Businesses all over the world are reporting a shortage in cyber-security talent. In fact, a report from Frost & Sullivan and (ISC) revealed that by 2020 the global cybersecurity workforce should have over 1.5 million unfilled positions. However, the security industry is a rapidly growing market. IDC sees it becoming a $101 billion opportunity by 2020. With that said, let’s take a look at some of the cyber-security skills that will be in high-demand.

 

Intrusion Detection

Intel Security released a survey where 53% of the respondents claimed that the cyber-security talent deficit was worse than the skills shortage in other IT professions. One of the cyber-security skills mentioned in the report was intrusion detection. According to the SANS Institute, this skill involves discovering potentially harmful activity that can compromise confidentiality, integrity, or the availability of information. Now, there are a few common types of intrusion detection. For example, network-based detection attempts to detect unauthorized behavior based on network traffic. Another type is host-based detection which looks for illicit activity on a specific device. Finally, you have physical detection deals with finding threats to physical systems

 

Secure Software Development

Paul Fisher, a Research Director for Cyber at PAC, explains secure software development as the key to an organization’s security strategy. He continues by saying that having secure software can help businesses save money. Securing code development might costs a bit more because of the need for high-quality engineers and testing, it still costs far less than a data breach which would damage a brand, negatively impact stock value, and cause long-term consumer distrust. Having a data breach can also lead to more costs to repair the damaged systems and fix any flawed apps.

 

Risk Mitigation

Risk Mitigation refers to tracking any identified risks, discovering new ones, and tracking any risks throughout a project. Implementing a risk mitigation plan involves the creation of a process of actions that reduce any threats to a project. It is important to understand the fact that data must be protected and the reason why. Businesses need to identify their most valuable assets and any threats that put them at risk. They also need to know how they store this information, who has access, and how they will protect the data. Businesses also need to be aware of their course of action in the event of a breach. They must be ready to address a cyber-security attack immediately to minimize the damage. Having a professional in this skill can be essential to formulate the best course of action.