Organizations need to bring staff up to speed quickly in mobile app development--and mobile app security in particular.
Android app development is a valuable skillset for a programmer today. An important part of that skillset is the ability to create apps that protect you, your users, and your users' organizations from attack. What's needed is improving programming processes to promote security and providing countermeasures for the numerous threats to which an Android app and its users are exposed.
The prevalence of mobile devices and apps will bring the potential for a wide array of new security problems. CompTIA has announced their intention to create a new security credential for mobile app developers.
But it's not just the increase in mobile device use that is spurring the need for an IT workforce that is prepared to deal with security issues. Many other factors have arisen recently, making IT security an urgent need in many organizations.
Months-long attacks on American banks and financial institutions combined with the rise of cyber warfare have increased the attention on IT security in private and government organizations. The increase in e-commerce and cloud computing has escalated the potential for security problems. Almost every online store from Amazon to Zappos can cite examples of denial of service attacks or breaches in their site security, as well as behind-the-scenes players in e-commerce, such as Global Payments, the credit card clearinghouse for Visa, MasterCard, and other big name credit card companies.
IT security skills are increasingly in high demand, with Certified Information Systems Security Professionals (CISSP) attaining salaries well into six digits. IT workers in many government, military, and civilian security positions are required to earn and maintain this certification. Look for additional security certifications to be created in response to the need for IT security skills.
(Note: The company also provides a course titled CompTIA Mobile App Security+ - Android Edition.)
By: Bill Rosenthal, CEO, Logical Operations, Inc., www.logicaloperations.com , which provides facilitator-led multi-channel skills training.
