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Reducing Vulnerability in Cyber Security

Information technology advances so rapidly that it is often difficult for cyber security measures to keep pace. With the advent of such innovations as mobile technology and cloud computing and storage, new cyber security vulnerabilities pose risks to data for governments, businesses, consumers and healthcare patients. Cyber security professionals are in high demand for jobs with the government, financial institutions, large corporations and private consulting firms to protect private information and financial data from security threats. Graduate students can pursue an MBA in cyber security to learn how to assess and reduce cyber security vulnerabilities.

Types of Cyber Security Vulnerabilities

Organizations can fall victim to a number of cyber security vulnerabilities. Systems may have weak firewall rules, or networks might have inherent design weaknesses. Although cyber security protections might be sufficient at a certain point, new threats may arise, making those protections suddenly obsolete. Greater challenges to cyber security arise when employees access their work accounts through mobile devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones, especially if they use personal devices for business purposes.

Another significant cyber security vulnerability comes in the form of insufficient protection of account access. Government agencies, businesses, financial institutions and healthcare providers regularly store and transmit secure data that is at risk if employees access accounts they do not need to perform their job function. Access controls can also be at risk if users — whether employees or customers — do not maintain strong password protection.

Ways to Address Cyber Security Vulnerabilities

Organizations can address vulnerabilities in cyber security by regularly assessing their security, either in-house or through a private consulting firm. Corporations and government agencies alike must prioritize the latest developments in cyber security for mobile and cloud technologies when establishing their networks and developing and implementing new software. They must have cyber security teams in place to regularly identify network weaknesses and work quickly and diligently to build patches to repair the deficiencies.

Cyber security teams must also work within organizations to ensure accurate user permissions. IT must work closely with each department to catalog which employees need which permissions to perform their jobs, and they must carefully analyze any security risks within their networks. Employees should also use strong passwords and regularly change them to prevent malicious access — in addition to educating outside clients and customers about similar protective measures.

Cyber Security Teams

To fulfill the vital function of protecting cyber assets, organizations need to hire cyber security teams or departments. Within the private sector, businesses, financial institutions and healthcare providers typically have cyber security teams within their IT departments. Large institutions generally have a security director overseeing all cyber security operations, while security managers are in charge of managing the resources necessary to carry out the organizations’ security policies. Security analysts perform individual tasks and complete projects to accomplish the overall security goals.

Some cyber security professionals choose to work for private consulting firms that operate on a contract basis for individual projects. Others work with government agencies to address cyber security vulnerabilities within the government or to investigate cyber crimes.

Professionals interested in a career in security management will find that an MBA in cyber security provides excellent preparation for the challenges in this field today. In addition to core management classes, graduate students will study cyber security risk analysis to learn the basics of information systems assessment and evaluation. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in long-term project assessment and evaluation of the cyber security vulnerabilities of an actual organization. Such real-world experience gives cyber security MBA students vital preparation for future scenarios in security management.

Learn more about The University of Texas at Tyler’s Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Cyber Security Online.


Sources:

U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Common Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Industrial Control Systems

U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Cybersecurity

WaterISAC: 10 Basic Cybersecurity Measures

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