MSc Cloud and Network: Improving Cybersecurity Awareness

Could more network security university courses and advanced education improve online security awareness?

Are you interested in improving job prospects with a cloud and network security master’s? Now is a great time to upskill. Last year, a report highlighted the continued skills gap which has been a persistent problem for the fifth year running.

This problem isn’t going away anytime soon either. The demand is high for skilled security experts, making postgraduate training a fantastic investment in your career. If you’re looking to do a master’s in cyber security in the UK, there’s nowhere better to study than the University of Bolton. We’ve been voted No.1 in the UK for Student Satisfaction in Computer Science (and have been in the Top 10 in the UK for two consecutive years).*

In addition to a massive people shortage, there’s also a disproportionately low level of awareness among UK workers when it comes to online security. The next wave of graduates will have a huge task ahead of them. In order to tackle the rising number of attacks on companies and individuals, spreading awareness is key.

The disparity between attacks and awareness

The pandemic saw a colossal rise in online crime, with weekly attacks being recorded and an increase of 50% year on year. But the fact is, the number of cyberattacks happening in the UK is not lining up with awareness levels.

According to data, as many as 60% of all UK workers have been victims of a cyberattack of some sort. Yet, only around a quarter (27%) are aware of the associated cybersecurity risks. What’s even more shocking is that 11% of workers say they don’t worry about their online security at all. 

Remote working adds another layer of risk. With only 5% saying they would pay for online security solutions, businesses are being put at high risk as the remote workforce grows.

In the future, the job of cloud security experts will be more than just managing the stack and maintaining security tools. To really tackle the problem, their jobs must include managing effective communications and providing education and training to people across all departments. Security consultants will have to factor in change management in order to get employee buy-in, and the message must be very clear.

More attacks to come

As reported by Industry Week, there’s really no time to lose. The threat of more global online crime is imminent and there’s never been a more critical time for education providers to offer network security university courses at an advanced level.

The publication’s headline is not one to be ignored: Prepare for More Cyberattacks in 2022. The article highlights that the increase of remote workers is going to create even more vulnerabilities, and hiring cybersecurity experts to manage remote worker access and protocols is a necessary step in protecting organisations and their customers’ sensitive information.

Those studying for a master’s in cyber security in the UK will be able to help us close the skills gap. If this is a field of work you are interested in, upskilling now will provide excellent job security and access to some of the highest paid jobs in the industry.  

Looking to study a master’s in cyber security in the UK? The University of Bolton is a leading Greater Manchester university that offers a wide range of computing, cloud and network security university courses.

As well as being a top UK provider, we also provide a friendly and supportive learning environment to help students reach their potential. Join our postgraduate community and come and experience #UniAsItShouldBe!

To find out more about applying in 2022/23, see our MSc Cloud and Network Security course page.

Or see our full range of computing degrees here.

*Complete University Guide 2022 & 2021