Is cyber security the job of the future?

With cyber security becoming increasingly more important to an organisation’s critical infrastructure, the demand for talent in this area is at an all time high. If you’re thinking of your next career move, you may want to consider a career within the cyber security space. 

Cybercrime: second most reported economic crime.

According to a recent PwC Global Economic Crime Survey, cybercrime has been ranked second most reported economic crime after misappropriation of assets in 2016. Falling under cyber attack can be a very costly exercise for an organisation. To mitigate these risks, it’s not surprising to see an increased demand for cyber security experts. 

Data protection to prevent cyber attacks.

There are many reasons why organisations are focusing their effort and monetary investments on protecting their data. With computers being essential to the efficient delivery of business operations, companies must take data protection seriously to comply with productivity levels, while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements and customer trust. "Data is a really valuable asset making it a tempting target for cyber criminals who can easily compromise it. Proactive risk management is therefore essential for organisations in order to prevent such crimes and avoid financial loss." said Kitee Fu, Manager, IT Commerce Division, Robert Walters Hong Kong.

The talent market has grown slower than the tech industry. To overcome this challenge, organisations can look at up skilling their IT staff or using the services of contractors, which are both cost effective options.

With this in mind, why should you consider a cyber security role?

If the Tom and Jerry’s game appeals to you, you may want to have a crack at cyber security.  It is a field where the cyber security professionals’ aim is to track and target the hackers. If this sounds like something you could be interested in, then, you could earn up to a six-figure salary and develop a strong career path, especially if you are already working in tech. 

What if you’re a newbie in the tech industry seeking a career in cyber security?  

You will most likely undertake an information security analyst role to start of with. Often time, a bachelor degree in computer science, programming or engineering is advantageous, especially if you’re a graduate.  

The most recent salary estimation for senior information security specialist falls between HKD1.0m and 1.5m according to our 2018 Salary Survey (Greater China & South East Asia).

Interested in finding out more on cyber security opportunities? Contact our team for more information or check out latest jobs here.