Although the worldwide web can open many doors, it can also threaten your safety and security. In an increasingly technologically advancing world, cybersecurity is becoming more and more important.

Cybersecurity is a technical discipline that responds to and protects against all cybercrime. Cybersecurity locates threats and responds to attacks against digital data, devices, and systems.

Cybercrime can exist in many forms and many things can count as cyber threats or attacks. From viruses to hacking, identity theft, piracy, and network intrusions. Any threat that exists in the digital space can be considered a cybercrime. These threats need specialized cybersecurity measures and individuals to identify and resolve.

Whether you’re an internet connoisseur or simply curious about your safety online, you’ve come to the right place. Here are 6 reasons why cybersecurity is so vital in today’s day and age, and why you should care more about it.

Read on to learn more about cybersecurity and why you should better protect yourself online and become more cyber-savvy.

1. Anyone can be a victim of cybercrime

The main reason why more people should care about cybercrime is that it can happen to anyone. More and more people today are using informational systems and digital technology. This technology is susceptible to cybercrime.

As long as you have stored data, working devices, active accounts, or a presence online, you’re susceptible to cybercrime. You don’t have to be someone high up or important to experience a cyberattack. This is why cybersecurity is so crucial for everyone.  

It’s important to note that even though the threat of cybercrime is rising, so are the defensive tactics. Just as anyone can fall victim to cybercrime, so can anyone get a graduate certificate in cybersecurity management to be safe. At any time, anyone can start learning how to fend off cyberattacks through courses, workshops, and university degrees. 

2. Cybercrime is more common than you think

Not only is anyone susceptible to cybercrime, but it happens more often than most people are aware of. The general public may think that cybercrime only happens as it does in movies. Where everything is always high-stakes and the government is involved. Although this does happen, thousands of cybercrime attempts and attacks happen every day to everyday people. 

One attempted brute-force attack happens every 39 seconds. One person becomes a ransomware victim every 10 seconds. Statistics say that 87% of businesses have faced some form of cyberattack. Billions of malicious scans are done every day to find ways into infrastructures and databases. With the current statistics, it’s easy to see why cybercrime poses such a strong threat. Any business, industry, company, or average person in the world can become a target. 

3. Threatens personal privacy

Cybercrime affects businesses and individuals on a private level. Cybercriminals are experts at extracting private and sensitive information. With the right skill, anyone can fall victim to their tactics. A cybercriminal will use viruses, worms, phishing, spyware, and malware to get their hands on your data. These data breaches can happen with or without your knowledge. They can happen to anyone from government officials to your friends and family. 

There are a few ways to prevent these breaches from happening. A good place to start is with stronger passwords, recognizing phishing scams, and having the right protective software. A strong password and being careful online is not enough to keep these cybercriminals at bay. While there are some preventative measures everyone can use, stronger cybersecurity is paramount.

4. Affects the economy

Aside from attacking your private information, cyberattacks target and affect the economy as well. Damages done by cybercrime are more expensive than damages inflicted by natural disasters. It is even theorized that cybercrime could be the leading cause of the next major recession. Cybercrime can affect the economy in many ways. Through data breaches and the technology needed to stop these data breaches from happening. 

Data breaches can ruin the reputation and accountability of any brand. These breaches can cost millions of dollars to detect and resolve. Good, high-level cybersecurity in these dire situations is expensive. The necessary training and expertise needed to resolve the problem are also expensive. Depending on the company, this can drastically affect markets, investors, and the company itself. Data breaches have the potential to set off a domino effect of economic failure.

5. Threatens national security

Another reason why cybersecurity is so important is that it threatens national security. The vitality and national security of society depend on government cyberspace. Its safety, stability, and resiliency are paramount. Everyone would be affected if anything were to happen to a country’s cyberspace infrastructure. From government officials to civilians, everyone would feel the effects.

Cybercriminals are always trying to break into, access, and disrupt government databases. If left unsafe, it opens the door to foreign nations, terrorist, and extremist attacks. Strong cybersecurity is crucial for protecting information and the safety of millions of lives.

6. Threats of rising cybercrime levels

On a final note, the main threat of cybercrime is its predicted rising levels in the future. Safety and security issues from cybercrime will only be more and more present in the future. With the rise of technology, and the world leaning towards a new, digital era, increased cybercrime is inevitable.

Digital technology is evolving at a rapid pace, and along with it are cybercrime tactics. Statistics have shown an increase in cybercrime from 2016 to the present day. This is proof of the predicted trend. The rise of cybercrime is the main reason why it is crucial that more money and resources are invested in cybersecurity in the future. 

So there you have it! With these 6 points, it’s easy to understand why cybersecurity is not only necessary but crucial in 2022. Cybersecurity helps protect the private information, lives, and safety of millions every day. From viruses to data breaches to malicious spyware, cybercrimes can strike anywhere, anytime. Anyone can become a victim of cybercrime whether you’re a government official or a supermarket worker. 

Cybercrime affects both the individual and the population as a whole. Cybercrime threatens the safety and security of the general public. It attacked private information, the economy, and national security as a whole. There are acts of malicious cybercrime committed every day, and the numbers are only going to get higher in the future.