You've always felt a little different, like the person you see in the mirror isn't quite an accurate reflection of your true self. But how do you know who you really are inside? Looking to the stars for answers might help provide some insight.
Astrology has long been used to gain self-knowledge and predict the future. Now some astrologers, myself included, think the positions of the planets at your birth could reveal if you're transgender or were meant to transition genders.
Many trans and non-binary people turn to astrology for guidance on their identity and path in life. Your natal chart, or birth chart, provides a map of the celestial bodies at the exact time and place you were born. The positions and relationships of the sun, moon, and planets in the zodiac signs and houses in your transgender astrology chart can reveal insights into your core self, life challenges, and destiny.
The planets represent archetypes that shape our psyche and experience. For example, the moon reflects your emotional nature and inner self, while the sun signifies your outward identity and life purpose. Planets in signs traditionally associated with the opposite gender may indicate a more fluid sense of gender identity or expression.
The houses represent different life areas and environments that shape you. Planets in the first house of self, fourth house of home life, or eighth house of intimacy and transformation may reveal issues around identity, family acceptance, or relationships that many trans or non-binary people face.
If your natal chart shows a Sun or Moon in a feminine sign like Pisces, Cancer, or Libra, that can indicate a more feminine identity or expression that doesn’t match the sex you were assigned at birth. These placements often show a sensitive, emotional nature and a desire to nurture or be nurtured.
The 12th house rules the subconscious and what is hidden or confined. Planets here, especially the Sun, Moon, or Mars, can point to a gender identity that feels confined or hidden from view. There may be a sense that your true self exists in the subconscious, waiting to emerge.
Neptune is the planet of illusion, spirituality, and transcendence. Strong Neptune placements, particularly a conjunction with the Sun or Moon, can indicate a desire to transcend limiting beliefs around gender or a feeling that your core identity is fluid or transcends societal constructions.
Chiron, the “wounded healer,” represents deep psychic wounds and the journey toward wholeness. Aspects between Chiron and personal planets like the Sun, Moon or Venus often reflect a need to heal wounds around identity, relationships, sexuality or self-expression. For trans or non-binary people, Chiron aspects can point to the inner work needed to fully embrace and express your true gender identity.
When examining a birth chart through the lens of gender identity, pay close attention to the placements and aspects of the moon, Venus, Mars, and Uranus. These planets in particular can reveal insights into a person’s sense of self and sexuality.
For example, a moon in a masculine sign like Aries or Mars in a feminine sign like Libra may indicate a blend of feminine and masculine qualities in a person’s emotional nature or self-expression. Venus, the planet of love and relationships, in a mutable sign like Gemini or Sagittarius shows a fluid and open approach to sexuality and partnerships.
Uranus, the planet of revolution and change, prominently aspecting personal planets like the moon or Venus can signify a person who does not conform to traditional gender roles. They may be gender non-conforming or experience changes in their gender identity or sexual orientation over their lifetime.
The signs and houses these planets occupy matter as well. A grouping of inner planets in the 8th house of sex and transformation or the 12th house of self-undoing can reflect a complex inner life related to gender and desire. Planets in mutable signs promote openness, while fixed signs indicate a steadfast sense of identity.
The interpretations here only scratch the surface. Exploring a full birth chart—with all its intersecting layers of signs, planets, houses, and aspects—allows for a profound reflection of a person’s essence. Astrology reveals what is, not what should be, and in that way honors people of all gender identities.
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Referring to the scale and latitude of Cyber Security Threats, first, let us look into what Cyber threats mean. In general, any malevolent actions that aim to deteriorate data, sneak the information, or disorder the normal digital lifestyle are termed as Cyber threats or cyber-security threats. These threats can be in form of denial of service (DOS), malware, viruses, breach of data, or other agents of attacks.
The scale of cyber threats may differ owing to the sources of the threats originated from, yet VPN may provide an escape route. These threats can come from,
● Country Federations
● Criminal Clusters
● Hackers
● Terrorist Clusters
● Hacktivists
● Mischievous Insiders
● Business Detectives
Cyber threats endure progress, producing tons of fatalities to the virtual domain. Referring to the scale of the Cyber threats and thinks to VPN review that explains the types of Cyber threats that determine the gauge of it.
● Malware Attacks: Malware is the most frequent type and may include mischievous software, viruses, spyware, ransomware, or worm. It can be downloaded just by clicking on a link. It can block critical parts of the network and can take away all the confidential credentials.
● Phishing: Cybercriminals may send illegitimate and malicious emails that look like the official and legitimate sources and then takes control over all the information in the device or what they want.
● Spear Phishing: This one is a selective scope approach towards the users to hack the selective data.
● MITM: Man in the Middle Attack denotes the cyber-criminal as a subordinate amid two parties. Almost 95% of Https are exposed to MITM and it can steal sensitive data once exposed.
● DSA: Denial of Service Attacks target the massive and flooded network. Their vulnerability is quite high that hijacks and stops the system fully.
● SQL injection: The Structured Query Language injection outbreaks and get into the database. It accounts for 65.1% of cyber threats.
● Zero-day Activity: When the vulnerability of software or hardware is expressed, then cyber criminals damage it before any VPN patch or VPN solution solves it. It is observed to be one per day in the year 2021.
● APT: The Advanced persistent threats happen due to the malicious agent unwantedly getting access. Almost 45% of corporations think to be a target of APT.
● Ransomware: This is also a malware attack, yet the attacker locks and encodes the data until the ransom is paid.
● DNS Attack: This attack has occurred when Cyber-criminals get access and deploy the DNS.
Now discussing these kinds of Cyber threats, the scale of cyber threats is demonstrated and how much it is common with how vulnerable they are. Coming towards the scope of Cyber threats, as it is obvious that VPN can assist in staying awake and aware of the cyber-criminals and these attacks.
The COVID-19 pandemic began as the prevalent task for commerce and IT administrations in 2020. In the middle of the plague, the cyber threats plus information ruptures have developed in complexity and dimensions, with the number of fissures amassed 273% in the initial quarter, paralleled to the preceding year. On the word of Microsoft, the plague-linked phishing and communal engineering threats have hit the roof to 30,000 for each day in the US single-handedly.
Cyber threats have become a great issue. Cyber-attacks may source electrical shutdowns, the fiasco of army apparatus, and breaks of nationwide safety secrets. Which may cause the robbery of valued, delicate information like medicinal archives. They may disturb mobile and CPU systems or paralyze structures, making information inaccessible. It is not an overstatement to guess that virtual threats can disturb the working of natural life. Moreover, VPN reviews may also get affected due to cyber threats.
Cybersecurity threats are under no circumstances stationary. Masses are being produced every single year. Maximum threats tail the typical arrangements. Nonetheless, they are flattering furthermore dreadful.
Perhaps, there is a novel group of zero-day intimidations that are capable to wonder suspicions for the reason that they convey no noticeable ordinal marks.
Additional troublesome development is the ongoing development of whatever specialists consider APT’s. As Commercial Insider defines APTs, “It is the finest method to describe the hijackers who hole into systems and uphold stability — an association that cannot be at a standstill merely by software up-to-dates or starting up again a workstation.”
A proper way for initiating the understanding regarding by what means the organizations, businesses, and corporations, and even individuals can stay protected from Cyber threats, is the NIST virtual security background and also by the cyber intimidation intelligence implementation.
Cyber security threat intelligence is whatever virtual risk info develops once it is together, assessed, and examined. Cyber risk intelligence delivers an improved indulgence of cybersecurity threats as well as permits you to recognize correspondences and variances amongst diverse categories of cyber coercions in an exact and opportune way. Virtual threat intelligence is established in a recurrent procedure denoted as the intellect phase. In the intellect phase, information assemblage is deliberated, executed, and estimated to yield a description that is at that point dispersed and re-evaluated in the framework of somewhat innovative material.
Conclusively, A VPN review can also be helpful in ways of explaining how to avert cyber threats. Not every time it protects, nevertheless, in many perspectives it may. A VPN could halt the MITM assaults, might avert the secluded hacking, might make you safe from DOS Attacks, as well as it may guard against pseudo-Wi-Fi systems. Yet it does not provide assistance regarding malware and Phishing attacks.
From this article. Hopefully, it must have become evident about the scale and scope of cyber threats, especially in the modern world.
The pandemic has resulted in a dramatic transition from physical to remote work. There is no limit to the amount of work you can get from different areas outside the office. With the number of people working remotely this year, the number of worldwide users of VPN has increased tremendously. Now, you can work on confidential jobs from the comfort of your home. But even with VPN services available, there is still a big question mark behind the security of the operations at home. The dark web miscreants can hack into your security while at home, especially when you do not have the top services in 2021.
The dynamic nature of VPN service has made it difficult to pinpoint some of the best in providing security against people from the dark web. However, this VPN review will help you select the best VPN services for your brand.
Here are the top 10 VPN services in 2021.
Express VPN
Many have regarded this as their outright favorite VPN service for some years, and it is no wonder it is on this list. Express VPN is great for streaming and is located in up to 160 locations across the world. Users of Express VPN enjoy the service because of its 24/7 customer service support. Plus, it has a friendly interface that makes it easy for people who are not technologically savvy. If not the most compelling, one of the major reasons people choose Express VPN is its ability to unblock websites. Finally, it has a 30day money-back guarantee period which gives people the option of saving their money if they don't like the service.
Nord VPN
This is also a credible VPN service that many people opt for. It has its servers in more than 90 locations across 59 countries. It has a maximum of 6 devices that it can support and also is great for unblocking websites. Users have amazing options for a subscription which translates to you not breaking the bank to prevent dark web activities. You have the option of encrypting all your internet traffic twice to enable optimum security. It also has extensions for Chrome, Firefox browsers and accepts payments through Bitcoin. This is one of the reasons it is on this list. With Cryptocurrency being a force to reckon with these days, many traders will opt for NordVPN because of its relative ease.
Surf Shark
People throng to Surf Shark because you can use one account to cover the plans of using the VPN on your laptop, phone, and other devices. Speaking of devices, it can support an unlimited number - a big plus for companies. In addition, it is located across 65 countries with servers in more than 100 locations. For people looking for an easy-to-use system, then Surf Shark is great for you. Its laid-back interface makes it appropriate for anyone to use. Surf shark also has a 30day money-back guarantee so you can evaluate whether you will want to use this platform full time.
Hotspot Shield
This is one of the most improved VPNs out there right now. It has a money-back period of up to 45 days and has more than 1500 servers across 80+ countries. Although it has a maximum of five devices that it can support, it has a fast and secure connection for all internet traffic. There is also a 24/7 customer service response team on hand for your complaints. In addition, it has an exclusive pricing system that you can sign up for from just $2.49 / £2.29 per month.
Private Internet Access
You might be wondering what kind of obvious VPN name this is. But it also shows the assurance it will give you as a user. With a reach of 78 countries and 35000 servers in 100 locations, Private Internet Access is one of the best VPN services you can get in 2021. Although it might not be the fastest, Private Internet Access offers users an unprecedented amount of freedom to use in many places globally.
Cyberghost
This has a reach of 91 countries with 7300+ servers across 105 locations. Cyberghost supports a maximum of 7 devices, and it has a proven track record of excellence in terms of performance. For people who intend to use VPN services on their desktop, then Cyberghost will be apt to prevent any dark web activities via this platform.
Website unblocking and user experience are also some of the selling points of Cyberghost. These have propelled the identity of the VPN to a larger scale, with more people interested in the service.
Windscribe
One of the most trusted names in VPN discussion is Windscribe. It has an unlimited number of devices to support, plus it is available in 63 countries. Although it has fewer servers worldwide than others, it sure makes up for this lack in terms of speed and effectiveness.
Proton VPN
You will be spoilt for features with Proton VPN. It has its roots in 55 countries with more than 1200 servers all over the world. Proton VPN keeps growing as its engineers continually work on updates hence the many features it has. It also has the option of paying with Bitcoin, which will be a plus moving forward in the world of digital currencies. Another reason for people opting to use Proton is its simplicity. The user interface and experience have made people enjoy using the platform.
Conclusion
There are more than 300 VPN services in the market today. However, out of these eight VPN services, you will definitely find the one that best suits your needs. The best VPN services are the ones that appeal to your objectives not by popular demand but by subjective analysis. Therefore, ensure that you weigh the pros and cons of any VPN service you want to choose. You can also successfully change the plans on any VPN service. As your business increases, so will the need for a higher level of security.
The pandemic has resulted in a dramatic transition from physical to remote work. There is no limit to the amount of work you can get done from different areas aside from the office. With the number of people working remotely this year, the number of worldwide users of VPN has increased tremendously. Now, you can work on confidential jobs from the comfort of your home. But even with VPN services available, there is still a big question mark behind the security of the operations at home. The dark web miscreants can hack into your security while at home especially when you do not have the top services in 2021.
The dynamic nature of VPN service has made it difficult to pinpoint some of the best in providing security against people from the dark web. However, this VPN review will help you select the best VPN services for your brand.
Here are the top 10 VPN services in 2021.
Express VPN
Many have regarded this as their outright favorite VPN service for some years and it is no wonder it is on this list. Express VPN is great for streaming and is located in up to 160 locations across the world. Users of Express VPN enjoy the service because of its 24/7 customer service support. Plus, it has a friendly interface that makes it easy for people who are not technologically savvy. One of the major reasons if not the most cogent, for people choosing Express VPN is its ability to unblock websites. Finally, it has a 30day money-back guarantee period which gives people the option of saving their money if they don't like the service.
Nord VPN
This is also a credible VPN service that many people opt for. It has its servers in more than 90 locations across 59 countries. It has a maximum of 6 devices that it can support and also is great for unblocking websites. Users have amazing options for the subscription which translates to you not breaking the bank in a bid to prevent dark web activities. You have the option of encrypting all your internet traffic twice to enable optimum security. It also has extensions for Chrome, Firefox browsers and accepts payments through Bitcoin. This is one of the reasons it is on this list. With Cryptocurrency being a force to reckon with these days, many traders will opt for NordVPN because of its relative ease.
Surf Shark
People throng to Surf Shark because you can use one account to cover the plans of using the VPN on your laptop, phone, and other devices. Speaking of devices, it can support an unlimited number. A big plus for companies. It is located across 65 countries with servers in more than 100 locations. For people looking for an easy-to-use system, then Surf Shark is great for you. Its laid-back interface makes it appropriate for anyone to use. Surfshark also has a 30day money-back guarantee so you can evaluate whether you will want to use this platform full time.
Hotspot Shield
This is one of the most improved VPNs out there right now. It has a tisl period of up to 45 days and has more than 1500 servers across 80+ countries. Although it has a maximum of five devices that it can support, it has a fast and secure connection for all internet traffic. There is also a 24/7 customer service response team on hand for your complaints. It has an exclusive pricing system that you can sign up for from just $2.49 / £2.29 per month.
Private Internet Access
You might be wondering what kind of obvious VPN name this is. But it also shows the assurance it will give you as a user. With a reach of 78 countries and 35000 servers in 100 locations, Private Internet Access is one of the best VPN services you can get in 2021. Although it might not be the fastest, Private Internet Access offers users an unprecedented amount of freedom to use in many places in the world.
Cyberghost
This has a reach of 91 countries with 7300+ servers across 105 locations. Cyberghost supports a maximum of 7 devices and it has a proven track record of excellence in terms of performance. For people who intend to use VPN services on their desktop, then Cyberghost will be apt to prevent any dark web activities via this platform.
Website unblocking and user experience are also some of the selling points of Cyberghost. These have propelled the identity of the VPN to a larger scale with more people interested in the service.
Windscribe
One of the most trusted names in VPN discussion is Windscribe. It has an unlimited number of devices that it can support plus it is available in 63 countries. Although it has fewer servers around the world than others, it sure makes up for this lack in terms of speed and effectiveness.
Proton VPN
You will be spoilt for features with Proton VPN. It has its roots in 55 countries with more than 1200 servers all over the world. Proton VPN keeps growing as its engineers continually work. on updates hence the many features it has. It also has the option of paying with Bitcoin which will be a plus moving forward in the world of digital currencies. Another reason for people opting to use Proton is its simplicity. The User Interface and experience have made people enjoy using the platform.
Conclusion
There are more than 300 VPN services in the market today. However, out of these eight, you will definitely find the one that best suits your needs. The best VPN services are the ones that appeal to your objectives not by popular demand but by subjective analysis. Therefore, ensure that you weigh the pros and cons of any VPN service you want to choose. You can also successfully change the plans on any VPN service. As your business increases so will the need for a higher level of security.
Cyber Crime – Background
Cybercrime and cyber warfare are increasingly becoming a huge threat worldwide. Cybercrime is when data systems of individuals or businesses are targeted for financial gain, intellectual property theft, stealing secret information, disrupting vital operations, or simply creating panic and nuisance. Cyberwarfare is the targeted use of cybercrime for disrupting a country’s economic progress by attacking the main pillars of its economy. Cyberwarfare could be waged by one country against another. An example would be the constant allegations by the US that Russia has been waging systematic cyber warfare against it.
According to a recent report by Cybersecurity Ventures, if cybercrime were measured as a country, then it would be the world’s third-largest economy after the U.S and China, as it is estimated that it would inflict 6 trillion USD worth of damages globally in 2021.
As per various reports, cyber crimes have increased alarmingly during the Covid period. According to the FBI‘s 2020 Internet Crime Report which was released in March this year, the number of cybercrime complaints in 2020 saw an increase of more than 300,000 from 2019. Furthermore, the Internet Crime Complaint Center of the FBI received at least 28,500 complaints related to the coronavirus pandemic, with businesses and individuals being targeted alike.
How Can Businesses Enhance Cyber Security
Businesses are now realizing the importance of investing in cyber security measures. And it’s not just large businesses that are vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Small and medium-sized enterprises are equally at risk.
Every business ought to take certain measures to not just prevent cyber crimes but in order to make cyber security an important component of their policy and operations.
Invest in Cyber Security Technologies
All businesses, whether big or small, need to invest in the latest cyber security technologies. A big business can make use of artificial intelligence and deep learning in order to ensure optimum user identity protection and analyze data to foresee and predict in advance any possible cyber threats.
For any business, the use of antivirus software is a must. Such software also needs to be constantly updated and upgraded in order to ward off potential threats. Then, regular mechanisms such as firewalls and encrypted connections for ensuring optimal data security are a must. A business can also consider using VPN services. Since virtual private networks encrypt data and hide the IP addresses of users, these are very popular with individuals and businesses alike from the point of view of data privacy.
These days Blockchain Technology is also being used by businesses to enhance cyber security. The Blockchain Network is a unique model of storing information comprising of a network of computers. In this network, information is essentially stored and shared as blocks. Its special characteristic is that once a user adds some information to this chain, that information or data cannot be edited or deleted. A separate mechanism is used for making changes to that data instead. That is, a new block is added. This enables everyone who is a part of that chain to see all the changes made. Through its unique data encryption mode and the process of tracking a change at every step, it creates a rather formidable network that would be difficult for hackers to enter.
Training Staff in Basics of Cyber Security
This is an often overlooked aspect of cyber security operations in businesses. While investment in sophisticated technologies at a larger level is beneficial, it is equally important to educate workers about the basics of safe online practices. A seemingly harmless gesture like clicking an unknown link from a suspicious email in the spam folder by an office worker could lead to serious cyber security threats for the entire organization.
Businesses should conduct regular training sessions with employees on the basics of cyber security. Everything cannot be handled by the IT department. Companies should rope in cyber security professionals for this purpose if the need be. One of the most basic things is reinforcing the importance of strong passwords. A large number of employees still don’t realize the threat posed by weak passwords. There are people who keep the same password for all their accounts. So employees need to be constantly reminded of these basics.
They also need to be educated on the basics of detecting and reporting suspicious email links and a potential cyber threat. Cybercrime has become very sophisticated these days. There are multiple scams in which the source looks absolutely credible so obviously, even a relatively aware person falls for that. So employees need to be given an overview of the kinds of cybercrimes prevalent and also presented with regular case studies so that they understand a potential threat if and when it comes their way.
Regular Data Backup
This is such an important basic step that is a must for minimizing the damage caused in the case of cybercrime. All data of your company needs to be backed up regularly. This is such a simple and elementary practice and yet companies miss on this. Creating offline backups is a must for all confidential and sensitive information.
Individuals are Also Vulnerable to Cyber Crimes
Although there is more emphasis on big businesses and corporations getting affected by cybercrime individuals are equally vulnerable. It is therefore important that they too undertake basic cyber security measures at their own level. Individuals are even more at risk because unlike businesses, they can’t invest in critical cyber security infrastructure.
Individuals are victims of cybercrimes like data theft, phishing attacks, and ransomware. Not all cybercriminals have a specific purpose in mind when they attack someone’s personal data or system. Some of them just want to create chaos and confusion in the lives of people and make them miserable.
Cyber attacks are also common against individuals who reveal information or share viewpoints that someone does not want to come out in the public domain. This applies to people like intellectuals, journalists, and political activists who voice their opinions on issues deemed controversial. That is why for such individuals, sometimes confidentiality and anonymity become important for their own safety. Many such people make use of the dark web for their work as it makes it easier for them to voice their opinion, without the fear of threat and intimidation.
Many individuals are also subscribing to the services of a virtual private network in order to protect their privacy and conceal their identity, thus ensuring safety from any potential cyber threats.
There are many intricacies in the cybersecurity profession; the elements embedded in this discourse will prepare enthusiasts seeking a guaranteed career to change life as we know it. In a world filled with tumultuous issues with most of the problems resulting from a security breach on the internet, with an increased number of people fortified with cybersecurity knowledge and skills, the world can be better in every sector that makes up each nation.
Discover the profession and its perks in this article!
Quick Facts
● More than $114 billion was spent on information technology security operations, including products and services, in 2018. Interestingly, this improved the previous year, which saw an increase of 12.4% from 2017.
● In 2018, $5.3 billion was invested in cybersecurity by Venture companies worldwide, while North America alone saw more than $4 billion investments.
● Cybercrime is one of the biggest problems posing threats to national security. Therefore, the White House increased the budget on cybersecurity by 5%. Consequently, the overall budget for the Department of Defense rose to $17.4 billion.
● Cyber Security crimes in 2015 caused $325 million in damages; hence organizations have bumped their investment in cybersecurity by 62.5% from 2013 to 2017.
● Cybersecurity professionals are well-sought after, with 38% of cybersecurity professionals being contacted multiple times by recruiters. Also, 48% of cybersecurity professionals are contacted weekly, exposing that cybersecurity is crucial in today's advanced world.
● By 2029, occupations in cybersecurity will have increased by 15%, with professionals earning above $100,000 annually.
Why Does Cybersecurity Matter?
In a world where data drives everything, cybersecurity becomes an intricate element in the survival of government agencies and organizations. Cybersecurity has become a recurring and impending problem for many organizations in the world today. Different issues such as IoT and the cybersecurity talent gap affect an organization's ability to deal with external threats.
A massive amount of data is being processed and transmitted every minute on government and organization's networks. These data contain financial, healthcare, personal, and other forms of information that could lead as a backdoor to devastating damage. Unfortunately, the hackers have continued to evolve in their operations as they target colleges, universities, government agencies, and other institutions that may not be up-to-date on cybersecurity matters.
Although there is no telling which industry hackers will focus their initiatives on the next several inclinations, the crimes will be more prevalent in industries without investment in security platforms and personnel. Several attacks have been carried out in the last decade, with some more effective than others. Here are common types of cyber threats:
● Phishing
● Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)
● Man-in-the-Middle
● Botnet
Due to the recent cyber hacks on major companies in different sectors, companies have begun to invest heavily in cybersecurity since their survival depends on the data being processed and transferred from one end to another. Can you imagine what will happen if the framework of the bank you are using gets compromised? The thoughts are mind-boggling; hence, companies' survival and people rely on cybersecurity.
Individuals, businesses, and organizations are dependent on digital technology now more than ever, and advanced cybersecurity has become essential to protecting users and businesses from fraud, data breaches. According to Irwin (2021), there were 149 million records in December 2020 alone, which totalled 20 billion cyber-attacks, breaches, and hacks in the year. Some of the examples of these threats to cybersecurity witnessed in 2020 are as follows:
Cyber-attacks
● Cyber-attacks infiltrated Canada's DuBreton Meats.
● U.S. Treasury breached by hackers backed by foreign organizations
● The attack on Mongolia by Chinese hackers.
● Hurtigruten, a Norwegian cruise company, experiences a cyber attack
● Anti-Semitic propaganda was posted on the Weslaco ISD network
Data Breaches
● Canada's Sangoma Technologies confirms a data breach resulting from a ransomware attack.
● Fax Express database online leak.
● Konikoff Dental Associates loses control of patient information.
● TennCare being susceptible to a privacy breach
● 21 Buttons carelessness in exposing social media influencers' valuable information.
Unfortunately, as technology advances, hackers have been getting better at finding new ways to breach even the toughest systems, and the consequences can be drastic.
The primary health information of 15 million Canadians was stolen from Life Labs in 2019 due to a ransomware attack.
Information such as date of birth, Names, addresses, emails, logins, and passwords was compromised during this time. Ontario and British Columbia were the most affected during this crisis from 2016. 85,000 people were known to have been affected by the breach.
Also, from 2018 to 2019, OPC reported that the number of Canadians affected by the breach was close to 28 million. This was more than half of the population at that time. The causes of the breach were said to result from "employee snooping" and "social engineering hacks," the accidental exposure of 22% of all documents within that time frame. 8% of reports during that year were reported stolen from the database.
In 2014 Home Depot suffered an ugly attack that had the information of its customers compromised. The criminals could access the customs' credit card information with the malware installed on the company's self-checkout terminals. Unfortunately, Home Depot was not able to detect the issue until after five months.
Anthem Inc. experienced one of the terrifying attacks in the Healthcare industry, with 80 million social security records uncovered in 2015.
When so much is on the line, cybersecurity professionals are essential to protecting businesses and their data from threats in the grand scheme of an organization's operations. Their job is to block the holes through which these criminals can find a way into the system.
Career Pathways in Cybersecurity
According to research done by researchers in the University Professional and Continuing Education Association, "Cybersecurity is the collection of processes and practices designed to protect the integrity of networks, programs, devices, and data from an attack, damage, or unauthorized access."
Cybersecurity professionals are hired to look for weaknesses in an organization's database and promptly fix the impending issues that can be used as a pathway for attackers to center.
Cybersecurity professionals' operations are dynamic as they function as detectives and analysts in a bid to find loopholes in the system.
Some organizations refer to cybersecurity professionals as Information security engineers, Cyber Security technicians, and occasionally, analysts.
What Types of Organizations Hire Cybersecurity Professionals?
One of the benefits of training in cybersecurity is that it can enable you to work in virtually any organization, whether large or small, in the public or private sector and the industry of your choice. Industries that tend to hire the most cybersecurity professionals are those such as:
● Telecommunications
● Law Enforcement
● Technology
● Banking and Finance
● Government
● Healthcare
● Sports
Roles Cybersecurity Professionals Can Play in An Organization
There are streamlined job functions of cybersecurity analysts that companies offer them. These are:
● Forensics
● Network security
● Vulnerability management
● Threat Intelligence
● Incident response
● Application security
● Data loss prevention
Trends in Cybersecurity
Cybercrimes have continued to evolve almost at the same pace as technology is improving activities on the dark web. It is more or less like the hackers hop on the new technology to find loopholes to hit companies. Hence, new techniques and strategies have been employed by companies to find a way to stop attacks before they collapse the business. Some of these trends include:
IoT Problems
As the world has shifted gears in harnessing the possibilities of data-driven technology, there are many more devices that have been incorporated into an internet connection. Therefore, hackers will try to bypass networks with weak security. Unfortunately, people do not consider changing their new devices' passwords and login details once they get them. Consequently, the hackers find it easy to access the information which can be gotten online.
More IoT problems come from the manufacturer as they may not have the expertise to upgrade their products' security. Interestingly, research shows that 48% of companies with IoT devices and their network have been successfully breached at least once. Therefore, hackers have begun to go through networks with IoT verifying the weakest security and bypassing that network to hit the company where it hurts.
Cybersecurity Talent Gap
Demand for cybersecurity professionals is now at an all-time high, and even with increased training opportunities and higher budget allocations, there remains a shortage of cybersecurity professionals and VPN reviews. Industries most affected by this shortage are those such as:
● Government
● Finance
● Manufacturing
● Healthcare
● Transportation and logistics
● Online retail
Many organizations have had no choice but to outsource their network, firewall, and other security needs to remedy this. However, this trend is expected to reverse as companies seek greater control over their security at a lower cost through permanent staff with the right skills and qualifications.
What Does It Take to Become a Cybersecurity Professional?
In order to be eligible for this certification, it is required to have sufficient knowledge in Computer science. Therefore, you must gather relevant skills to equip yourself for a deep dive into your career properly. Here are some skills that are pertinent to this career:
● Adult and compliance
● Cloud Security.
● Risk analysis and mitigation
● Digital forensics
● Threat modelling
● Vulnerability assessment
● Intrusion detection
Several certifications have become standard in the industry and signify to potential employers that a professional has the right knowledge and skills to protect their data and systems. Some of the most popular include;
Here are the specific job certifications that employers require:
● Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
● Certified Information System Auditor (CISA)
● Certifications in GIAC
● Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer
● Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
● McGill's New Certificate in Applied Cybersecurity
McGill's certificate in Applied in Cybersecurity intends to shine a bright light for people looking to start a cybersecurity career.
Also, students will be introduced to real-life scenarios of cybercrimes. This method will prepare them for what is to come after their program at McGill. The essence is to equip the students with the right tools to promote their creativity in tackling cyber-crimes properly. This diploma will further expose students to new possibilities through cybersecurity, plus an in-depth understanding of specific industries and their peculiarities.
Finally, with a team of experienced minds, it is easy for students to gain knowledge and expertise as there is a wide array of trained professionals ready to assist them.