Are you one of those infosec professionals looking for a change? Well, this article is for you to explore a new and flourishing career in cybersecurity. This is the best time to challenge your IT skills and specialize in the data protection and security field. The job market for such a career is ever-evolving in the global landscape and it has immense scope within the EU. IT giants like Google, Microsoft, Apple etc. are constantly seeking top talent and they are always ready to strike a lucrative deal with an eligible candidate who is a right fit for the job. The scope of cybersecurity in the IT domain is pretty intriguing and the employment security and benefits are exemplary. There are a variety of roles and positions in cybersecurity across all levels. So what are you waiting for? A world full of growth and opportunities awaits you. Grab it before it ends!
Why You Should Consider a Career in Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is considered one of the most cryptic specialties in the Information Technology field. It is an evolving phenomenon and comparatively not many people were discussing or paying heed to it in the past. But in recent years, cybersecurity has gained a center stage and there has been a boom in the worldwide discussion about information, standard privacy patterns, protection against malware, etc.
This has particularly brought a global shift in expediting an awareness of the security practices wherever there is a security breach or scandal which engulfs millions of people across the globe. In the past few years, millions of online users have been engulfed with various data breaches and scandals, to name a few:
Monstrous Data Breaches and Scandals in the Recent Years
The Facebook data breach has affected an estimated of 87 million Facebook users, with more than 1 million people each in the UK, Philippines, and Indonesia and personal information of 310,000 Australian Facebook users were harvested and shared with a voter analytics company by the name Cambridge Analytica. With the available data, this analytics firm is said to have created psychological profiles of 30 million people or more without their consent and used it to influence the Brexit vote and twist the 2016 US Presidential elections in support of the clients. These clients were said to have invested a huge amount of money to bring the deal in their favor.
Not long ago, Uber was also hacked and data of around 57 million people were left exposed. So from this analogy, we can simply determine that it is not just the scale or extent of the breaches which are etching legislative scrutiny, but the inadequate responses from the respective companies who are involved here seem more inclined and interested to cover up the breaches rather than addressing the issues right on time.
More about GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
The European Union’s (EU) GDPR was passed in the year 2016. However, it came into effect only by May 2018 and it has grabbed the eyeballs of various privacy and data regulators across the globe. As a detailed set of data practices and policies, GDPR is said to affect not just the online businesses which are positioned in the EU but also includes of those users who have once been residing under the EU. Primarily, it obligates the affected businesses to appoint a few professionals who could ensure the data protection strategies are in place.
Let’s explore some of the infosec career options that GDPR allows in cybersecurity:
Data Protection Officer (DPO): The Data Protection Officers are the ones who are designated with the task to inspect a company’s data protection action plan and strategy to ensure that it is in compliance with the GDPR requirements. In the year 2017, there were estimates which exhibit that approximately 28,000 Data Protection Officer(DPO) positions were required to be filled to fulfill the below standard criteria:
1.Instruct and train the staff on certain data privacy fundamentals, processes, and strategies.
2.Keep a close eye on the data security audits, compliance and monitor any cracks within the internal network from time to time.
3.Ensure that the extensive set of records of data processing activities and disclose information to the public only upon request.
4.Act as the representative for GDPR Supervisory Authorities and the main point of contact for members of the public and address the respective issues and grievances about the data protection and rights.
Local representative: A local representative comes into picture for any particular site or business which does not have EU presence. In such cases, a local representative is appointed within the EU member state and his responsibilities have a shade of the DPOs and include the following:
1.Act as the representative for GDPR Supervisory Authorities and the main point of contact for members of the public and address the respective issues and grievances about the data protection and rights.
2.Ensure that the comprehensive records of data processing activities and disclose information to the public only upon request.
GDPR has not only brought into existence such specific positions but has opened newer avenues for cybersecurity professionals for the proper maintenance of data privacy and protection standards. Cybersecurity is evolving every single day and there is an increasing demand for competent IT security professionals in the competitive labor market. It has been observed that outstanding GDPR performers are earning exceptional salaries and it is estimated that there would be a growth of around 5-10 percent to retain such highly skilled personnel.
About the Author: Jane Thomson
Jane Thomson is a Content Marketing Manager at GreyCampus with five years rich experience on developing content for professional certification courses like PMP- Project Management Professional, PMI-ACP, Prince2, ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library), Big Data, Cloud, Digital Marketing and Six Sigma.
