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Cyber security jobs now make up 14% of UK IT roles

Cyber security jobs now make up 14% of all new UK based IT roles as businesses increasingly hunt for cyber security experts to help protect against hackers, research from international professional services consultancy Procorre has found.

Procorre found that businesses are increasing their investment in cyber security after a series of recent high profile hacks, such as Carphone Warehouse and Ashley Madison, exposed both the vulnerability of many businesses’ IT security systems and the extent of the potential threat.

The increase in demand has also had a knock on effect on wages which have generally increased, with 15% of cyber security professionals paid at least £100,000 per annum.

Alongside employers British universities have also responded to the increased demand for cyber security experts, with 42 universities offering specialist degrees related to cyber security at an undergraduate level, and more than 700 cyber security related degrees available at a postgraduate level.

Universities such as Oxford, Warwick, University College London and Royal Holloway offer Master of Science degrees in areas such as ‘Cyber Security Management’, ‘Software and Systems Security’, and ‘Information Security’.

Wiktor Podgorski, contracts & HR manager at Procorre, said: “There is a global shortage of experienced and talented cyber-security experts, especially after a recent spate of high profile attacks that have demonstrated the need for businesses to improve their cyber defences.

“As well as work that is going on in-house to strengthen firewalls, we are also seeing the growth of specialist cyber security companies that take a more proactive approach to defence, such as luring hackers into deliberate traps or attempting to trace the source of an attack.

“Many of the businesses that have been hacked over the past few years have lost very sensitive information.  Even if the information lost does not put them at personal risk of financial loss, customers lose faith in companies that are unable to keep information secure, so data losses can have a significant long-term impact on sales and revenue.”

Procorre also found that UK businesses are also concerned about potential fines from the Information Commissioner’s Office as well as the tightening of the EU data protection regime.

Currently, the UK’s ICO can fine a business a maximum of £500,000 for any data breach.

The new European Data Protection Directive, due to be implemented by the end of this year, is set to turn data breaches into a far more serious financial and legal risk for businesses.

The new Directive will require mandatory notification of data breaches, which is not required under the current system. This not only creates bad publicity but also raises awareness amongst individuals who have had their data stolen via a business’s database.

The new directive could also result in far higher fines from the regulator. Fines of up to €100m or 5% of global revenue are being debated at the European Parliament.

Podgorski added: “With the new directive imminent, businesses need to be even more secure with the data they are storing. Cyber security experts are being drafted in to address any concerns that could see hackers access sensitive information, which may lead to a drop in revenue and a hefty fine. Not to mention the reputational damage.”

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