A widening cyber-security skills gap is leaving businesses vulnerable

Currently, the InfoSec industry is suffering from a global skills gap which has grown to almost 3 million. By April 2019, it was found that 55% of UK businesses had faced a cyber-attack since the start of the year and when asked, most admitted they were under-prepared for dealing with potential breaches. This shows the urgent need to begin closing the gap and sourcing talented InfoSec professionals who can help strengthen a company’s cyber-security.

Massive phishing campaigns, web app attacks and insider threats are just some of the advanced, persistent threats which InfoSec specialists deal with daily. Unfortunately, many attacks are carried out by bots and cyber-security professionals can’t be expected to keep up with the sheer amount of volume they bring.

Within the industry, many have turned to automation as a potential solution to both the skills shortage and the number of bots searching for vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, while this may slow down any attackers, the sophisticated nature of this machinery requires teams to install, maintain and upgrade this technology in-line with the rapid growth of cyber-attacks.

That’s not to say that automation has no place within cyber-security, in fact, automation often makes it possible. Millions of IT events happen every minute and petabytes of data are exchanged, expecting just one person or team to analyse this is essentially impossible. Automation makes cyber-security simpler by identifying actual threats and helping InfoSec teams respond to genuine issues quicker.

For the InfoSec industry to close this skills gap, candidates who don’t have obvious cyber-security experience need to be considered. Instead of just seeking out those already in a relevant role, hiring managers should look further afield to find those who have transferable skills which could benefit the entire industry. For example, those who have a background in systems administration or information analysis will find themselves with relevant experience to this sector.

Building a cyber-security team with employees from different backgrounds can only enhance an organisation’s defences as each member brings a unique approach and experiences. This allows the team to explore different avenues of problem-solving as new security threats and potential breaches continue to grow.

At Senitor, we’ve been working in the IT industry for over 20 years and we’ve watched as the entire sector’s landscape has evolved. The average loss of income from cyber-attacks has soared 61% and now sits at $369,000, so we understand how important it is to find top InfoSec talent. So, whether you’re looking to recruit or for your next opportunity, get in touch with our team today or call us on 0161 486 1599.