Data drives business and threatens to swamp it. That’s why companies place a premium on professionals with expertise in using technology to store, organize, protect and move data. Employment predictions say demand for cybersecurity analysts will grow by 35% this decade, and the need for applied technology experts will climb by 25%.
Graduates of programs like the online Master of Science (M.S.) in Applied Digital Technology with a Concentration in Cloud and Cybersecurity program from Arkansas State University (A-State) can meet this demand and apply their skills and expertise to the evolving digital technology landscape.
The Cloud and the Internet of Things
According to Deloitte Insights and other sources, two emerging technologies are largely responsible for increasing the volume of data and the velocity at which it is generated.
First, businesses are rapidly moving data storage to the cloud. Deloitte surveyed over 500 IT executives, senior management and developers to discover their challenges: Nearly six in 10 said cybersecurity tops the list; almost 50% said the “cloud is more complex than they expected.”
Despite the obstacles, 91% said the cloud is essential to their enterprise’s digital transformation and so far have moved more than 1,024 Petabytes (10^15) of data into offsite storage servers, about the volume 67 million iPhones could hold.
Still, as mind-boggling as that number is, the volume of data generated by the Internet of Things (IoT) — the other contributor to the glut — dwarfs it.
The IoT of connected electronics — from smart home systems and autonomous cars to sensors that remotely monitor health devices and environmental and agricultural conditions — generated 13.6 zettabytes (10^21), or a million petabytes, of data in 2019. By 2025, it will have produced 79.4 ZB — about the number of stars in the known universe — of data by 2025.
McKinsey & Company places the number of IoT devices in the billions, creating a cybersecurity nightmare. Before the IoT crept into public awareness 20 years ago, a global enterprise might have had to account for as few as 50,000 potential weak spots in its digital armor.
“The IoT may involve a network with millions or tens of millions of these endpoints. Promoting cybersecurity, therefore, is crucial in the IoT era,” it warns.
What Applied Technology Trends Are Emerging in Cloud Migration and Data Security?
As organizations wrangle with managing and protecting their data, trends such as three-layer software development, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in IoT and network security, and risk management in the cloud are on the leading edge of technology applications.
Layered Software Architecture Development
Three-tiered software architecture is critical to protecting stored data, its movement and presentation. Generally, the layered model separates data presentation, business logic and storage. Each layer has a specific function that, when integrated:
- Separates data from encryption code to improve security and access control
- Simplifies scaling and configuring processes for migration to the cloud
- Establishes authentication processes to control external access to data
Another trend in applied software design involves developing applications specifically for cloud environments. Cloud-native software gives companies the flexibility to leverage storage services, scale them to meet growing demands and strengthen resiliency to recover after a breach.
Advanced Applications in IoT and Network Security
Palo Alto Networks estimates that one-third of all devices connected to enterprise networks are remote sources of data — the IoT. While digital intelligence can yield valuable insights, the devices lack integrated security, are difficult to integrate into existing security processes and generate huge volumes of unstructured data.
And, as companies explore and adopt new uses for AI, its ability to identify trends and anomalies in data will make it an essential application in network and data protection. “Only machine learning can address the increasing number of challenges in cybersecurity: scaling up security solutions, detecting unknown attacks and detecting advanced attacks,” CIO says.
Trends in Managing Cyber Risk in the Cloud
Companies are accelerating migration to the cloud, requiring them to rethink cyber-risk management processes that prevent network breaches and data compromise.
Firewalls, for instance, provided an adequate perimeter defense when digital operations were concentrated within corporate controls. Now, as networks multiply beyond the perimeter via IoT, the cloud and remote work, Cisco recommends leveraging digital technologies to deploy “micro-perimeters.”
“They’ve got to establish strategic enforcement points across the entire network fabric, closer to the information or applications that need to be protected,” it advises.
How Do Professionals Gain Applied Technology Skills?
A-State’s online M.S. in Applied Digital Technology – Cloud and Cybersecurity program prepares graduates for careers that demand expertise in cloud-related assets and network risk management through a curriculum that includes the following courses:
- Software Design Solutions explores three-layer design and cloud-native architecture development with enhanced security standards.
- Network and Data Security examines optimizations for processes that prevent unauthorized access to digital assets.
- Cybersecurity Risk Management focuses on methodologies and principles in risk analysis and mitigation techniques in the information security space.
Program graduates are equipped for roles such as project manager, implementation analyst, cybersecurity consultant and analyst, threat-intelligence manager and information security director.
Learn more about A-State’s online M.S. in Applied Digital Technology – Cloud and Cybersecurity program.