Cybersecurity Courses Chicago

Why Is Cybersecurity Important?

In the era of big data, cybersecurity is increasingly important as it involves the protection of digital data from damage, theft, or attack. Digital data can include industry information, intellectual property, identifiable information, personal and protected health information, and more.

For organizations, neglecting to implement a cybersecurity strategy can be extremely damaging, including the loss of sensitive corporate and customer information, and a disruption of service and internal systems. From a personal perspective, many of the services we use on a daily basis exist online and require sharing of information. A greater awareness of security and learning how to improve one's own computer security and mobile device security can help with reducing risks and improving the management of personal data.

Personal and organizational security go hand-in-hand, as individual knowledge and habits contribute to organizational security posture and risk management. Training staff through cybersecurity programs are a great way to improve personal and organizational security.

Are Cybersecurity Skills in Demand?

The demand for cybersecurity skills has surged over the last decade, with postings for cybersecurity jobs increasing by 94 percent.

In the last two years alone, the total number of job openings for a Cybersecurity Analyst has increased by almost 4,000, and cybersecurity jobs now account for 13 percent of all jobs in IT. In addition, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a 32 percent growth in hiring for cybersecurity jobs by 2028.

What Are the Most In-Demand Cybersecurity Jobs?

Some of the most in-demand cybersecurity jobs include Cybersecurity Analyst, Systems Administrator, Network Administrator, Information Security Assessor, Security Analyst, Security Engineer, and Security Software Developer.

For those who are looking for a new career in cybersecurity, in-demand entry level cybersecurity jobs include Web Administrator, IT Technician, and Network Engineer.

As more and more companies — and even new industries — place an increased emphasis on cybersecurity, new cybersecurity job roles are emerging and existing positions are evolving. With the overall demand for cybersecurity high and growing higher, almost all of these cybersecurity roles can be considered in-demand.

What Can I Learn in a Cybersecurity Course?

In a cybersecurity course, you can learn the the core fundamental concepts of cybersecurity, how to identify cyber attacks and security vulnerabilities and devise strategies to stop them, as well as how to leverage top cybersecurity tools to accomplish a range of key security tasks.

Cybersecurity programs should first help students learn the absolute basics of cybersecurity, including such concepts as two-factor authentication (2FA), authorization, data management and classification, and how malicious actors work to exploit systems. From there, cybersecurity certificate courses should move on to more advanced cybersecurity topics, including risk management, firewalls, ports, protocols, computer networking, business analysis, threat identification, information security management, and more.

Once you have all of that cybersecurity knowledge in place, a cybersecurity certificate program will teach you how to address cybersecurity risks and build a sound cybersecurity strategy. Most cybersecurity certifications will also cover incident management by exploring real-world cybersecurity events and data breaches, so that aspiring cybersecurity professionals know how to respond if they ever find themselves in a real-life emergency.

What Cybersecurity Tools Will We Learn in BrainStation's Cybersecurity Course?

By taking BrainStation's Cybersecurity certificate course, you will gain first-hand experience with tools including IP Lookup, DNS Lookup, and GeoTraceroute, as you learn to leverage top cybersecurity tools to help you prevent or mitigate cyber threats and accomplish other key cybersecurity tasks.

In BrainStation's course, you will also learn how to use the National Vulnerability Database to explore known cybersecurity threats and ultimately help an organization make better data-driven cybersecurity decisions.

In addition to specific cybersecurity software and tools, BrainStation's course covers how different types of cybersecurity tools are used for things like virtual private networks (VPNs), penetration testing, encryption, cyber threat countermeasures, and overall network security.

How Can I Get into Cybersecurity?

To get into cybersecurity, you should learn key cybersecurity fundamentals and develop your technical knowledge, consider gaining formal cybersecurity training through courses and cybersecurity certifications, and look to begin building your professional network in cybersecurity.

If you're looking to establish a new career in cybersecurity, it is worth considering what transferable skills you bring to the table. If you have experience in an information security related field, performing any kind of investigative work, analyzing data, or working in software development (meaning that you know how to code with one or more programming languages), those skills could help you break into cybersecurity.

As far as educational backgrounds for cybersecurity, many cybersecurity professionals do have at least a bachelor's degree, and it could help if it's in a related field like computer science or information technology. If not, gaining a cybersecurity certification might be the best way to validate that you have the most up-to-date skills in a fast-changing field.

What Is the Best Way to Stay on Top of Cybersecurity Trends?

The best way to stay on top of cybersecurity trends is to pay close attention to top cybersecurity news sources, keep a close eye on social media, attend networking events and conferences with cybersecurity experts, and set up your own real-time cybersecurity alerts.

Keeping track of social media is a must for cybersecurity professionals. Not only can you gain valuable insight on cybersecurity news and trends by following prominent cybersecurity experts on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, but those social media platforms are also good sources to learn more about the security threats and concerns that are on the minds of regular people. Other valuable cybersecurity news sources include Google's Online Security Blog as well as cybersecurity guru Bruce Schneier's popular website Schneier on Security.

Networking with colleagues in the field is another essential part of keeping up with cybersecurity trends. BrainStation regularly holds panel discussions with top industry experts, thought leadership events, and other networking gatherings to give students opportunities to build their professional networks while also discussing the most current trends and issues in their fields.

What Skills Should I Learn for a Cybersecurity Career?

Key skills you should learn for a cybersecurity career include a variety of technical skills relating to security architecture, incident response, and how to secure networks, as well as highly developed soft skills including communication, presentation skills, and even customer relations.

A cybersecurity professional will need highly developed knowledge of cybersecurity technology, with an understanding of a broad array of areas including firewalls, network load balancers, defensive coding practices, and how to manage operating systems. In cybersecurity, technical demands can vary considerably depending on an individual's chosen cybersecurity career path. For example, business-oriented cybersecurity career paths might require knowledge and skills in policy, audit, or consulting, while other highly technical cybersecurity positions could require programming skills.

The soft skills required, however, will be consistent across almost all cybersecurity job titles. A good Cybersecurity Analyst must have the presentation and communication skills to clearly articulate cybersecurity concerns and concepts and make a persuasive case to executive decision-makers about the importance of different cyber defense policies and measures.

How to Prepare for a Cybersecurity Course

To prepare for a cybersecurity course, you should look into free online resources on key cybersecurity concepts, methodologies, and techniques, gain clarity on your educational and professional goals, and explore the events and resources that could be provided by the school you are planning to attend.

Ultimately, BrainStation's Cybersecurity certificate course was designed to help learners without extensive experience master the foundations of cybersecurity, but this kind of preparatory work can only help put you in a position to succeed once you begin the course.

Why Is This the Best Cybersecurity Course for Me?

BrainStation's Cybersecurity course is the best cybersecurity program for you because our hands-on, project-based learning experience gives students real-world cybersecurity experience. The course's innovative curriculum covers the most current-possible cybersecurity tools, trends and strategies, and our live online courses are led by experienced cybersecurity professionals with a thorough understanding of what it takes to succeed in the industry.

BrainStation's Cybersecurity certificate course is ideal for learners looking to boost their skills, either to establish a new career in cybersecurity or to gain valuable cybersecurity skills that could be valuable to any number of fields, including web development, software engineering, and information technology.

To then help students leverage their new cybersecurity expertise to meet their professional goals, BrainStation offers networking opportunities, thought leadership events, and panel discussions featuring experts from our global hiring partner network of top companies.