Roughly Half of Americans Feel Less Confident in Both Personal and
National Cybersecurity, Yet Only 18 Percent Are Interested in a
Cybersecurity Career
PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In observance of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, University of
Phoenix® has released the results of its third annual
national cybersecurity survey. The survey found that nearly half (43
percent) of Americans have experienced a personal data breach in the
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past three years. As a result, 46 percent of Americans feel less secure
from cyberattacks today than they did five years ago and 56 percent feel
the country as a whole is less secure.
“Our nation has experienced a constant uptick in ransomware attacks1,
malware2, and personal and business data breaches3,
yet 61 percent of U.S. adults agreed that technology is keeping up with
the threat of cyberattacks,” said Dennis Bonilla, executive dean,
University of Phoenix College of Information Systems & Technology and
School of Business. “This inconsistency strongly suggests we need a
greater sense of urgency to fill the workforce shortage. These jobs need
trained professionals to run the technologies in which companies are
investing. Without these professionals, it is akin to restaurants
purchasing food, but not hiring chefs.”
Keeping pace with the growing number of cyber threats and the
advancement of technology will require more cybersecurity professionals.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for trained
cybersecurity professionals has grown nearly three times the national
average between 2014 and 20244. This gap is even more
pronounced, given a recent Gartner report showing that cybersecurity
spending is expected to grow to nearly $100 billion in 2018 from $86
billion in 20175. However, according to the survey, only 18
percent of respondents have any interest in a career in cybersecurity,
and only 1 percent currently work in the field.
Although an overwhelming majority (90 percent) feel they would need more
education to pursue a job in cybersecurity, respondents cited lack of
time (52 percent), costs (51 percent) and lack of knowledge (40 percent)
as the biggest barriers preventing them from pursuing a profession or
education in cybersecurity.
Other survey findings include:
Most believe their workplace is prepared for a cyberattack
Seventeen percent of respondents say their business or employer has been
the victim of a cybersecurity attack or breach, and 81 percent believe
their employer is prepared for an attack. More than three-quarters are
aware of their employer’s cybersecurity company policies, and 96 percent
say they always or often follow them.
Trust in financial and healthcare sectors high; government low
Despite the financial6 and healthcare7 sectors
being the two industries most frequently attacked by hackers in the past
two years, many Americans place the most trust in these sectors. About
seven in 10 U.S. adults place trust in healthcare (69 percent) and
financial (68 percent) industries with their personal information ― but
fewer than half trust the government (46 percent). The financial sector
alone accounted for 65 percent more attacks than average organizations
in 2016, with 200 million records compromised.8
Americans taking personal cybersecurity measures
Eighty-six percent of respondents say cybercrime has affected their
online habits in some way, with 85 percent citing cybercrime as the
reason. In practice, 61 percent say they ignore or delete suspicious
emails, nearly half (49 percent) avoid clickbait and pop ups, and 43
percent don’t give up personal information online. However, only a
little more than one-third limit use of devices on public Wi-Fi (36
percent) and update their passwords regularly (35 percent).
To access the full survey, visit http://www.phoenix.edu/about_us/media-center/news/uopx-releases-third-annual-national-cybersecurity-survey-results.html
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll
on behalf of University of Phoenix between August 24–September 1, 2017
among 2,012 U.S. adults, including 944 who say they have experienced a
personal data breach in the past three years. Figures for age,
race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted
where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in
the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for
respondents’ propensity to be online. For complete survey methodology,
including weighting variables, please contact Cooper Nelson at cooper.nelson@phoenix.edu.
About College of Information Systems & Technology
University of Phoenix College of Information Systems & Technology is a
leader and advocate for the development and advancement of IT in global
business operations. The College offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s
and doctoral degree programs. Its Faculty Advisory Council, composed of
experts and leaders in the field, ensures curriculum is on pace with
national and international market demands. Providing innovative digital
learning tools developed to suit all learning styles, the College
focuses on building technical knowledge and its successful application
to real-world business environments. For more information, visit www.phoenix.edu/technology.
About University of Phoenix®
University of Phoenix is innovating to help working adults move
efficiently from education to careers in a rapidly changing world.
Flexible schedules, relevant and engaging courses, and interactive
learning can help students more effectively pursue career and personal
aspirations while balancing their busy lives. University of Phoenix
serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor’s,
master’s and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers
across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world. For more
Contacts
University of Phoenix
Alison Walsh, 602-557-8659