As business increases shift online, cybersecurity becomes even more important. Industries that are reliant on cybersecurity expertise to keep functioning on a daily basis could be caught in a disruptive ransomware attack or data breach at any time. These industries can include all financial institutions and healthcare enterprises, and every other field from academia to manufacturing to entertainment. Companies that don’t staff their IT and cybersecurity departments smartly could find themselves in big trouble with no warning. Proper staffing in these areas is the first line of defense against potentially disastrous cyberattacks. As a result, cybersecurity experts are in great demand. Different fields require different areas of expertise, so people with skills in ethical hacking, app development security, risk management, cloud security, health information security, network protection, and IT, in general, should find employers seeking their skills. Take a look at the cybersecurity trends expected to hit the headlines in 2022, as well as the areas of expertise that should be in especially high demand.
Cybersecurity Trends for 2022
The global pandemic changed the focus of cybersecurity and opened new challenges to deal with going forward. Among the trends to expect in the cybersecurity world in the coming year are the following.
Cybersecurity for Remote Work
During the pandemic, workers flung themselves all over the globe. After all, if you’re working remotely, why shouldn’t you rent an apartment at the beach or in the mountains? While that may have been a good solution for employees, it added to the demands on organizations’ IT teams. Employees who can work from anywhere may be using unsecured networks to transmit business-critical data. Securing networks becomes an expanded challenge in this environment — and cybersecurity specialists who can deal with threat hunting and pen testing are in demand as a result, especially as employees often want to continue their remote work even as the pandemic dies down.
Protecting the Internet of Things (IoT)
With more than 41 billion devices from the IoT expected to go online over the next 5 years, cybersecurity specialists need to gear up to provide the needed protection. Cybercriminals are now infiltrating networks via devices as seemingly simple as baby monitors or smart plugs. Protecting against these cyberattacks requires specialized skills that are increasingly in demand.
More Multi-Factor Authentication
Passwords alone often aren’t enough to protect sensitive data — especially when employees get lax about protecting their passwords. For that reason, many organizations add multi-factor authentication to guard against cyberattacks and data breaches. Cybersecurity specialists are needed to create effective authentication tech, especially because some communication channels, such as voice or SMS, don’t have the necessary encryption to provide the protection needed.
High-Demand Cybersecurity Positions for 2022
To meet the cybersecurity demands of 2022 and beyond, certain IT positions are coming to the forefront. Some of these positions are new, while others are expansions and refocusing of positions that already exist. In all cases, specific skills are vital and can make employees especially valuable to their organizations. Among the cybersecurity positions expected to be in high demand in the coming year are the following.
Cloud Security Specialists
IT experts with cloud security skills can expect the largest salary boost in the coming year, thanks to the very specific expertise required. Many businesses have migrated their data and application storage to the cloud, rather than relying on physical infrastructure as was common in the past, reaping savings and increasing efficiency by doing so. However, cyberattacks are often especially vulnerable to attack, making cloud security especially important. Specialists within the cloud security field may focus on Google Cloud or Azure security, public cloud security, or cloud security architecture or infrastructure.
Cryptographers
Cryptographers are the IT personnel who are at the heart of creating the encryption needed to complete data. They create algorithms and ciphers that protect data from being stolen, copied, or deleted. In addition, these IT experts seek out security issues and test systems to protect them against vulnerabilities.
Information Security Analysts
By auditing security policies and protocols, these IT specialists find weak points in their company’s networks. Security analysts must stay up to date with what’s happening in cybercrime and with new developments in online security to help develop new policies and protections against cyberattacks. They help the C-suite make smart decisions about how to allot security resources, based on the serious nature of various threats faced. The demand for information security analysts will continue to grow over the next 6 years or so, with an anticipated increase of 32% in the field.
Forensic Experts
These are the experts who track down what happened when a data breach or cyberattack occurs, working to find the attackers. They determine how breaches occur and work with various IT first responders. They also preserve and take care of all evidence, including hardware such as hard drives and portable drives.
Application Development Security Specialists
Look for this specialty to increase 164% in demand over the next 5 years (with a concomitant increase in their salaries). These specialists work to detect pending threats and automate security-related tasks relating to apps and software.
Risk Management Specialists
Being able to assess the risks posed by particular IT vulnerabilities is vital if companies are to spend their security resources wisely. Risk management experts include risk analysts and vulnerability assessors, both of whom analyze and probe a company’s information systems and computer networks to find errors and test vulnerabilities. Analysts model various cybersecurity threats and scenarios to determine levels of IT, fraud, and financial risk. Often these specialties require fluent knowledge in the areas of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Staffing up properly and filling your open cybersecurity positions can be tricky, given the growing demand in the marketplace for these specialists. At Marquee Staffing, we are deeply invested in the IT staffing world and are ready to help you find employees with the specialized skills you need to protect your business. Contact us today to see how we can help keep your data and your online processes safe so you can feel secure about your company’s future.