Hackers = Pirates, You = Pirate Hunter

This past weekend I went to see the latest installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. I have mixed feelings about the movie. I spent the two hours and nine minutes of show time wading through a myriad of tangled storylines and interweaving plot threads, masked by lots and lots of action.

As confused as I was throughout much of the film, however, my overall feeling was that of joy and excitement. Each scene had a fun new element, and each shot captured the beauty of the islands and surrounding sea. The film was extremely entertaining.

After the film, I found myself wondering why the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise has been so successful. I landed on the fact that it’s the idea of pirates and piracy. (And perhaps also the iconic character of Captain Jack Sparrow, but that is beside my point). There is something about the life of a pirate that draws human interest. Sailing the seven seas, on the hunt for outstanding treasures, doing whatever it takes to get them. The lure of money and gain is a powerful thing.

The modern-day equivalent of a pirate is a cybercriminal. Like pirates, cybercriminals are searching for the most loot they can find, which means they are targeting businesses large and small. Just as the seas connected a pirate’s world, the internet has dangerously connected a world's worth of cybercriminals.

According to a recent report released by Juniper Research, cybercrime is expected to cost businesses $8 trillion over the next five years. Roughly 2.8 billion data records held by business customers are expected to be breached this year alone. The most alarming thing recorded in the Juniper Research report, however, was the data showing that security systems are not keeping pace with the rise of internet connectivity. Small and mid-size businesses often use older software, making them susceptible to attack.

The silver lining about these terrifying statistics is that cybersecurity jobs are on the rise. Companies are on the search for cybersecurity professionals who can battle this growing number of attacks. The growing number of cyber-pirates could mean a cybersecurity job for you.

If you have little to no cybersecurity training, start at the beginning. Get your CompTIA A+ certification, and then on to the Security+ and the CSA+. These certifications will prove to employers that you can take on any criminals that come your way. Train yourself in the art of security, and take on the modern pirates on the internet. You can be a hero to the business you fight to protect.

About the Author — Jake Slater is the social media manager for GoCertify and a graduate of Brigham Young University. Jake is not a pirate, but he is about to walk the plank ... and explore new and exciting opportunities elsewhere on the seven seas! This be his final contribution to the IT Insights blog. Please be thankin' him for the fine work he's done. Arrrr!