Growth of an Industry: Cybersecurity

Growth of an Industry: Cybersecurity

"As we’ve come to realize, the idea that security starts and ends with the purchase of a prepackaged firewall is simply misguided." – Art Wittmann

Cybersecurity has taken its place as the most important element of any modern IT department. In what seems like a weekly occurrence, notable data breaches are gracing headlines and are further proving that organizations need Cybersecurity professionals, now more than ever. Let’s take a dive into this quickly evolving industry to learn more.

Infrastructure Bill Investment into Cybersecurity

A series of high-profile ransomware attacks have remained at the forefront of politicians’ minds and as Cybercrime proves to be the fastest-growing form of crime in the U.S., politicians are accepting the severity of the threat. If Cybercrime was measured as a country, it would have the third-largest economy globally! It is expected to cost organizations $6 Trillion globally this year and $10 Trillion by 2025.

These staggering statistics have captured the attention of both Democrat and Republican leaders. The bipartisan INVEST Act, passed by the Senate on August 10, 2021, is set on allocating around $2 billion to cybersecurity according to the White House fact sheet. Of that $2 billion, $1 billion is designated for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) Cyber Grant Program within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) over four years, according to a government summary, via CNN. CISA will receive a one-time investment of $35 million in risk management. DHS' Science and Technology Directorate for Research and Development will receive $157.5 million in funding over five years.

Growth Expectancy of Cybersecurity

Due to higher caseloads, state and local governments are predicted to hire additional computer forensic science technicians to keep up with the demand. The computer forensics industry is predicted to grow by 21% between 2016-2026 (7% higher than the avg national growth), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Experts predict additional cybersecurity growth as more organizations continue to digitally transform.

Current State of Cybersecurity Training

Along with the growth of the industry comes training to help equip those going into the Cybersecurity industry. More universities have established Cybersecurity programs for those wanting to dive into the field and companies like Microsoft have debuted new certification courses to help professionals keep up to date with new ways to help shut down data breaches. It is highly recommended that anyone wanting to join the industry research the different certifications to help emphasize that you are the best candidate for the position and strengthen your credibility.

Closing Thoughts

Don’t have time to search through 100’s of sites to see which certification is the best for you? No worries, we did the work for you! For the Top 10 Cybersecurity Certifications broken down by profession, visit our blog post to learn more about what each certification has to offer and pick which one is right for you.