{"id":13472,"date":"2020-10-20T08:54:19","date_gmt":"2020-10-20T14:54:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/?p=13472"},"modified":"2020-10-21T13:07:22","modified_gmt":"2020-10-21T19:07:22","slug":"cybersecurity-graduates-secure-their-own-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/cybersecurity-graduates-secure-their-own-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Cybersecurity Graduates Secure Their Own Future"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/b> * The following custom content is sponsored by Rider University.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

No matter the industry, one of the most valuable assets a company possesses is data. Whether it\u2019s customers\u2019 bank account numbers, credit card details, or PII (personally identifiable information), such as name, social security number, or email address, hackers, both foreign and domestic, serve as a constant threat to data security. Cybersecurity professionals defend data, computers, mobile devices, servers, networks, and electronic systems from the constant risk of malicious attacks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cybersecurity threats<\/span><\/h3>\n

According to Dr. Elizabeth Hawthorne, Program Director and Lecturer in Cybersecurity at <\/span>Rider University<\/span><\/a>, the biggest cybersecurity threats today are various forms of ransomware, including denial of service. \u201cCyber criminals lock up computing systems and individual computers until a ransom is paid for the code to unlock it. It\u2019s cyber-extortion.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Other forms of ransomware include Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) where websites are taken offline unless a ransom is paid, and data breaches where confidential data is disclosed until a ransom is paid. All forms of ransomware can cause devastating consequences to a business and are often carried out using a Trojan horse disguised as a legitimate file that is unsuspectingly downloaded most often as an email attachment. Sometimes even opening or previewing an email can trigger ransomware to infect a computer network.<\/span><\/p>\n

Skills needed to protect data\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

You may have a passion for all things data-oriented, but do you have what it takes to excel in cybersecurity? Those who seek to work in cybersecurity require problem-solving skills, technical aptitude, attention to detail, good communication skills, fundamental computer forensics skills, a strong knowledge of security across various platforms, an understanding of hacking, and a desire to learn.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe field of cybersecurity is interdisciplinary and multifaceted,\u201d Dr. Hawthorne said. \u201cIt requires different skills for different job functions.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rider\u2019s B.S. in Cybersecurity program offers students two different academic tracks:<\/span><\/p>\n