The Employment Prospects and Talent Demand for Cybersecurity in Hong Kong
Cybersecurity risks are prevalent everywhere, especially as we increasingly rely on the internet to handle various aspects of our daily lives. Our communication devices, electronic wallets, online meetings, cloud services, and more all present opportunities for network attacks and fraud. It's not just individuals who face these risks, but also companies, enterprises, and even public institutions, all dealing with different cybersecurity threats such as ransomware, data breaches, and phishing.
Hong Kong has a high demand for cybersecurity professionals, and the following reasons can be summarized:
- Growing cybersecurity threats: Network attacks are becoming more common and sophisticated, including phishing, ransomware, data breaches, DDoS attacks, and more. Every company needs cybersecurity experts to constantly maintain the security of their network infrastructure, systems, data, and customer information.
- Government emphasis: The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) has formulated a comprehensive "Government IT Security Policy and Guidelines," which has been uploaded to their website for reference by all public and private organizations. Additionally, the government is planning to legislate the cybersecurity responsibilities of critical infrastructure operators, such as establishing robust preventive management systems to ensure the security operation of their information systems and networks.
Moreover, Hong Kong is actively learning from the mainland government's annual "National Cyber Offensive and Defensive Exercise" conducted with large corporations. HKCT Institute of Higher Education and Integrity Tech jointly organised a 7-day "Cyber Offensive and Defensive Training" earlier this year, providing training for participants from over 10 government departments, demonstrating the government's commitment to cybersecurity.
- Development of innovative technologies: With the Hong Kong government actively promoting innovative technologies and the development of Industry 4.0, applications in areas such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and blockchain require cybersecurity experts to implement and maintain network security.
- Shortage of cybersecurity talent: As network attacks become more widespread and their impact more severe, the financial losses incurred by victims and organizations are difficult to predict. In addition to strengthened regulations by the government, cybersecurity is highly valued across all industries. This makes cybersecurity talent not only in demand within government departments but also in financial institutions, tech companies, large enterprises, consulting firms, and security service providers. Cybersecurity professionals are the "Ace" in protecting corporate information and assets.
So, what are the employment prospects in the field of cybersecurity?
- Cybersecurity Engineer: Responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining network security solutions. This includes tasks such as network architecture design, vulnerability assessment, formulation of security policies, intrusion detection and defense, etc.
- Security Consultant: Provides network security consulting and advice to clients, conducts risk assessments for client businesses, formulates security policies, performs compliance audits, and provides security training to enhance their network and information security levels.
- Security Analyst: Monitors and analyses cybersecurity incidents, takes appropriate measures for prevention, response, and recovery. Uses security tools and techniques to detect threats, analyse malicious code, and participate in security incident investigations.
- Network Systems Administrator: Manages and maintains an enterprise's network infrastructure, ensuring its secure operation. It involves configuring and managing security devices and solutions such as firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, virtual private networks (VPNs), etc.
- Security Operations Centre (SOC) Analyst: Analysts monitor and analyse network activities, identify and respond to potential security threats in real-time. They use tools to collect and analyze security data and execute incident response activities.
- Vulnerability Researcher: As a vulnerability researcher, the task is to identify security vulnerabilities in systems and collaborate with development teams to provide solutions. This role may also involve penetration testing, code review, vulnerability discovery, and other activities.
The above are just a few career options in the field of cybersecurity, and there are many other opportunities available. Cybersecurity is a constantly evolving and changing field. To succeed in this field, you need to continuously learn and update your knowledge to enhance your skills and practical abilities.
HKCT provides cybersecurity programmes:
Higher Diploma in Cybersecurity (Testing and Compliance)*
*This programme has been included in the Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professions/Sectors (SSSDP). HKCT is the only institute offering higher diploma programmes with the SSSDP subsidy in the discipline of “Computer Science”
