The time of hackers who find access to state secrets is coming to an end. Each of us needs protection now, and talented people are needed for this
Computer security is similar to military affairs, but before choosing this profession, you need to think twice. Mental stress, constant attacks on the system and gaps in protection can lead an unprepared person to paranoia. Protecting valuable data means understanding that there is no perfect protection. It really is not perfect: attackers have the advantage of the first step, they are not limited by law, and sometimes by morality, at the same time, the defense system reacts to threats, and does not eliminate them. To work in Internet security (IS) means to make sure that colleagues do not substitute the system, identify gaps, block them and at the same time repel another attack.
On the other hand, the information security market is profitable
Forrester research estimates the current global market volume at $755 million and predicts growth to $1.2 billion next year. At the same time, new technologies are on the threshold, which also need protection. Mobile phones and tablets are already experiencing constant hacking attempts, and the Android OS is leading the trend. Goode Research Center expects that the share of mobile funds alone will grow from $30 million to $161 million by 2015. Hacking car systems is also gaining popularity. Modern cars are already connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi, and, according to ABI forecasts, in three years 210 million such cars will drive on the roads, each with a full set of personal data about its owner. With the introduction of the Internet of Things, things will take on an even larger scale, which is now difficult to predict.
The introduction of new information technologies gives not only more opportunities, but also opens up new vulnerabilities both for external attacks and for hacking the system from the inside. In its annual report on Internet Security Threats (ISTR), Symantec announced a threefold increase in attacks on small businesses. Now 31% of all cyber attacks in the world are directed against small businesses. The change in tactics and emphasis is due to the systematic lack of security infrastructure for small enterprises and its links with larger firms. Most often, hacking occurs from the inside: according to the same report, 56% of employees worldwide protect the confidentiality of information after leaving work, and 40% consider the use of this data in a new place not only permissible, but also mandatory. As a result, everyone suffers: the employee who appropriated the information, his former employer and the new one who used the information without asking about its origin.