The Future of Network Security

Network security is without a doubt a sector experiencing rapid growth. With more devices and gadgets in the world than there are people, opportunities for those looking to exploit vulnerabilities in internet-connected devices have never been so prevalent. This growth is affirmed by Forbes, stating that the network security industry will grow from a $75 billion business in 2015 to a $170 billion business in 2020.

With this increase in potential exploitation comes a need to actively combat threats. This is where network security engineers come in – these individuals work to combat external instances of unauthorised access, misuse and denial of computer networks, whether these networks be part of a private company or networks that are publicly available.

Why network security is only getting bigger

The nature of network security involves managing the everchanging tide of threats that public and private companies are faced with. Because of this, the role itself is still very much open to active change, and what is learned or known at the start of a career may be very different several years on. The role itself, being based on skills garnered through related fields such as information technology, information security, networking and engineering should also indicate the need for an ever-expensing knowledge base.

With this considerable learning curve, the need to adapt in a role like this is considerable – network security engineers have to frequently manage facets of enterprise networks such as relevant firewall setup, anti-virus, web content filtering, anti-spam, backups, anti-malware and anti-phishing. With these in mind, it is then key to develop mitigation strategies and address these needs by redesigning the network if required.

Redevelopment of a network then necessitates the need to develop appropriate network policies, disaster recovery strategies in the event of a network breach, manage security systems (such as ensuring that questionable access patterns within the firewall are managed), and fix problems both onsite and offsite.

It should be evident that this role requires dedication and a firm understanding of the technological landscape – this is just one of the reasons that people are flocking to become qualified network security engineers.

Gain your network security qualifications today

The Advanced Diploma of Network Security affords individuals with the knowledge and skills to design, plan, monitor and manage the information and communications technology enterprise network or work independently as an information and communications technology specialist. If you would like to know more about what’s required to convert your experience into an information technology qualification, speak to the team at Skills Certified today.