Cyber security is an everlasting topic that simply cannot be avoided. It has been talked about since the internet was adopted worldwide and it still carries a lot of importance. You might think something like “get over cyber security” but the fact is that this field is in a bigger crisis than ever before.
Today, there are a lot of cyber thieves and hackers that implement advanced technologies and tricks to steal valuable information or assets online. The fact that there is a big shortage of cybersecurity experts makes the whole thing even more difficult.
You might think that you have everything covered at one point, but cybersecurity always requires new measures, learning, techniques and implementations, to make sure that your online security is up to par. The fact that over 80% of organizations had some cyber security issues in 2015 shows how desperate this area is.
Securing your networks is a constant challenge
Cybercriminals are always looking to find new ways to pursue their agenda and they are getting away with it, constantly staying ahead of security measures organizations and individuals employ to protect themselves. There is a constant race between hackers and government spies on the one side, and organizations trying to secure their online assets on the other.
As soon as organizations are able to improve their security measures, the guys at the other side find new networks, devices and protocols to take advantage of. This is a never-ending cycle that repeats itself while both sides improving their capabilities and tactics in the process.
Organizations make efforts to improve their security by acquiring new technology such as antivirus software, various encryptions, firewalls, but very often, organizations may neglect something. In order to be fully effective with their defense measures, they need an all-around security strategy and a certified security expert to lead the security team.
Organizations don’t value cybersecurity experts
Company leaders who work on the frontlines of IT usually take security very seriously, but the problem is that the picture is not the same with the executive team. Over 70% of cybersecurity experts think that the organizations they work in don’t have the necessary cybersecurity skills and that impacts their security in great measure.
They don’t have high level employees who focus on cybersecurity and possess the right knowledge. In most cases, their junior personnel takes care of security and they don’t have the necessary skills and experience. Since management has no interest in this area, this explains why there are small organization that have in-house cybersecurity experts.
Under 10% of organizations employ security executives and what’s even more terrifying is the fact that only around a third of them employ cybersecurity experts who work in IT departments. Additionally, over 55% of organization have no contact with an IT security professional whatsoever.
Organizations don’t train security employees
Now, you’re thinking: “Since organizations aren’t reaching out to professionals in the field, they must be investing in training their own teams to take care of their security needs?” You guessed wrong, as only 38% of professional security experts say that they are providing their clients with proper security education and training.
Another survey has shown that only around 60% of business leaders are open to training their employees in security. Most of them need to be convinced and assured that this is very important for their business endeavors as they don’t take security threats that seriously. Most of them will not invest in training directly and they expect their employees to learn on their own online when they find the time.
Additionally, connected devices are now a big threat, as most organizations think that servers, desktops and laptops are important, but they don’t pay attention to devices such as remote appliances, smartphones, wearables, and sensors. This is a very big concern as more and more internet of things (IoT) devices are being included in the workplaces.
Employing all-around cybersecurity measures that will minimize risks takes a lot of effort and they include deploying the right security technology, creating security policies, training employees and IT professionals, and educating users. On top of that, it’s important to hire people who don’t present a liability. These are all things that you need to take care of, so are you?