Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing tech careers—and teens today are online more than ever, relying on the internet for socializing, for education, for work, and for fun…the list goes on! With all the possibilities that the online world offers, what do Cybersecurity professionals do? A blog from a Cybersecurity professional at St. John’s University will tell us exactly that! They tackle several high-level responsibilities such as: “conducting risk analysis, coordinating with other departments, developing security strategies, evaluating and updating systems, and setting security standards”. Sounds like a little bit of everything, doesn’t it? On the daily, Cybersecurity professionals work to monitor systems, test for vulnerabilities, train other employees, update patches, and write incident reports. It’s all about improving technology and teamwork! When faced with critical issues, they respond with activating specific protocols, promptly addressing cyber threats, and remediating any issues they detect! They work so hard so that we can make the best and safest use of the internet.
Speaking of safety, it’s important for us individual users to spot potential scams and phishing…but how? Scammers will use emails, calls, texts, and a variety of messaging strategies to try and steal your important information. It’s crucial to pay attention when you recognize something strange or unusual such as suspicious log-in attempts, unrecognized payments, coupons for free stuff, account issue claims, requests for financial information, and/or suspicious links. Also pay attention to the format or words in the text, does it seem automated or have spelling errors? Do you recognize the sender? When in doubt, don’t interact and block! You can also protect your data by using strong passwords that you update frequently, use multi-factor authentication, backing up your data, and not sharing important information with anyone online. Internet safety comes first!
Are you staying safe online? Great! If you’re interested in learning more about the field of CyberSecurity, check out CyberPatriot—“the National Youth Cyber Education Program created by the Air & Space Forces Association”. Just as iUrban Teen aims to inspire our students to pursue STEM, CyberPatriot aims to inspire K-12 students toward careers in Cybersecurity and other STEM disciplines as well! Take a shot at their cyber defense competitions for middle school and high schoolers.
Sources
– https://www.stjohns.edu/news-media/johnnies-blog/day-life-cybersecurity-professional
– https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams