Shannon McMurtrey: Demand is strong for both Web security and training.
Whether it’s organized teams of criminals deploying ransomware from Russia or website redirects installed by a devious competitor, modern business is becoming increasingly dependent on those who can defend digital data.
British insurance firm Lloyd’s of London estimated last year hackers cost businesses $400 billion. As consumers’ lives get increasingly caught in the Web, cybersecurity losses are projected to rise to $2.1 billion by 2020, according to Juniper Research.
Those factors and more are prompting new higher-education program offerings in Springfield.
Angie Adamick, director of Drury University’s MBA program, said school officials are working to launch a graduate-level cybersecurity program in the fall, and they’ve tapped Missouri State University cybersecurity program Director Shannon McMurtrey to help develop its curriculum and teach.
“The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment in information security is going to grow by 37 percent by 2020,” Adamick said. “We’re excited to tap into that area by having someone like Shannon come on board and head this program for us.”
McMurtrey, co-founder of McMurtrey/Whitaker and Associates Inc., which developed online shopping software Cart32, said he is moving to Drury to help expand cybersecurity options in the area. After 18 years teaching at MSU, his last day is July 31.
“I’m convinced MSU is committed to the program and will do a good job with that, so the chance to expand the offerings in the area was appealing to me,” McMurtrey said. “It offered an opportunity for me to have more direct interaction with students. Everything in the MSU program is online. At Drury, the classes are a little smaller, and it’s a little more interactive with the students face-to-face.”
At MSU, the College of Business already has found a successor. Josh Davis of the College of Charleston is slated to begin July 1 as the head of MSU’s Computer Information Systems, said Libby Rozell, associate dean of MSU’s MBA program.
Drury’s cybersecurity offerings are still taking shape, according to Adamick, with early efforts designed to first establish an accredited certificate program. To broaden the appeal, Drury’s grouping of classes starting this fall will offer training for both cybersecurity professionals and the leadership of those workers.
“If you just talk about cybersecurity, well, a lot people think that’s for techies,” Adamick said. “But if we talk about leadership, we are really talking about people who are also in managerial positions that need to understand what it means to have people in place to help protect their business.”
Demand for more cybersecurity jobs is strong in the U.S. as business owners, managers and information technology workers fight to keep data secure. According to IT-industry group ISACA, previously known as the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, 90 percent of its U.S. members who last year participated in its global-security survey said they believe there is a shortage of skilled professionals.
“Right now, there are actually 1 million jobs in cybersecurity that are unfilled,” McMurtrey said, citing a 2015 global estimate from technology giant Cisco Systems Inc.
For ISACA industry professionals, more members fear a hacker security breach than a physical act of terrorism or war. While 51 percent said they were equally concerned about both, 37 percent said they were more worried about a cyberattack compared to 9 percent who reported they were more concerned about a physical attack from U.S. enemies.
MSU’s Rozell worked closely with McMurtrey to create the school’s cybersecurity graduate-level certificate program and its master’s in cybersecurity curriculum, which began in the fall. “Our program is about educating students to be aware of weaknesses in systems that businesses and organizations might have, as well as learning about the techniques and tools used to increase security.”
She said the efforts have drawn more interest than expected with more than 20 students pursuing the master’s degree in the first year – a third-year goal for the new degree program.
