EDITOR’S QUESTION
WHAT STRATEGIES ARE
COMPANIES PUTTING
IN PLACE TO INVEST IN
CYBERSKILLS?’
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There is a notable gap in cyberskills but that is
starting to change as organisations recognise
the need to fill this gap to ensure the continued
smooth running of business operations.
Organisations continually increase their reliance on IT due
to fast moving Digital Transformations across the board
but this leaves companies vulnerable to cyberattacks.
According to Big Market Research, it is projected that the
Middle East and Africa cybersecurity market will reach
US$65.5 billion by 2025.
Of course, cybercrime is not a new development but
high-profile breaches bring the attention to cyberattacks
more than ever before.
The attacks in question range from the theft of data, to
co-ordinated spam emails or phishing attempts.
The Global State of Information Security survey
looked in detail at the various processes connected
with cybersecurity. Areas of particular concern
included identity management, threat assessments
vulnerability assessments, security standards for
external business partners and the active monitoring
and analysis of cybersecurity.
With this in mind, many are putting strategies in place to
invest in cyberskills.
There are options available for employers looking to
increase their cybersecurity. Companies could spend
money on detailed technical training required for
security professionals, as well as more entry level
cybersecurity courses.
More companies are starting to invest in security
awareness training where the focus is on the human side
of things, rather than the technology. It is important to
train staff in what cybersecurity means and how to use
the technology available to them.
Technology is a key part of the mix but only once
the basics are in place around people, governance,
and processes.
Another major driver of security spending in 2020 will be
increasing the skills of cybersecurity staff around cloud
services and supply chain security, while encryption and
SecureDevOps are also a focus for many companies.
Apprenticeships can also bring new skills and talent,
without the need for a university education. They can
learn the exact skills needed within the company they
are working for.
Organisations looking to address their cybersecurity skills
gap can also greatly benefit from the services model, with
security in the future expected to be delivered as a service.
There are also clear benefits to engaging with
qualified external partners, while enabling smooth
internal operations such as bridging the divide
between GRC (Governance, Risk and Compliance)
and cybersecurity teams.
32 INTELLIGENTCIO www.intelligentcio.com