5 Ways to Overcome the Cyber Security Skills Gap

There’s not a business out there who wants to be the victim of a data security breach. Yet, when a company lacks the IT skills required, or the appropriate number of IT staff needed to implement effective security measures, an organization becomes a high risk for a cyber attack. Many experts recognize that companies are on the verge of facing a severe cyber security crisis. There is a lack of cyber security professionals across the country, leaving companies compromised in confidential personal and financial data. The question arises, how do we solve this problem?

Alternative Ways That Companies Can Fill-in the Gaps

Employee Training

Hiring skilled workers for the IT staff is definitely the ideal situation for any company, but that’s not always possible. Companies need to begin looking internally at candidates who can be reskilled to perform required tasks.

A recent Forbes article,3 Ways To Bridge The Tech Skills Gap In 2022,” mentions three companies that have created reskilling programs for employees interested in pursuing new opportunities within the business.

Investing in an employee’s future can have a significant impact on the company. The Forbes article also mentions the results of a Monster poll, which found that 50% of workers would likely stay with their employer if offered skills training.

College & University Recruiting

With a reported scarcity of cyber security experts in the country, hiring freshly graduated college students is one way to enhance your business’s cyber security skills. Newly graduated college and university students have little experience in the field, but over time, and with some additional on-the-job and in-person training, they will quickly advance their skill set. For corporations, especially small- and medium-sized businesses, it can be risky to hire amateur employees, but it’s better than taking the security risks.

There may be advantages to recruiting interns who can perform many basic IT tasks, which allows full-time, senior IT staff to focus on the more difficult tasks and projects. Shopify perfected its internship program over many years. Its VP of engineering, Farhan Thawar, shares tips with businesses on how to build a successful internship program. You can find out more on the SaaStr Podcast, episode #427, “How to Build a Great Intern Program From Scratch with Shopify.”  

Career Change Candidates

Recruitment is never a cheap and easy process for any business. It requires a lot of time and resources to review resumes, interview, and provide feedback. Some IT positions require applicants with specific skills, but some positions can be filled by someone looking to change careers.

These applicants may be considered a risk, but don’t overlook their work history, personality, and drive. Someone who can learn quickly and acquire on-the-job skills may end up being a great employee because they are driven by the opportunity to learn something new.

As a matter of fact, if the right person comes along whose personality fits within the team and the organization’s culture but lacks some necessary skills, it might be worth considering paying for different certifications.

Consider Automation Tools

There are opportunities that companies can take advantage of to automate some cybersecurity processes. Cyber security automation allows companies to detect and contain a data breach faster. According to the IBMCost of a Data Breach Report 2021,” cyber-security automation was the most significant factor for the difference in the total cost of a data breach.  

The benefits the companies have after implementing automation for cyber security include:

  • Faster threat detection
  • Faster containment and mitigation
  • Improved productivity
  • Standardized security processes  

Protecting a business against a cyber attack is expensive. Small- and medium-sized businesses (SMB) can find it especially difficult with limited budgets to find skilled personnel and the tools required to effectively protect the network. 

Partnering with an MSP or MSSP

Many SMBs partner with a managed security service provider to manage their cyber security and protect them from cyber attacks. However, relying only on an MSSP can create challenges. Most MSSPs are not equipped to handle the task and rely on off-the-shelf solutions to protect a client’s network. Unfortunately, this practice establishes a middleman-type relationship and can slow down remediation efforts.

Finding a partner who is both a managed service provider and an MSSP is the best option for an SMB. This will provide comprehensive, turn-key coverage of the network environment so that no task is missed or overlooked.

Companies that need help filling cyber security roles and protecting the organization against attacks need to think of alternate ways to fill the gap. However, partnering with an MSP is the sure answer for quick protection and access to experts about processes, attacks, defense tactics, and day-to-day operations.

 

Visual Edge specializes in managed IT services and security, cloud computing, and print/copy solutions for businesses across the US, including remote offices. The company has more than 20 years of technology service with a national network of expert engineers. Request your no-obligation assessment today and get a free dark web analysis.