Roy Zur, CEO, ThriveDX SaaS

Roy Zur is a cyber intelligence expert, the founder and CEO of several cyber companies, including Cybint, a cyber education company. Roy has more than 15 years of experience in cybersecurity and intelligence operations from the Israeli Defense Forces, Unit 8200 (RetiredMajor) and has developed cyber education programs and technological solutions for companies, educational institutions, and government agencies around the world.

 

The pandemic has been a turning point for everyone and it encouraged digitalization, remote work, and online education. Internet is used everywhere around the world in business, schools, shopping, and communication. Today the web is in every aspect of our lives. India too is adopting digital solutions at a very rapid speed. 

However, as every coin has two sides, so does the internet has. One has to be aware of the risks it involves. A plethora of information on the web has increased the risk of its stealing and misuse. There are scams and cyber crimes on the internet that affects private data and information.

Cybersecurity deals with preventing the network and data that is available on the web from cyber attacks by hackers. Hence, it is crucial to have a cybersecurity professional in the organization who can deal with cyber crimes like hacking, phishing, spoofing, and DDOS attacks. Today, becoming a cybersecurity professional is the most in-demand and promising career path.

Cybersecurity education in India

Today, in India, cybersecurity is offered as one of the subjects in the broad discipline of Computer Science. Universities and technical institutions in India offer courses at graduation and post-graduation levels like B.Tech, M.Tech, BCA and MCA focusing on Computer Science which includes a specific subject on cybersecurity.  However, barring a select few institutions, the importance of cybersecurity is limited to a topic in the study of computer science. Moreover, such courses in India to learn and understand cybersecurity are only limited to higher-level education. 

Curriculum for cybersecurity

The course curriculum in the colleges and institutes that offer courses on cybersecurity includes cyber law, cyber-crime investigation, ethical hacking, and information security. The curriculum also includes android penetration programming, python, digital forensics, the dark and deep web, risk management, cyber law, and malware analysis. 

This curriculum presently focused more on theoretical knowledge or presentation-based teaching. However, more emphasis is needed on hands-on experience and practical knowledge. Cyber-attack simulation techniques and live workshops can be included to enrich students’ understanding. 

To be a good cybersecurity professional some additional basic skills are required which supplement the core cybersecurity learning. These skills include problem-solving techniques, IT skills, and communication skills. 

Further, the curriculum needs to be dynamic with evolving trends and hence, they are to be in line with international standards with case studies from across the globe should be included in the curriculum. It is necessary to have an overall exposure to every kind of scenario that may arise. 

Why there is a gap between skills required and skills acquired?

Today, India has thousands of cybersecurity job positions unfilled and the reason is the gap between the skills that a company needs and the skill set that a professional has. Further, the cybersecurity, as a domain, is highly dynamic and is evolving rapidly. This results into techniques getting outdated quickly. A career-accelerated bootcamp is a solution that upskills an individual on a regular basis based on the latest development in the industry.

India is ranked 3rd in terms of the number of cyberattacks, which increases the need for cyber professionals. The professionals are dealing with simple issues and lack the practical experience to deal with these high-end attacks. Threat analysis, audit analysis, cyber forensics, etc. should be part of courses. Governance, control management, ethical hacking, and security programs are necessary for the curriculum. To reduce the risk of data breach we need to train our workers with proper technical knowledge and every department must have cybersecurity professionals as a part of their team. 

Bootcamps 

Bootcamps are very useful exercises in preparing the students and working professionals for real-life situations. They are as practical in the laboratory, where the participants are required to deal with the given situation. It teaches the participant to be engaging, futuristic, and ingenious. Bootcamps deal with live training and insight into current cybersecurity problems. They successfully teach students to learn and practice the issues and how to handle them. India has very few bootcamps focusing on cybersecurity and there is a lack of awareness about such programs. 

While these bootcamps can prove to be skill enhancement platforms, they also provide essential skills that are required to be employable. Our Cybint Cybersecurity bootcamp has a placement rate of 95% with all our attendees have 100% satisfaction. 

Final thoughts

Digitalization is creating a demand for cybersecurity professionals. But the lack of dynamic practical knowledge is creating a gap between the workforce and the unemployed professionals. It is time to take action to bridge this gap. Hackathons and bootcamps must be organized in large numbers. Participation in such competitions should be promoted. 

The career path of a cybersecurity professional is bright and India must act now to make the best use of it.

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