Security News > 2020 > September > Cybersecurity Perception Study shows increasing admiration for those in the profession
Attitudes toward cybersecurity roles are now overwhelmingly positive, according to a newly released study by², which calls itself the world's largest nonprofit association of certified cybersecurity professionals.
The 2020 Cybersecurity Perception Study found that 71% of respondents, all of whom do not work in the industry, said they consider cybersecurity professionals to be smart and technically skilled, while 51% also described them as "The good guys fighting cybercrime."
As National Cybersecurity Awareness Month approaches in October, the findings indicate a shift in popular opinion about cybersecurity professionals, who have traditionally been viewed through a negative lens as roadblocks to business efficiency, the² study said.
"What these results show us is that while it's becoming even more highly-respected, the cybersecurity profession is still misunderstood by many, and that's counterproductive to encouraging more people to pursue this rewarding career," said Wesley Simpson, COO of², in a statement.
In the absence of formal cybersecurity education, perceptions about the industry and the professionals in it are formed primarily through portrayals in TV shows and movies or by news coverage of security incidents.