Why Is Cybersecurity Important?

Written by: University of Tulsa • Apr 8, 2026

Two cybersecurity professionals standing in a server room read a laptop screen.

Our data and digital devices are more vulnerable than ever to cybercrime due to the vast amount of sensitive information stored digitally on networked systems and the connected devices that make up the Internet of Things (IoT). This interconnected ecosystem is why cybersecurity is important, with every new piece of digital data and new connected system representing a point of vulnerability that cybercriminals can target. Nothing is off limits, and the results can be harmful to people and businesses alike.

People may think hacking is a rare occurrence, but there are thousands of cybercriminals with knowledge and resources rivaling those of information technology companies — and hundreds of thousands of organizations without the resources to defend against them.

According to the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC2), the global gap between the number of cybersecurity workers needed and the number of qualified workers available was approximately 4.8 million workers in 2024, a 19% year-over-year increase from 2023.

This means that cybersecurity continues to be a promising career path for those who have the requisite knowledge and skills learned in an online master’s degree in cybersecurity.

Quick Definition: What Is Cybersecurity?

There’s no one accepted definition of what cybersecurity is and isn’t, because cybersecurity is a broad term that encompasses the many processes and technologies used to prevent, detect, and respond to attacks against digital data, devices, and systems. The total scope of cybersecurity may be even broader.

In the simplest terms, cybersecurity is a technical discipline concerned with protecting the digital interests of people, households, companies, cities, and nations. Its focus includes everything from phishing scams and digital identity theft to large-scale data breaches and cyber terrorism, and it applies to such a wide range of technologies.

What Do Cybersecurity Professionals Do?

Cybersecurity professionals work with various digital assets, systems, and platforms, including financial databases, government databases, electronic health records, IoT-connected devices, power grids, and public transportation systems.

Other cybersecurity professionals specialize in educating people about information and systems security best practices. Human beings remain the biggest cybersecurity threat, which is a known issue among cybersecurity executives: According to Proofpoint’s 2024 Voice of the CISO report, 74% of CISOs cite human error as the top cyber vulnerability.

Reasons Cybersecurity Matters

As storing and holding data in digital formats becomes more common, the opportunities for cybercriminals to find ways to intercept data are likely to increase. This concurrent rise will ultimately increase the importance of cybersecurity.

Reason 1: We’re All Vulnerable to Cybercrime

Humanity is increasingly reliant on information systems and connected digital technology. Cybercrime Magazine predicts humans will store 200 zettabytes of data across personal devices, connected appliances, public infrastructures, and data centers by 2025, and all that data represents a tempting target and cybersecurity vulnerability for thieves.

More Americans are working from home, which means more people are logging into devices remotely and using cloud storage and services. They’re also sharing — and generating — more data in the process.

As more everyday devices and appliances connect to home networks and store user or customer data on the cloud, the number of potential security blind spots also increases, and the importance of cybersecurity increases.

Reason 2: Cybercrime Is Common

Cyberattacks are much more common in the United States than most people realize. Studies show that the frequency of brute-force attacks alone averages out to one attempted cyberattack every 11 seconds. According to a Cybercrime Magazine article, global cybercrime damages are projected to reach $10.5 trillion by 2025.

Additionally, the cybersecurity company NETSCOUT reported a range between 30,000 and 56,000 distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks globally each day between July 2025 and December 2025. Some of these attacks were random, but many were targeted.

Globally, hackers perform billions of malicious scans, find their way into millions of sensitive digital records, blackmail organizations, target life-sustaining infrastructure, and steal hundreds of thousands of dollars each day.

Reason 3: Cybercrime Is an Economic Issue

The economic impact of cybercrime is immense. According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach 2025 report, the average global cost of a data breach in 2024 was $4.4 million. Due to the widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity, this represents a 9% decrease compared with last year and $1.9 million in cost savings.

This data shows why cybersecurity is important. By investing in innovation and advanced cybersecurity technologies, organizations can protect millions of dollars’ worth of valuable data.

Reason 4: Cybercrime Erodes Personal Privacy

Strong passwords are no longer all it takes to protect data. Anyone who works, shops, or plays online — nearly everyone — is vulnerable to digital strikes that take the form of viruses, phishing, worms, spyware, malware, and simple fraud. Attacks are frequent, and attackers are unrelenting.

The Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) documented more than 1 million phishing attacks in the first quarter of 2025, the largest quarterly total since 2023. Unfortunately, these attacks can lead to consequences such as fraud.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported 2.6 million fraud reports from consumers in 2023. Furthermore, FTC data indicates consumers lost more than $10 billion in 2023 due to fraudulent activity. While the burden of securing sensitive personal information is technically on the individual, there is very little people can do to ensure the organizations and services they use safeguard data shared with third-party entities.

Reason 5: Cybercrime Is a Threat to National Security

The ubiquity of unprotected databases and networked systems opens a door to foreign nations, terrorists, and extremist groups looking to disrupt physical infrastructure, gain economic advantage, steal state secrets, and erode confidence in citizens.

In 2021, President Biden signed an executive order aiming to boost federal government cybersecurity, including improving it in areas where government agencies interact with the private sector. This latter element is crucial: As the 2021 ransomware attack against the Colonial Pipeline oil network illustrated, further cybersecurity measures in the private sector will be vital to beefing up America’s digital security because there’s little to prevent enemies of the state from targeting privately owned infrastructure.

Reason 6: Rates of Cybercrime Are Increasing

Digital technology is evolving quickly, and the rapid, widespread implementation of new technologies is creating areas of vulnerability that cybercriminals eagerly exploit. Security breaches have increased dramatically in the last 20 years, as people and organizations adopt new technologies without performing thorough risk assessments.

Getting Started: Careers in Cybersecurity

The work that cybersecurity analysts do to protect systems, networks, and data can be crucial to business. Professionals can pursue roles such as:

Penetration tester
Cybersecurity engineer
Security architect
Information security analyst
Director of cybersecurity
Chief information security officer (CISO)

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that information security analysts earned a median annual salary of $124,910 as of May 2024 and projects an employment growth of 29% between 2024 and 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.

How the University of Tulsa Is Bridging the Cybersecurity Workforce and Skills Gap

Bridging the cybersecurity skills gap is vitally important because every minute counts in the fight against hackers. Enterprises, nonprofits, and governments aren’t willing to entrust their sensitive data protection, digital systems security, intellectual property protection, or network oversight to just anyone. They look for professionals who have the advanced skills required to manage the modern and ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape.

For anyone ready to begin an innovative, challenging career in cybersecurity, investing in an M.S. in Cyber Security — particularly one from a Designated Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense such as The University of Tulsa — can be a fundamental first step.

In our online Master of Science in Cyber Security program, you can earn a master’s degree in as little as 20 months while studying with industry-leading faculty, graduating with the cybersecurity skills and knowledge needed to become a leader in the world of cybersecurity.

Discover how you can build a meaningful career in cybersecurity with an M.S. in Cyber Security from The University of Tulsa.

Recommended Readings

AI and Access Security: How It’s Changing the Industry

C-Suite and Cybersecurity Professionals: How They Collaborate

What Is an Information Security Analyst?

Sources:

APWG, “Phishing Activity Trends Reports”

Cybercrime Magazine, “Predictions 2025: What’s Next in Cybersecurity?”

Cybercrime Magazine, “The World Will Store 200 Zettabytes of Data by 2025”

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Cybersecurity Best Practices

Federal Trade Commission, As Nationwide Fraud Losses Top $10 Billion in 2023, FTC Steps Up Efforts to Protect the Public

IBM, Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025