As technology advances rapidly, the field of cybersecurity is struggling with challenges like never before. Regardless of size, businesses of all kinds opt for cloud computing owing to its advantages.
The call for professionals skilled in cybersecurity and cloud computing is accelerating due to the high number of cybercrimes. Read on to know the role of IT professionals in cloud computing and cybersecurity, and where to do an online diploma in Information Technology.
What is Cyber Security?
Starting with cybersecurity professionals, they are like superheroes who protect businesses, governments, and entities when a threat arises. Guarding systems, networks from digital attacks using specific tools and practices is called cybersecurity. The rise of cyberattacks leads to a huge demand for cybersecurity professionals with high skills and competence.
The Need for Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is essential in protecting resources that are crucial for a company from hacking. Cybercrimes such as malware, phishing, ransomware, and data breaches are very common these days, and more prominent in financial, personal data, and intellectual property. HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, and CCPA are top privacy regulations that recommend that businesses and organizations protect their data and networks with standard practices.
Think of a hacker who poses a threat to a company’s digital data – it hurts the company’s name and integrity, leading to financial loss. In such cases, cybersecurity is essential to safeguard a company’s credibility, reputation, and against unexpected financial loss.
Cybersecurity – Types
1. Network Security
2. Application Security
3. Information Security
4. Cloud Security
5. Internet of Things (IoT) Security.
6. Identity and Access Management
While cybersecurity deals with identifying vulnerabilities and devising tactics, cloud computing is about the capability to design and manage cloud infrastructure and services. Let’s see more about cloud computing.
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud Computing is the practice of using a network for storing resources like applications, databases, servers, documents, and files. It is more practical and cost-effective, and adapts to unique users’ and businesses’ needs.
Cloud computing services are divided into three types. They are,
- Software as a Service (SaaS),
- Platform as a Service (PaaS), and
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
Benefits – Cloud Computing
The benefits of cloud computing include,
- Accessibility: Access data and files from anywhere at any time.
- Security: Built-in protection to withhold secure data of businesses and individuals.
- Cost-Effective: Usage-based pricing.
- Scalability: Expand instantly.
- Collaboration: Collaborate and team up simultaneously from anywhere in the world.
What to Choose – Cybersecurity or Cloud Computing?
Confused about what to choose? Opting for the right profession depends on your interests, skills, and certifications.
Cybersecurity is a blooming field that requires ongoing learning and upskilling throughout the course. New advancements happen in this field that require professionals to handle upcoming demands. If delving into the depths of data security, hacking, clarifying bugs, and trying to make data more secure is your interest, then cybersecurity is the career for you.
On the other hand, if you are more interested in data storage and programming languages, cloud computing is the field for you. The field requires database skills and thorough knowledge of data center management, cloud technologies, and their platforms.
Interestingly, with the demand and one’s personal choice, there are options to switch between these career paths.
Cyber Security & Cloud Computing – Essential Skills
Did you know? More than 50,035 cases of cybercrime were registered in 2020 in India, which was beyond 52,974 in 2021, and in 2024, it exceeded 12 lakhs. As an alarming number of cybercrime rates surge, the need for cybersecurity professionals is evident. Cloud computing and cybersecurity are some of the fastest-growing job skills, promising high-earning possibilities and job security. Apart from technical skills, candidates have to acquire more relevant and proficient skills to elevate their career path in these fields.
Even though the skills of cybersecurity and cloud computing engineers are unique and different as per their profession, some specific qualities are common for both. While cybersecurity professionals should acquire skills such as scripting, threat analysis, network security control, incident response, DevOps, and secure system design, cloud engineers often tend towards infrastructure management, analytics, automation, and optimizing cloud-based services.
Let’s have a look at the added skills required for cybersecurity professionals.
- Problem-solving skills to protect data and systems and handle security challenges.
- Precision in detecting vulnerabilities while handling security systems.
- Knowledge of security protocols across various systems like computers, wireless networks, smartphones, and more.
- Knowledge in analyzing, fixing, and managing security systems.
- Excellent communication skills to convey the strategies, policies, detection, and solutions to clients
Now, let’s have a look at the skills of cloud computing professionals.
- Comprehensive programming language knowledge (e.g., Python and JavaScript).
- Cloud service platform (e.g., AWS and Microsoft Azure).
- Basic knowledge of APIs (Application Programming Interface).
- Skill in access and identity management.
- Idea on cloud databases (e.g., NoSQL and data warehousing).
- Understanding data scaling and data processing,
- Understand Edge computing and IoT integration
Roles of IT Professionals
Let’s see how IT roles are evolving within cybersecurity and cloud computing. Here are some examples of positions one can choose from.
- Cybersecurity Analyst
- Ethical Hacker
- Cloud Security Engineer
- Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
- Incident Response Specialist
- Security Architect
The key roles of IT professionals in cloud computing are as follows,
- Cloud Architect
- Cloud Developer
- Cloud Security Engineer
- Cloud Network Engineer
- Cloud Data Engineer
- Cloud DevOps Engineer
- Cloud Support Engineer
- Cloud Consultant
- Cloud Solutions Architect
How to Specialize in Cybersecurity and Cloud Computing?
Here are some curated suggestions to specialize in cybersecurity and cloud computing. The primary step is to get an idea of the basics of cloud computing and cybersecurity. Choose your professional journey in cybersecurity or cloud computing, based on your interest, whether it is ethical hacking or cloud architecture and design.
Learn how to apply field-related tools and applications. For example, if cybersecurity is your field, then learn the tools like Wireshark, Metasploit, Nessus, and Burp Suite. Build knowledge on utilizing tools like AWS and Google Cloud if you are biased towards cloud engineering.
Attending forum discussions, webinars, or global conferences guarantees that you are constantly updated with real-time discussions.
Statistics & Industry Demand
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ report says that the profession of information security analysts is estimated to rise by 31% by 2029.
Cloud computing is estimated to generate around 1.4 trillion in income by 2030. The need for cloud storage is growing regardless of individual or business use.
Also, a survey including 800 organizations revealed that over 90% of companies use cloud services for their workloads. Cloud services are trusted and used by organizations, large IT companies, and even by SMBs. The growth of these fields is drastic, and requirements for candidates with skills and knowledge have a high scope and good remuneration.
Certifications that help to ensure a high-paying job in cloud computing and cybersecurity are,
- High-Paying and Popular Cloud Computing Certifications
- AWS Solution Architect Certification
- AWS SysOps Associate Certification Training
- AWS Developer Associate Certification Training
- CISSP® Certified Information Systems Security Professional
- CISA® Certified Information Systems Auditor
- COBIT® 5 Foundation
If you are interested in doing certification programs, contact WUC for diploma and certification programs in cybersecurity and cloud computing.
Conclusion:
By now, you would have gotten a clear idea ofthe importance of IT professionals in cybersecurity and cloud computing. Cybersecurity training in operating and managing cloud security solutions is the top challenge of cloud security. Without doubt, cybersecurity and computing are interrelated, but vary in their focus, skills, and career paths. Candidates with a good understanding of both cloud computing and cybersecurity practices are in great demand.
If you are interested in exploring heights in the IT field, have a look at our WUC’s Online Diploma in Information Technology. Visit Westford University for more information and instant support with questions regarding cloud computing or cybersecurity training and certification.