Cyber Security Trends and Careers in 2022

The pandemic has heightened the need for novel approaches to protecting companies' digital assets from a breach. Additionally, it is more important than ever to set up an environment protective to cyberattacks. As a result, many businesses are consciously incorporating cybersecurity best practices into their processes to reduce the risk of disclosing sensitive data online. Consciousness and alertness, on the other hand, will produce desirable results. To alleviate the burden, we will find cost-effective, sophisticated, and multifaceted cybersecurity trends that have been making waves in the industry.

Firstly, what does Cybersecurity Mean?

Business organizations can now defend off ongoing cyberattacks. Thanks to the development of cybersecurity systems and tools. Because of this, cybersecurity is defined as defending necessary hardware, software, and sensitive business data against ongoing intrusion attempts and attacks. It is also known as information technology (IT) security, and it aids in the fight against digital threats by following a standardized procedure that safeguards the company's devices, applications, and networks.

Here are some of the most well-known cybersecurity trends that will be dominating the business landscape in 2022 −

Underground Enterprises need a Security Upgrade

Attackers use CI/CD pipelines, cloud infrastructure, and other digital technologies to develop and sell new malware as a service (MaaS) offerings, just like legitimate software vendors. While criminal firms increasingly resemble "real" enterprises, they also expose themselves to new threats. As they are forced to beef up their security defenses, these attackers will increasingly be caught by defenders using offensive tactics against them.

Multi-factor Authentication

MFA (multi-factor authentication) has gained popularity in recent decades. Furthermore, organizations have combined login details and multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add another layer of safety and decrease the probability of a privacy breach.

Because of its adaptability, MFA is an outstanding option for organizations that commonly deal with large amounts of information. Surprisingly, multi-factor authentication necessitates users to confirm their identity across multiple devices. It is an excellent tactic for restricting the access of third-party applications or individuals to data.

Attackers use OSS to Automate Attacks

Open-source software powers our digital economy (OSS). On the other hand, the prevalence of "open" and "free" OSS libraries means a vastly expanded attack surface. The April 2021 Codecov breach demonstrated how a minor change in one single line of code can turn an utterly benign library into a malware one, putting any organization that uses it at risk. Attackers have been known to create Trojans, modified packages that include a back channel or a way to poach credentials.

Using such libraries in the pipeline as part of routine daily operations makes it all the more difficult to detect these subtle attacks, which is why organizations need to be on the lookout for them. The wide scale use of open-source components by Indian start-ups and government entities has far-reaching consequences for the country.

Growth in Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware attacks have increased dramatically in recent years, according to estimates. The perpetrator of this cyberattack has access to an individual's, a group's, or a business's private data. They then use it to blackmail them into paying a ransom. Because blockchain technology secures cryptocurrency transactions, experts believe the rise of ransomware attacks is a direct result. This makes identifying the attacker difficult because tracking them down is now impossible.

The desire for financial gain has driven attackers to commit cybercrime, making it more challenging to track down and identify these perpetrators. As a consequence, growing demand for qualified cybersecurity experts who can implement strategies to thwart these attacks.

The Vulnerability of Cloud Services

Many companies have embraced cloud-based computing services in recent years, allowing users to access software programs, information storage, and other services through an internet connection instead of relying on infrastructural facilities. Adopting this technology has numerous advantages, including lower operational costs and enhanced efficiency.

While such systems can be highly beneficial to organizations, they are also becoming a target for cyber threats. Hackers are more likely to successfully exploit security flaws in these systems and gain access to confidential data if they are not configured correctly or maintained. It is crucial because several modern businesses use cloud services to enable remote employee work.

Preparing for a Cybersecurity job: Career Options and Requirements.

Do you want to pursue a career in cybersecurity? You're not the only one; many aspirants are looking to enter this emerging field, but let's first learn what cybersecurity is, its importance, and perhaps most significantly, how or when to and where to initiate. Let's get started right away.

But firstly, are they in Demand?

In a survey carried out by NASSCOM DSCI, 'India Cybersecurity Services Landscape,' it was found that 37 percent of organizations find it tough to zero in on the right talent, and thus, are focusing on up-skilling or re-skilling their workforce to better safeguard their organization from cyber-attacks, extra cost businesses are more than willing to incur.(www.cxotoday.com)

The size of the cyber security market was valued at USD 184.93 billion in 2021 globally and is assumed to grow annually at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.0% from 2022 to 2030. (Source: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/ )

Career Options and Opportunities

As a career option it has been several lucrative job, some of the widely hired career options and more.

Security Analyst

It requires constant monitoring of computer networks for security issues, investigating security breaches, evaluating best security practices, and, most importantly, performing tests and risk analysis to uncover network vulnerabilities.

Essential skills required for this are Knowledge about 'Network Infrastructure,' skills regarding proxies and firewalls, good scripting, good security management frameworks, quick incident responses, and Knowledge & skills regarding internet protocols-TCP/IP.

Average salary is $78,568 in US and 5,28,604 INR in India.

Chief Information Security Officer

It requires developing and implementing a strategic cybersecurity program, analyzing security incident reports, and enhancing security operations. To plan and develop cyber resilience for quick recovery from data breaches, raise awareness about cyber threats, and build robust security architecture in the organization.

Essential skills are Knowledge of 'IT and Network infrastructure,' skills in data analysis, good budget management, vendor management frameworks, security management frameworks, and Software development.

Average salary is $1,73,705 in US and 74,00,000 INR in India.

Security Engineer

It requires Identifying security measures to improve incident response. Responding to security incidents. Coordinating incident response across teams. Performing security assessments and code audits. Essential skills are Knowledge about 'Network Infrastructure,' proxies and firewalls, coding C++, Python, PHP/Hack, Golang, Java, etc. language knowledge. Good at operating systems, data management, and security management frameworks.

Average salary is $1,11,691 in US and 7,29,617 INR in India.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity is defending necessary hardware, software, and sensitive business data against intrusion attempts and attacks. It is also known as information technology (IT) security, and it aids in the fight against digital threats by following a standardized procedure that safeguards the company's devices, applications, and networks.

A few of the widely used trends observed in 2022, which aided the overall cybersecurity infrastructure, have been discussed above. This field has been evergrowing, and with the upliftment of technology, this rise will not see failure any soon.