Cyber security is one of the most exciting directions in the programming world. For big companies, it is as important as the strategy of the entire business. We hear a lot about cyber attacks followed by the demands of “money in exchange for your information back.” Hackers, white hackers, cyber security specialists are new professions in the modern world. According to their extremely quick development, the question about the necessity of simultaneous knowledge of programming and cyber security is open. Let’s try to find an answer to this modern problem.
First of all, we addressed this question to a manager of AssignmentCore service that provides students and young specialists with computer programming assignment help, – to understand how many tasks they have at the intersection of programming and cyber security. The result was surprising. His experience says that a lot of managers of cyber security are not professionals in programming. They certainly have surface knowledge but not enough to do a code review or give specific tasks for coders. It is not good or bad, it is just a common situation in the world of management. For the deeper investigation, we graded the levels of cyber security.
First level. Computers without Internet, without local network, without any input like USB, drive, or floppy drive.
It is the simplest level. It is hard to imagine, but such PCs still exist in important government institutions. Nuclear stations are a perfect example. It might be truly frightening to discover that the virus gets into the PC that controls the station’s processes. To protect strategic objects from such a situation, you can only control everyone not to remove the PC with information physically from the territory of the building. So if you are responsible for the first level of cyber security you don’t require any knowledge in programming because your main task is to look for the physical existence of the object (PC or hard drive).
Second level. Computers without Internet and inputs but connected to the local networks.
The best and classical example is a back office in every bank. Controllers in bank branches perform their duties without Internet but connected with the head office. Specialists of cyber security must follow the flow of information more carefully to protect the perimeter and servers. But still, the level of danger is not too high. If the architecture of the local network is built professionally and the administrator of the network checks possible chain problems in time, they will never appear. So if your job contains the task to take care of this part of cyber security, you must know a little about network architecture. However, the main task is still to manage the administrators and react immediately if they say something about a potential problem.
Third level. All devices are open to the World Wide Web.
The most dangerous and weak system but the most common at the same time. Let’s separate this paragraph into two parts.
- Small companies without special software. For small companies, it is very expensive to hire a cyber security specialist, so they use standard security software. On the one side, they don’t need deep protection, and prepaid services can cover all their tasks, but on the other hand, they are still open to the whole world, and if someone decides to hack them, they will probably be successful in this. The losses of these attacks can only be estimated by the CEO. So only this person should decide what kind of cyber security his/her company needs. In general, it doesn’t matter if he/she is good at programming. He/she doesn’t need to build difficult structures to provide a basic level of protection.
- Big companies with a necessity in high-level protection. Finally, we are talking about serious players on the market—giants with development departments, financial and other confidential information of their clients that needs to be protected. Also, government institutions and financial organizations. International companies with their production and IT industry with their everyday innovations that should remain a secret from the competitors. All these guys are always in danger of cyber attacks. They must create a cyber security department and hire professionals who must save the information and be on guard 24/7. First of all, they must decide if they use specific software and update it all the time on their own or buy software from companies that specialize in cyber security. You will be surprised when you see the prices of such software, but it mostly works well, and you don’t need the team of coders in your department. On the other hand, you are always dependent on another company that can destroy your business in one click. Sure they care about their reputation, but theoretically, anything can happen. To be a boss of the cyber security department you shouldn’t be a great professional in programming, but you must understand the question deeply. You must clearly understand the needs of the company and specialties of security systems present on the market.
So what is the conclusion? Does cyber security require programming? There is no one right answer to this question. A lot of arguments can move your opinion from one to the other side, and finally, you also won’t come to the irrefutable result. All businesses are different and special, and there are not enough employees who are perfect in programming, managing, and cyber security at the same time. And only the owner knows how to choose the right balance between the level of cyber protection and salary/necessary competencies of employees.