The metaverse is making waves as we speak, with many predicting that it will alter the course of human civilization, or at the very least cause disruption and change in a number of key areas.
With great upheaval come not just opportunities for incredible positive developments, but also vulnerabilities which the malicious elements of this world will gladly exploit to their advantage.
This is where anyone with a degree-level education in an IT-related topic will serve you well, so let’s look at the risks involved and the aspects which make experienced individuals especially employable in this context.
The old and the new combined
Put simply, the metaverse is about creating a second reality, within which individuals are represented as avatars, with the use of virtual reality and other technologies making this possible on a large scale.
If you’ve got an online masters in information technology, or any other degree in an IT-adjacent subject, you’ll have a grounding in what’s at play here, even if it’s presented as being brand-new and cutting edge.
As such, the same threats that persist elsewhere on the web will carry over to the metaverse. This includes things like account hacking and social engineering attacks, where people’s accounts are compromised and their data stolen or ransomed.
At the same time, predictions of entirely new types of security risks paint a potentially chilling image of what might happen further down the line. So-called ‘man in the room’ attacks are a good example of this.
Imagine a pair of metaverse users head off to a private room to chat. They think they’re alone, out of virtual earshot of everyone else in the area. Unfortunately, a third party has managed to conceal themselves in the room, and can eavesdrop with impunity.
It’s this kind of scenario which is made possible by the metaverse, and so finding unique solutions to these new problems is a priority as this ecosystem emerges and evolves.
The attraction for employers
Those with IT degrees are already able to enjoy excellent levels of demand from employers on the job market, whether for roles that are specific to their skill sets or more general positions which benefit from having technological knowledge as a differentiating factor.
As the specter of the metaverse looms large over more industries, this brave new era will have to be encompassed with care, and with a particular focus on protecting businesses and their customers from malicious intervention.
The main point to grasp is that the metaverse has the potential to crop up as relevant in all industries and sectors. From virtual college campuses which host entire university learning experiences, to product development laboratories, to healthcare conferences and beyond, the projected reach of this tech is vast.
With this comes the likelihood that organizations of all sizes will be targeted by cybercriminals whenever they attempt to deploy the metaverse to benefit their operations.
This state of affairs has already been played out with earlier incarnations of the web, and so this next step that’s represented by the metaverse is going to be just as ripe for nefarious interference. If you are in a position to advise and guide a business to a safe path to metaverse adoption, then your skills will be valued and you’ll be handsomely compensated as a result.
Looking forward
The final point to consider is that while the metaverse is experiencing a lot of hype as we speak, it is also entirely possible that this will not be quite as big of a revolution as some of its proponents are predicting.
Regardless, those with IT degrees will still be valued as digital tech is going nowhere and employers will always need your services.
