Cybersecurity and computer science are both integral fields to protecting sensitive information, but each takes an alternative approach in terms of approach, jobs available, and earnings potential.
Cybersecurity professionals enact preventative strategies to safeguard networks, computers and valuable data assets. Their profession requires both technical and soft skills such as attention to detail, analytical ability and an aptitude for communicating with stakeholders.
What is Cyber Security?
Cyber security refers to the practice of safeguarding digital information against threats such as viruses and ransomware; with its primary goal being the prevention of data breaches and identity theft.
Organizations of all sizes must ensure their computer systems are secured from hackers and other security threats, by implementing appropriate procedures, training employees on what to look out for, and responding promptly when incidents do arise.
Organizations can prioritize five main areas of cybersecurity for their organizations to focus on: network security, application security, cloud security, DRBC (Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity) and mobile security. Each of these is responsible for covering different parts of an organization’s technology infrastructure and requires specific skillsets in order to effectively address them.
Network security solutions consist of routers, firewalls and intrusion prevention systems (IPS). These can help to safeguard internal networks against threats or any unwarranted access to the internet; in addition to helping detect and prevent attacks against external networks such as IoE networks.
Cyber security not only safeguards company systems from malicious hackers, but it can also help protect customer information in the cloud. If an organization stores sensitive medical or financial data in this way, they must take measures to secure this data against theft by hackers.
Malware, spyware, ransomware and adware are the four primary cybersecurity threats. Malware is a type of software that secretly captures and uses data for malicious purposes to compromise a system. Spyware can steal personal information such as credit card numbers or passwords while ransomware locks files and data until an additional fee is paid in order to unlock them.
Botnets are another persistent threat on the Internet that can quickly disperse a wide array of malware. Cybercriminals use botnets to conduct mass attacks without first consulting their victims first.
Cybersecurity programs should ensure staff members are trained to recognize potential threats such as phishing emails or scams, in order to help avoid being compromised and raise awareness about using strong passwords, maintaining software updates, and protecting devices securely.
What is Computer Science?
Computer science is the study of how computers work and their use in solving problems, from algorithm design and data structures through software engineering and operating system architecture.
Before the invention of computers, people used mechanical devices to perform calculations. One such mechanical calculator was the abacus, invented around 2700 BCE.
Alan Turing first proposed the idea of digital computers during his research in the 1930s. From this came first abstract digital computer known as a Turing machine – known as such today.
Scientists discovered in the 1940s that computers could be programmed to carry out complex tasks, leading to the creation of artificial intelligence as a field.
Computer-human interaction research examines how computers can interact with humans. The objective is to develop machines which mimic human intelligence and perform tasks such as thinking, moving, speaking and understanding natural languages as well as showing emotion.
Research in computer and other modern technology development has been vital in creating today’s computers – an integral component of nearly every aspect of modern life.
Computer science degrees will equip you for success in this increasingly essential industry, teaching how to use computers as tools for problem-solving and creating programs with broad application in all walks of life.
Computer science spans numerous disciplines, with each area offering its own specializations – programming languages, algorithms, computer graphics and human-computer interaction being examples of such fields of study.
Algorithms are instructions that instruct a computer on how to solve specific problems, making them central components of computer science as they allow us to program our computers efficiently and make them function more effectively.
Coding languages are an integral component of computer science, allowing us to write programs more quickly and more easily than assembly language code would allow.
Compilers – which translate high-level languages to machine code – are central components of computer science. Compilers ensure that computer code runs quickly while minimizing execution speed and storage consumption.
What is Cyber Security vs. Computer Science?
Computer science and cybersecurity are closely related fields that share many similarities, while they differ significantly in some respects. Cybersecurity refers to the study of security technology that protects systems and data.
Cybersecurity professionals specialize in protecting business data and systems against threats like malware, spyware and viruses using firewalls and other security technology to defend computers networks and software against attack.
Information security analysts (ISAs) work for both information technology firms and government agencies as computer forensics experts, penetration testers or information security auditors.
An undergraduate cybersecurity degree is one of the primary ways into this field, providing students with an introduction to computer systems, hardware/software/networks/security/programming knowledge as well as programming fundamentals.
This program may provide classes in security architecture, network security, cryptography, digital forensics and ethical hacking; furthermore it may teach about cybersecurity policy, law and compliance issues.
Master’s degrees in cybersecurity or computer science provide graduates with the tools needed to design new cyber security methods, conduct research studies or lead organizations as educators or organizational leaders. Typically this level of education requires 60-75 credits of coursework.
Doctoral degrees in computer science, information science or another related field provide professionals with the training needed to conduct complex research or introduce novel computational theories. Students typically complete coursework in advanced data structures and algorithms, research design in computer science education and machine learning.
IT education can teach graduates to analyze large data sets and conduct computer simulations of real-life situations, making this level of instruction particularly helpful to those looking to apply computer science to real world challenges, such as helping companies make more informed business decisions.
Both degrees can lead to lucrative careers in the rapidly expanding tech industry. A cyber security master’s degree may bring lower salaries on average than its computer science counterpart; however, as hacks such as Sunburst data breach and Russian interference with US government information systems become more frequent and frequent hacks like Sunburst data breach occur more often a cyber security master’s degree becomes even more valuable.