.

Cybersecurity Analyst is a great example. This role involves using your knowledge of the sector to analyze potential threats to a business’ cybersecurity. Cybersecurity Engineers are also important to organizations, as this role involves planning how to keep firms safe from cyberattacks. Cybersecurity Engineers are also responsible for protecting a business’ systems and data from online threats. 

It is also common to see Security Architects working in office-based businesses, and the demand for them should only increase over time. These key workers design and build the actual security features which protect a company’s systems and data.

Moving up a level, the Chief Information Security Officer is another key role which more and more businesses will need. This role takes overall responsibility for a company’s cybersecurity and develops the relevant programs and policies in this area. They are also responsible for all cybersecurity staff working in other roles across the business.

What are the most common cybersecurity threats for businesses? 

If you run an office-based business or are thinking of working in this sector, it pays to know what the most common threats are to guard against. While cybersecurity is a fast-changing sector with new dangers appearing constantly, there are some examples to get on top of which have been around for a while. With 79% of companies experiencing downtime due to cyber threats at peak season, this is essential. 

Remote work threats are an issue which have grown massively in the last few years. This is no surprise when you consider how many people have started to work from home in that period. Home working though can make it hard for IT security staff to monitor and secure remote work settings. Although issues such as phishing via email are classic examples of the type of threat home workers face, cyberattacks via video conferencing software are also being seen more frequently.

What other common cyberattacks do office-based companies see? 

Many businesses who work from an office-based setting can also be targeted via their supply chain. This is basically the network a company uses to produce, supply and distribute its products to customers. As you can imagine, this can require a complex network of collaborative companies to ensure the smooth running of any company’s supply chain. 

This large, collaborative network though can introduce a significant cybersecurity risk. A prime example of this would be any third-party vendors’ office-based businesses that form part of a company’s supply chain. It is key to ensure customer data always remains protected and that these third-party vendors have the best cybersecurity measures. 

Ransomware is still a major threat to online security and can result in hackers locking up all your key systems and data through malicious software. They promise to unlock it all – but only after getting a huge ransom to do so! With around 37% of businesses being attacked in this way online in 2021, you can see what a big problem it is. 

Mobile and cloud issues also emerging 

Two of the most recent business innovations have been mobile devices and cloud computing. Both these have had a huge impact in office-based companies and delivered a more flexible, efficient and convenient way of working. 

However, they can also be sources of pressing cybersecurity concerns. As with the other threats we have looked at, this is why hiring dedicated cybersecurity specialists to defend against them will be key moving forward. Malware on mobile devices is a prime example of this. As more businesses require employees to use mobile devices, mobile apps and websites on their smartphones, more hackers are starting to target them there. With mobile malware such as FluBot and TeaBot emerging, this cannot be ignored.

Although cloud-based providers do invest in high-end security themselves, the severity and number of attacks on these platforms is growing. IBM has stated that cloud vulnerabilities have shot up by 150% in the last five years! This can allow hackers to target incorrectly configured assets online and go after businesses who have not secured their cloud presence properly. 

How can hiring dedicated cybersecurity staff keep companies safe? 

As the above shows, the number of common cybercrime threats combined with the constant development of new attacks by hackers is worrying. All office-based businesses must endeavor to do all they can to protect themselves and their customers from these threats. 

The best course of action as time moves ahead will be to hire dedicated cybersecurity employees who have the qualifications to help. The in-depth knowledge they will bring to the company should prove essential in the future and enable organizations to remain fully secure from cybercrime. In addition, dedicated staff will have the time to concentrate fully on stopping cyberattacks as it is their main role. This means they will always be on hand and fully focused to pick up on any danger before it is too late.

What else makes dedicated cybersecurity employees so valuable? 

Almost all office-based businesses will need specific employees like this in the future for a number of reasons. Their ability to educate the workforce in general is a good example and demonstrates their wider impact in the fight against online crime. By helping to not only educate other staff on staying safe from danger but also monitoring how securely they operate, cybersecurity employees keep everyone on track. This will greatly reduce the possibility of people in the general workforce falling prey to online crime.

Dedicated cybersecurity staff can also help educate senior management about the importance of cybersecurity and ensure company policies and budgets are in place to facilitate it. They can also provide guidance to senior figures on how to stay safe from online crime and which areas in their IT network need beefing up.

Specific cybersecurity staff key for office-based businesses 

Pretty much all office-based businesses use a variety of online platforms, IT networks, computing devices and software packages to operate. They also typically have systems and databases with vast reams of confidential customer data stored in them. All this makes them rich pickings for cybercriminals and explains why cybersecurity must be a focus.

Although companies might educate their workforce generally in this area, the ever more sophisticated attacks from hackers means this is often not enough. In addition, the sheer volume of attacks means normal workers cannot keep on top of all this while also performing their own role. As a result, hiring dedicated, qualified cybersecurity experts to protect office-based businesses from cybercrime seems likely to be a hot trend in business moving forward. 

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