As we move deeper into an age in which digital devices are an integral part of our lives, cybersecurity is taking on more importance for both individuals and organizations. This stems from the fact that cybercriminals and their methods of conducting cyberattacks have become more advanced and, as a result, more significant of a threat.

While many in the cybersecurity field are excellent at their jobs, the field could be more well-rounded in some aspects. In particular, incorporating more computer engineers into cybersecurity efforts could make defences more robust and comprehensive. Understanding how computer engineers can help strengthen the field of cybersecurity can provide one with a more detailed grasp of the current state of cybersecurity and the ways it should evolve over the next decade.

Here is why there is a need for more computer engineers in cybersecurity.

What Are Computer Engineers?

Before comprehending how they can make a positive impact on cybersecurity efforts, it’s important to understand what a computer engineer is and the type of specialized knowledge they can bring to the table. Put simply, the field of computer engineering is a combination of the fields of computer science and electronic engineering.

Computer science is a field characterized by the study of computers and computational code. Conversely, electronic engineering focuses on the hardware in electronics, such as microprocessors.

By utilizing skills from both of these fields, computer engineers create and advance computer technology in a variety of contexts. This distinctive specialization allows computer engineers to have unique insights that have the power to strengthen cybersecurity efforts in several prudent and discerning ways.

How Computer Engineers Benefit Cybersecurity

To fully comprehend the extent to which computer engineers can make a positive impact on the field of cybersecurity, it can help to be exposed to some key examples. Here are some impactful ways that computer engineers can benefit cybersecurity efforts.

Computers Engineers Provide Complex Problem-Solving Skills and Unique Insights

In the realm of cybersecurity, solving problems and designing ingenious defences is key to crafting robust cybersecurity measures. Computer engineers, due to their specialized training, bring unique approaches to problem-solving and idiosyncratic insights that inform creative thinking. These can both be especially useful when it comes to the creation of new cybersecurity defences.

Computer engineers are particularly well-suited for this task due to their comprehensive knowledge of how electronic components and code interact. As such, these professionals have insights that their peers trained only in the field of cybersecurity may not. When crafting a new and powerful cybersecurity system, it makes sense that it’s beneficial to have many unique perspectives working together to solve problems and think creatively.

Computer engineers are the perfect professionals to add to cybersecurity teams and projects to make them more well-rounded in terms of problem-solving approaches and differing perspectives.

Computer Engineers Are Experts in Testing Systems

Testing is a key component in the process of crafting new cybersecurity systems. As such, thorough and accurate testing is vital to the creation of strong and robust cybersecurity systems. Computer engineers are experts when it comes to testing systems because it is an integral part of creating new computer technology. Given that this skill set is important in creating effective cybersecurity systems, it makes sense that computer engineers would make an excellent addition to any cybersecurity team.

For organizations with important information to protect, such as governments and businesses that store the private information of individuals, having experts who can test and assess the effectiveness of cybersecurity systems is extremely important.

If cybersecurity systems aren’t tested thoroughly, then systems will be left vulnerable to cyberattacks. This being the case, computer engineers are the perfect professionals to integrate into cybersecurity efforts to ensure that all systems and defence measures are tested thoroughly and accurately.

Computer Engineers Make Cybersecurity Efforts More Effective

As cybercriminals become more and more of a threat to the well-being of individuals and organizations, strengthening cybersecurity efforts has become a top priority across industries. Incorporating computer engineers into cybersecurity teams is a perfect solution to this problem that allows organizations to bolster their defences and be more effective when crafting new cybersecurity measures.

It is more than likely that computer engineers will become a staple in most — if not all — cybersecurity teams across a wide variety of industries and settings over the next decade.