Top 3 Reasons You Need Cyber Security Awareness Training

Have you considered taking a cyber security training course? Perhaps you have seen commercials or read advertisements about this specific career path and asked yourself, “Why would I ever need this type of training?” Whether you work in IT or not, cyber security awareness training is still a valuable investment that you should seriously consider. Here are 3 key reasons why that is the case today more than ever before.

Your Confidential Data is at Stake

Think about the number of times on any given day you access your own confidential, sensitive data. The PIN for your ATM card that you used to withdraw cash while running errands. The passwords you use to log into your various personal and professional email accounts. The security codes programmed into your Wi-Fi home security system. The passcode you use to access your smartphone as an effort to protect others from getting into it.

Now, imagine an unauthorized user gained access to your list of PINs, passcodes and passwords and was determined to use it to ruin your life. That is what is happening every day thanks to the infamous nature of cybercrime. Over 50 percent of adult consumers reported at least one security incident between December 2015 and December 2016, per Expanded Ramblings. Forbes reports that the estimated cost of cybercrimes each year is over $400 billion. Protecting your confidential data, money and livelihood is a very important reason for taking a cyber security course seriously.

Cybercrime Traps Are Everywhere Online

Years ago, cyber security was relatively easy to manage on your own. Anti-virus software packages could detect, address and eliminate most viruses and infectious downloads. Most people were more concerned with traditional forms of theft – such as grand larceny and armed robberies – than being robbed blind by someone using a simple Internet connection.

Nowadays, cybercrime traps are everywhere. The Internet has evolved from a virtual highway with occasional red flags and roadwork signs to a battlefield overwhelmed with underground mines, anxiously waiting to activate and explode when unsuspecting Internet users stumble across them. Studies have shown that the top two cybercrimes are phishing and malware – two factors that victimize unsuspecting Internet users and email readers daily. PR Newswire states that malware and phishing have kept this top-ranking position on the cybercrime list for the past 8 years.

The fact that a person can open a suspicious email from an unfamiliar source and become a cybercrime victim may stump some skeptics. However, it happens a lot more than most people may realize. Nearly 30 percent of phishing messages sent via email in 2015 were opened by their intended receiver, per Business Insider. The same report claims that 12 percent of people who opened a phishing message the same year clicked a malicious link or opened a victimizing attachment, adding themselves to the growing list of successful targets for cybercriminals.

High Demand, Top Paying Job Opportunities

With the increasing demand for cyber security in today’s digital age, there is an overabundance of cyber security job opportunities waiting for credible experts and certified IT specialists. Forbes reports that there were over 1 million cyber security job openings in 2016 alone, a number that is sure to increase exponentially in the years to come.

As society continues to transition towards paperless environments, mobile devices as primary communication tools and telecommuting/remote work opportunities, the number of high-paying opportunities in this market will continue to grow right along with it. You can enjoy a lucrative career as a cyber security specialist or certified expert simply by successfully completing a high-quality cyber security course and obtaining the necessary credentials. Whether you want to enjoy advancement opportunities in your existing line of work or pave your own career path in the world of IT cyber security and online identity theft prevention, cyber security awareness training can serve as the cornerstone of your lucrative future as a certified and experienced IT professional.

The Bottom Line

The odds of becoming a victim of a cybercrime, data breach or identity theft executed by a skilled cybercriminal increase with each passing year. As the black market of cybercrime becomes harder and harder to detect, these cybercriminals are becoming harder and harder to stop and catch in their tracks.

Even if you are not interested in pursuing a career in IT or the cyber security filed, taking this type of educational training course can still teach you valuable tips, steps and strategies that you will be able to use personally and professionally to keep yourself and the people you care about the most protected. The training is there – what you do with it and how you use it are up to you. However, like with insurance, the old saying still applies to cyber security: “It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”