In this 21st century, when most of the candidates feel that they can start a career in cyber security, some of them become confused of whether they should consider taking up Cyber Security as their career or not.

So for them, below is the article through which they can be sure of whether to take up Cyber Security as their career or not.You are most probably aware of the unbalanced equation between demand and supply in cyber security workforce, a fact all the more dire when you consider the multitude of threats facing organizations of all sizes. Since today is celebrated as Antimalware Day, a day when recognition to the work of security professionals is being given, it is appropriately thought to look at some information linked to the talent crunch and more widely to the work of security benefits. Chances are that, in doing so, it will help you determine if you too might want to pursue a career in this field of endeavor or not.

The 2019 Cyber security Workforce Study by the security certifications organization, the global shortage of cyber security professionals topped 4 million last year, rising from 2.9 million in the year 2018 and from 1.8 million in the year 2017. To get in sync with the world wide demand, the number of skilled security workers will need to grow by 145%.It’s worth important to note that some continents are doing far better than others. According to last year’s study by (ISC)2, the APAC made up the largest proportion of the workforce gap which is 64 percent, followed by LATAM which is 15 percent, North America which is 14 percent and Europe which is 7 percent.

Among other major findings, two in every three organizations said that they have a shortage of security practitioners and the respondents pointed out this shortage as their major concern. It’s hard to feel that surprise that one-half of them admitted that their organization is at extreme risk due to the cyber security staff shortage.

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic raised the stakes further including by laying emphasis on digital and making work from home the new trend. Attacks have continued to increase in number and severity, the strain on present cyber security workers has increased and the demand for security solutions and services has gone up. Against this backdrop, the shortage of workforce is not going to shake. Rather on the contrary, the demand will continue to increase more than the supply.

Is a cyber security degree or certification enough?

One question that frequently gets raised up in mind is that whether you can get a job in security without a college degree in this or a related field. We touched on the issue last year, where several ESET security researchers shared their own experience and views, security professionals commonly do have a bachelor’s degree or a higher degree and it has been seen that a large number of them majored in computer or information sciences.

On the other hand, it was found out that 12 percent got into computer security with a high-school diploma certificate only. This is surely a surprise, though: while more and more academic institutions globally provide degree programs in computer security but there are still many that have yet to launch such programs. Because of which, many experts in the field are self-taught and prepared for their careers through non-academic curriculum and certifications.

In fact, holding a cyber security certification is becoming increasingly useful, and security benefits have an average of four such “badges” that prove their knowledge, skills and abilities. It’s also the reason why they demand huge salaries which is US$71,000 on an average per year than the fellow security practitioners with no such badges US$55,000. The gap is even more prominent in the US and Asia-Pacific.

After expressing that, anothersurvey among security professionals found that competitive salaries were not the main reason informing their choice of a career path. Several other benefits – like working in an environment where their opinions are taken seriously and where they can protect people and their information – turned out to matter even more. In the latest study, it was found that 84 percent of the respondents stated that they are at the right place and they expected to be in this place in their careers. With their high job satisfaction levels, things in fact seem to work well for security practitioners.

The worth of bug bounties:

Bug plentiful programs where ethical hackers receive financial rewards for reporting security at risk in organizations’ computer systems, have been a significant method of increasing the interest in security especially among young people. The 2020 Hacker Report by bug bounty platform provider HackerOne as many as 850 white hats are joining the ranks of the 600,000-strong community every single day.

It’s alright to point out that these programs are also beneficial when it comes to discouraging cybercrime and engaging people, especially the teens, to cross - from the dark phase into the light. In order to get appreciation from everyone, many youngsters from a very young age start to become cyber criminals without fully realizing the consequences of their actions.

While bug bounty, similar programs are by no means the solution for the growing talent difficulty, organizations can certainly benefit from help by ethical hackers. In fact, tapping into this pool of talent can help organizations increase the skills shortag

The door wide open:

In the conclusion, it can be summarized that here’s perhaps one more data point to consider. The survey by (ISC)2 found that only 42% of the respondents’ first jobs after education were in security. In other words, this field of endeavor is broadly open for those candidates who are looking to reinvent themselves as security professionals.Found this article interesting? If Yes, then connect and keep following us on social media sites to keep yourself updated with the latest Cyber Security news