Computer Security Jobs To Experience Rapid Growth

Computer viruses are at best irritating, and at worst disastrous! If you've ever had to deal with one, the chances are you spent a lot of time afterwards improving the security of your system. With all types of "cybercrime" on the rise, jobs for computer security specialists are booming too.

More Jobs In Computer Security

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, people with specialized computer security skills and training are in high demand. The job outlook for them over the next seven to eight years is excellent, with faster than average employment growth predicted.

This demand has been stimulated by two concurrent factors:

The growing dependence of businesses and individuals on increasingly sophisticated computing systems, making them vulnerable to cyber criminals.
The rise in "cybercrime" e.g. viruses, spamming, hacking, identity theft and online fraud.

A recent FBI report claims that dealing with the effects of computer-related crime costs U.S. businesses $67.2 billion a year, while an IBM survey published in January 2006 reports that respondents felt they were three times more likely to be victims of a cyber attack than of a physical crime.

This new crime wave means computer security is under the spotlight. The result has been a dramatic increase in the number of specialized computer security jobs advertised, and in the demand for personnel with the latest security skills and training.

What Does A Computer Security Job Involve?

The main part of the Computer Security specialist's job is designing and implementing company-wide computer security policies. This could involve any or all of the following:

Writing and/or installing security software
Staff security training
Keeping abreast of the latest security threats
Fixing the system after a security breach
Computer forensics to track down cyber criminals

Jobs in computer security are on offer daily as this field expands and develops. Good security training and experience will get you the job you want, but to keep it (and keep yourself one step ahead of cyber criminals) make sure you update your skills and knowledge regularly.

Sources
U.S. Dept Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
News.com
IBM Press Release