This past year was a bit of a crazy one for the IT admin. Well, at least in the news, with a constant barrage of eye-opening breaches, hacks and scams. Hopefully it was quiet and uneventful in terms of cybersecurity activity. We want to make it a easier for you to keep it calm and quiet by sharing trends we are watching and proposing solutions. In this instalment, we will address the lack of cybersecurity experts.
The Lack of Cybersecurity Experts
Awareness about cybersecurity exploded in 2016, fuelled by media and cultural conversations. With this increased awareness of cybersecurity, there’s been an increase on the demand for experts. It’s becoming clear that there are not enough cybersecurity experts available — and that trend will continue for years to come.
There is more cybersecurity work than there are experts to do it — and this will be a key issue in 2017. Even worse? By 2020, there is expected to be deficit of 1.5 million cybersecurity experts globally according to ISC.
What does that mean? Of 775 IT decision-makers involved in cybersecurity interviewed, “82% of them reported a shortage of cybersecurity skills, and 71% agreed that the shortage of skills does direct and measurable damage.”
This does not bode well for security managers, 93 percent of whom already feel overwhelmed according to McAfee.
A Ponemon Research report shows, “an astonishing 79% of security teams do not feel that they have processes in place to gain actionable intelligence about external threats. In fact, almost half of those teams —38% percent of the total respondents— say that they don’t have any kind of external monitoring process in place.”
If there’s a positive trend in 2017, it’s that the advances in cybersecurity AI will allow security vendors to automate certain functions.
Lack of Cybersecurity Experts Solutions
1. DIY
Consider getting at least an entry-level security certification. It will give you enough info to keep your security suppliers accountable.
2. Outsource
Ensure that your security suppliers are staffed by experienced experts with credentials and proven track records, with their products having been properly tested and vetted for performance.
3. No Stranger to Danger
A little bit of education and paranoia for your staff can go a long way.
4. Use Security Tools You can be Confident In
Ultimately, while there may be a lack of cybersecurity officials, the key is to find a vendor you can rely on.
If you’d like to read more about cybersecurity trends and solutions, you can download our white paper Cybersecurity Trends and Solutions for 2017 , which covers the lack of cybersecurity experts and 13 other trends you need to be up to date on.
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