Four Industries That Require Robust Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is the right fit for anyone looking to work in an exciting and high-demand industry. The job is interesting, challenging, and pays extremely well, so professionals in this field are generally happy. In fact, our article ‘Is a Cybersecurity Career Right for You?’ noted that 68% of respondents from a 2018 study were satisfied in their jobs. Only 6% reported high dissatisfaction in their careers, which is very promising for those who want to enter a dynamic and lucrative industry.

As the pandemic forces us to become increasingly dependent on technology, adapting to a digitized world has opened up more industries to the threat of cybercrime. Here are a few industries that are raising the demand for digital protection.

1. Finance
With banks storing valuable personal data, the financial sector has always been the most obvious target for cybercrime. Even as financial institutions evolve to protect their assets and information, cybercriminals also evolve to improve their tactics.

Global Banking and Finance states that taking a proactive approach is crucial to keeping financial institutions safe from the evolving threats of cybercrime. They list heightened security measures and network segmentation as protective measures that can close any holes in financial defense systems. Proactive measures should also cover the continuous training of security experts, especially as cyber criminals’ skills sharpen over time.

2. Education
Incidents of students hacking into school servers might have been sensationalized by TV shows and movies, but cyber attacks against educational institutions do happen, and they aim to do a lot more than alter grades. The shift to remote learning has made educators prime targets for social engineering attacks like phishing — a scam tactic that tricks users into giving up confidential information.

The lack of resources to install proper cybersecurity programs has made education one of the most vulnerable institutes to a cyber attack. In fact, Microsoft Security Intelligence reported that 61% of the 7.7 million malware encounters in 2020 came from the educational sector. With more schools relying heavily on digital platforms and cloud technology to store private information, this is one sector that needs more robust cybersecurity practices.

3. Supply Chain
With the increasing demand for efficient transportation, the trucking industry has worked to incorporate connected devices into its operations. Case in point: fleets are becoming increasingly reliant on software like telematics. Verizon Connect explains that the technology is used to collect and transmit data on commercial vehicles, which fleets then use to track their assets, conduct maintenance, and optimize routes, among other things. However, the collection of this data opens them up to various vulnerabilities. Security Info Watch notes that telematics devices that rely on over-the-air updates have vulnerabilities that allow cyber attackers to install malicious firmware of their own. And even a small breach in a supply chain’s cyber defense will have wide-reaching repercussions across sectors.

The height of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in countries becoming heavily reliant on the supply chain to transport life-saving equipment. As companies work to streamline the transportation process, there’s a growing need for technology that can keep supply chain data safe.

4. Healthcare
As the coronavirus pushes healthcare institutes into telemedicine, instances of cyber attacks have drastically increased. A Bitglass study revealed that in 2020, attacks on protected health information rose to around 50%. And with many healthcare devices running on outdated software, cyber criminals are easily able to exploit holes to install malware and steal patient information.

These gaps in healthcare security threaten patient safety and increase the providers’ liability. Cyber attacks on the healthcare industry have even resulted in death. When a ransomware attack in Germany limited the Dusseldorf University Hospital’s ability to receive new patients, a woman needing urgent care died as she was rerouted to another hospital.

As our world evolves to one that is more digitized, hackers are targeting the industries that fail to properly adapt. As a cybersecurity professional, you’ll have the opportunity to provide an invaluable service, one that lets you protect not just resources, but people, their information, and their lives.

Written by Alessa Blake