An Overview
The awareness of the cyber security threat continues to grow and the importance of cyber security to corporations, government, and private individuals continues to increase. Privacy is an important concern in American life and the protection of data has become a key issue. With concerns over identity theft and other similar cyber-crimes, public focus remains intense on the cyber security field.
Virtually every company of any size that operates a computer network (such as for company e-mail or a company intranet) has a designated network or cyber security expert. Titles may vary, but look for names like network security specialist, network administrator, information security technician, and so on. At larger companies, network or cyber security experts might work on a project by project basis and take a specific role in the development of new products, services, and systems.
One of the more exciting segments of the cyber security field is cyber forensics and investigation. Experts in this field investigate cyber-crime and attacks after they happen and attempt to track down the perpetrators. Local law enforcement agencies and Federal agencies such as the FBI all employ cyber security professionals in this capacity.
While cyber security has played a large role in the banking industry and other large corporate transactional businesses for some time, even small companies are facing cyber security issues today. With the advent of e-commerce, network security has taken on an even larger role as financial transactions and personal information such as credit card numbers are passed along computer networks with even greater frequency. Cyber security is also an important function inside companies, as employee data must be kept private and confidential according to the law.
Why Minor in Cyber Security and Forensics?
The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that job growth for system administrators (a loose term including cyber security experts) will see some of the fastest growth among all professions, growing at a rate of approximately 25% until 2018.The role of the cyber security expert can take many forms, but it essentially boils down to protecting sensitive data and managing access to resources and networks. This might include protecting customer data, such as credit card numbers, or protecting employee data, such as health care records. It also might include preventing intrusions and criminal activity over the company's networks.
Where do Cyber Security and Forensics professionals work?
Computer security professionals work as Computer Security specialists, Network Security Analysts and System Analysts. These individuals plan, coordinate, and maintain an organization’s information security. These workers educate users about computer security, install security software, monitor networks for security breaches, respond to cyber-attacks, and, in some cases, gather data and evidence to be used in prosecuting cyber-crime. The responsibilities of computer security specialists have increased in recent years as cyber-attacks have become more sophisticated. These professionals work at a wide range of organizations and institutions.
What are the course requirements for a minor in Cyber Security and Forensics?
In addition to all other Information technology degree requirements, the Cyber Security and Forensics minor requires successful completion of 21 credits in cyber security ad forensics-related courses. |