MAKE A MID-CAREER CHANGE TO INFORMATION SECURITYWith skill and Workforce shortages plaguing the

information security industry, noW is an ideal

time to gain the fundamental knoWledge and

in-demand skills required to change careers and

step into this groWing field.

2 MAKE A MID-CAREER CHANGE TO INFORMATION SECURITY CAPELLA UNIVERSITY

cyber threats continue to groW in cost, complexity, and

number. businesses and organizations are prioritizing

the security of data assets and hiring at a record pace,

triggering significant skill and Workforce shortages in

the industry.

the state of the information security job market presents opportunities for mid-career professionals looking for a change and interested in the challenges and rewards of protecting data assets from cybercriminals. With the right education and certifications, it is possible to build on existing skill sets and begin a fulfilling career in information security. degree programs at both the bachelor and master’s level—as well as specialized certificates—can drive these career changes.

capella university offers information assurance and security programs designed to fit the lives of busy professionals. capella’s degree programs in this field include the bachelor’s in information assurance and security and master’s in information assurance and security with specializations in digital forensics and network defense. additionally, capella offers graduate certificates in information assurance and security, digital forensics, and network defense.

SUMMARY

I knew for quite a while that I wanted to do something hands-on with computers and I kept hearing that data security was becoming a bigger and bigger industry with high-paying jobs. It seemed like you could basically write your own ticket if you had the right education. Retirement was fast approaching and I wanted to earn as much as I could before I retired. And there are a lot of post-retirement opportunities available in this field, which was attractive for me at this point in my career.

sheila steVens, BS in Information Assurance and Security

3 MAKE A MID-CAREER CHANGE TO INFORMATION SECURITY CAPELLA UNIVERSITY

indiViduals, organizations, and goVernment agencies are facing significant and costly attacks from increasingly sophisticated cybercriminals. these rising risks have become a critical focus for those tasked with safeguarding data assets. a recent priceWaterhousecoopers survey of 500 executives, security experts, and others from the public and private sectors found that 70 percent of respondents had detected a security incident in the past 12 months.

as the number of incidents climbs each year, so do the related costs. the 2014 Cost of Data Breach Study by the research firm ponemon institute estimated the average cost of a data breach is $3.5 million—15 percent more than what it cost in 2013.1 keeping with that trend, the Global State of Information Security Survey 2015 study indicated that detected security threats grew by 8 percent in 2014 and the financial losses associated with those incidents saw a 24 percent increase.2

AN INSUFFICIENT WORKFORCE Job market research firm burning glass reports that cybersecurity postings grew 91 percent from 2010 to 2014, showing the increasing need for information security professionals.3 as businesses and organizations continue to invest significant resources to stay ahead of today’s cybercriminals, the rising demand for skilled professionals has outstripped supply.

business leaders are rightfully concerned about this workforce shortage. isaca’s 2015 Global Cybersecurity Status Report showed that 86 percent of respondents believe there is a shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals.4 michael brown, ceo at symantic, the world’s

CHALLENGE

INFORMATION SECURITY THREATS ARE ON THE RISE

1. source: “2014 cost of data breach: global analysis, ” ponemon, http://www.ponemon.org/blog/ponemon-institute-releases-2014-cost-of-data-breach-global-analysis

2. source: “global state of information security survey: financial services,” pWc http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/consulting-services/information-security-survey/industry/financial-services.html

3. source: cybersecurty Job report 2015. burning glass. http://burning-glass.com/wp-content/uploads/cybersecurity_Jobs_report_2015.pdf

4. source: “2015 global cybersecurity status reports” isaca http://www.isaca.org/pages/cybersecurity-global-status-report.aspx

4 MAKE A MID-CAREER CHANGE TO INFORMATION SECURITY CAPELLA UNIVERSITY

THE GROWING SKILLS SHORTAGEin addition to a shortage of professionals needed to fill open information security positions, there is also a lack of skills needed to effectively ensure our data security. isaca’s 2015 Global Cybersecurity Status Report showed that 86 percent of respondents believe there is a shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals and 92 percent of those planning to hire cybersecurity professionals this year say they expect to have difficulty finding a skilled candidate.6

What skills are missing in today’s candidates? as burning glass’s Cybersecurity Jobs Report 2015 notes, “the hardest-to-fill cybersecurity jobs call for financial skills, such as accounting or knowledge of regulations associated with the sarbanes-oxley act, alongside traditional networking and it security skills.”7

the State of Cyberybersecurity: Implications for 2015 survey backs up this finding. according to 72 percent of the cybersecurity professionals surveyed, “the ability to understand the business” is the biggest skills gap, followed by technical skills and communication abilities.8 more than 50 percent of respondents also reported that less than one quarter of applicants are fully qualified to meet the needs of the business, typically lacking in hands-on experience and professional certifications. according to burning glass, one third of cybersecurity job postings require an industry certification—compared to 23 percent of it jobs overall. cybersecurity professionals. michael brown, ceo at symantic, the world’s largest security software vendor, anticipates that “the demand for the (cybersecurity) workforce is expected to rise to 6 million (globally) by 2019, with a projected shortfall of 1.5 million.”9

largest security software vendor, anticipates that “the demand for the (cybersecurity) workforce is expected to rise to 6 million (globally) by 2019, with a projected shortfall of 1.5 million.”5

5. source: steve morgan, “cybersecurity job market to suffer severe workforce shortage.” cybersecurity business report, http://www.csoonline.com/article/2953258/it-careers/cybersecurity-job-market-figures-2015-to-2019-indicate-severe-workforce-shortage.html

6. source: 2015 global cybersecurity status reports. isaca. http://www.isaca.org/pages/cybersecurity-global-status-report.aspx

7. source: cybersecurty Job report 2015. burning glass. http://burning-glass.com/wp-content/uploads/cybersecurity_Jobs_report_2015.pdf

8. source: state of cybersecurity: implications for 2015. isaca and rsa http://www.isaca.org/cyber/documents/state-of-cybersecurity_res_eng_0415.pdf

9. source: burning glass report on cybersecurity Jobs. http://www.burning-glass.com/media/4187/burning glass report on cybersecurity Jobs.pdf

5 MAKE A MID-CAREER CHANGE TO INFORMATION SECURITY CAPELLA UNIVERSITY

as reported by burning glass, 84 percent of cybersecurity postings specify at least a bachelor’s degree.10 a bachelor’s degree provides the technical basics of database systems, software architecture, and programming, as well as a working knowledge of project management, ethics, and methods of effective enterprise-wide security.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INFORMATION ASSURANCE AND SECURITYcapella university’s bachelor of science in information assurance and security program covers the latest methods of effective enterprise-wide security to ensure the safeguarding and confidentiality of any secure data. this degree is aligned to industry standards and provides the skills and knowledge needed to earn in-demand credentials as well as vouchers to take up to three certification exams for free.

the bachelor’s in information assurance and security aligns to the following certifications:

• comptia a+• comptia network+• comptia security+

to answer the industry’s call for professionals who can understand the business, capella bachelor’s programs offer concentrations to allow students to gain key skills in the following areas:

• accounting• business intelligence• finance• health care management

capella’s secure virtual lab provides the hands-on experience employers need with state-of-the-art technology—including encase® and netWitness—that simulates law enforcement and federal security investigations.

SOLUTION

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE PROGRAM

84%of cybersecurity postings specify at least a bachelor’s degree

challenge: INFORMATION SECURITY THREATS ARE ON THE RISE

• human resource management• management leadership• marketing• project management

10. source: burning glass report on cybersecurity Jobs. http://burning-glass.com/wp-content/uploads/cybersecurity_Jobs_report_2015.pdf

6 MAKE A MID-CAREER CHANGE TO INFORMATION SECURITY CAPELLA UNIVERSITY

23%of cybersecurity Job postings require a master’s degree

11. source: burning glass report on cybersecurity Jobs. http://www.burning-glass.com/media/4187/burning glass report on cybersecurity Jobs.pdf

burning glass reports that 23 percent of cybersecurity job posting require a master’s degree.11 especially relevant for professionals in it who are ready to specialize in information security, a master of science in information assurance and security provides a core curriculum designed around industry standards to manage the growing challenges in data security.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INFORMATION ASSURANCE AND SECURITY WITH A SPECIALIZATION IN DIGITAL FORENSICS capella’s master’s in digital forensics prepares information security professionals for performance-effective computer forensics and the legal challenges associated with conducting computer forensics investigations. students in this specialization will gain hands-on experience with technology used by law enforcement and federal investigators, including encase® and netWitness, through capella’s secure virtual lab environment.

designed around industry standards, this master’s program provides the foundational information that contributes to the knowledge required to sit for the certified cyber forensics professional (ccfp) and certified hacking forensics investigator (chfi) exams. it also includes the domains of knowledge represented in several leading security certifications, including the certified information systems security professional (cissp).

to meet today’s workforce needs, this program includes courses that focus on communication skills as well as the regulatory and legal environment to provide in-demand business skills. additionally, this program provides an optional one-week international experience to gain a global business perspective.

SOLUTION

MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAMS

challenge: INFORMATION SECURITY THREATS ARE ON THE RISE

7 MAKE A MID-CAREER CHANGE TO INFORMATION SECURITY CAPELLA UNIVERSITY

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INFORMATION ASSURANCE AND SECURITY WITH A SPECIALIZATION IN NETWORK DEFENSE capella’s master’s in network defense is designed around industry standards and prepares information security professionals to assess, develop, and implement solutions to safeguard information assets and enterprise it infrastructures. students will explore penetration-testing techniques in a virtual lab environment using leading industry tools, including backtrack and metasploit. in addition, students will learn to manage real-time responses to security breaches using nessus® to perform vulnerability assessments, including system sanitizing and hardening.

the curriculum provides students with the foundational information that contributes to the knowledge required to sit for the certified ethical hacker (ceh) and certified network defense architect (cnda) exams and includes the domains of knowledge represented in several leading security certifications, including cissp.

to prepare students for real-world business challenges, this program includes courses that focus on communication skills as well as the regulatory and legal environment to provide in-demand business skills. additionally, students can join a one-week international experience to gain a global business perspective.

capella master of science in information assurance and security programs prepare students With in-demand communication and business skills.

8 MAKE A MID-CAREER CHANGE TO INFORMATION SECURITY CAPELLA UNIVERSITY

for the information technology professional ready to make the transition to information security, certificate programs can provide verification of new knowledge and in-demand skills. these marketable skills can provide new opportunities while preparing students for the challenges of certification exams.

SOLUTION

INFORMATION SECURITY CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

challenge: INFORMATION SECURITY THREATS ARE ON THE RISE

IT CERTIFICATE: INFORMATION ASSURANCE AND SECURITY capella’s information assurance and security certificate program provides it security fundamentals for bachelor’s-educated students and consists of 20 credits that can be applied to a master’s in digital forensics or network defense. this program includes hands-on learning opportunities in capella’s virtual lab environment.

the information assurance and security certificate program is designed to expand critical thinking skills and develop the competencies associated with the cissp certification from the international information systems security certification consortium (isc)2.

IT CERTIFICATE: DIGITAL FORENSICScapella’s digital forensics certificate courses are designed to prepare bachelor’s-educated professionals to conduct computer forensics activities and understand the legal challenges associated with digital investigations. this program consists of 20 credits that can be applied to a master’s in digital forensics and provides hands-on learning with state-of-the-art technology, including encase® and netWitness.

this digital forensics certificate program prepares students to sit for the certified cyber forensics professional (ccfp) and certified hacking forensics investigator (chfi) exams.

9 MAKE A MID-CAREER CHANGE TO INFORMATION SECURITY CAPELLA UNIVERSITY

IT CERTIFICATE: NETWORK DEFENSEcapella’s network defense certificate program prepares students to assess, develop, and implement solutions to safeguard information and enterprise it infrastructures. this program is designed for bachelor’s-educated professionals and consists of 20 credits that can be applied to a master’s in network defense and includes opportunities to use leading industry tools, including backtrack and metasploit in a virtual lab environment.

this online network defense certificate provides you with the foundational knowledge required to sit for the certified ethical hacker (ceh) and certified network defense architect (cnda) exams.

capella’s information security certificate programs consist of 20 master’s-leVel courses that can be applied to a master’s degree program in the same area.

10 MAKE A MID-CAREER CHANGE TO INFORMATION SECURITY CAPELLA UNIVERSITY

ABOUT CAPELLAcapella is an online university dedicated to providing an exceptional, professionally aligned education designed to fit the lives of busy professionals. capella’s challenging curriculum is competency-based, combining foundational theory with real-world application, to ensure our students receive a high-quality education.

exceptional facultymost of capella’s faculty members in the school of business & technology have doctorates in addition to deep teaching experience and real-world expertise. many hold current positions in small businesses, government, non-profit, consulting, and higher education.

uniVersity and program accreditationscapella university is accredited by the higher learning commission12. the higher learning commission is among the 6 regional accrediting bodies recognized by the u.s. department of education. regional bodies accredit colleges and universities; national bodies accredit trade and vocational schools.

capella university has been designated by the national security agency and the department of homeland security as a national center of academic excellence in information assurance/cyber defense for academic years 2014-2021.

capella’s bs in it program is accredited by the computing accreditation commission of abet, http://www.abet.org. abet accreditation is a key indicator of capella’s dedication to educational quality that prepares our graduates for entry or advancement in the it profession.

12. higher learning commission: https://www.hlcommission.org, 800.621.7440. capella university: capella tower, 225 south sixth street, ninth floor, minneapolis mn 55402, 1.888.capella (227.3552)

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the following specialization has been accredited by the project management institute (pmi®) global accreditation center for project management (pmi-gac):• bs in information technology,

project management• ms in information systems

and technology management, project management

the pmi global accreditation center logo is a service mark of project management institute, inc.

the flexpath format for the project management specializations is not accredited by project management institute (pmi®) global accreditation center for project management (pmi-gac).