The Catch-22 that has affected the cybersecurity profession since its inception remains a serious problem, according to a newly released report. To get a job in cybersecurity, many organizations require hands-on experience, but gaining that experience requires having a previous cybersecurity position in the first place. This conundrum is a challenge cybersecurity talent is fighting to overcome. The report is based on a study of 327 cybersecurity professionals in late 2019 and early 2020 by the Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) for the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA). The findings underscore the need for more training and certification, and more creative approaches by hiring managers to find talent in unexpected places. “There is a continuous lack of training, career development, and

In a world that is constantly changing, the immediate future of emerging technologies looks exciting and promising. Rapid advances over the next five years may help humanity solve some of the biggest challenges like the climate crisis, our ability to cure illnesses, understanding the universe and our microcosmos, and improving productivity through business automation. Despite the obvious benefits technology brings, it has also created many cybersecurity and privacy challenges. The overall business risk has increased because of the changing and expanding threat landscape. Cyber criminals are also leveraging these technologies to launch their malicious actions, which are more sophisticated than ever and harder to detect. The World Economic Forum, in their annual Global Risks report, have ranked cyber related risks

Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important as more businesses collect, share, and use more and more data as part of their practices. The news headlines have been dominated by security incidents affecting the personal data of millions of people around the world. The importance of cybersecurity is underscored by the cost of a breach, with IBM estimating the average cost of a data breach in the United States being $8.19 million. Zero unemployment is not a dream! The cybersecurity industry has a zero percent unemployment, which make it an attractive statistic. It certainly is a great reason for everyone, either IT professionals or students graduating from Universities, to choose cybersecurity as a career. But this is not the only factor to

Professionalizing the world of cybersecurity education and training is a major focus area for the UK Government, especially in the new realities we find ourselves in. It included plans in its National Cyber Security Strategy in 2016 to develop the cyber security profession, including creating a UK Cyber Security Council to focus on professional development, professional ethics, thought leadership, influence and outreach. Late last year, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport commissioned the creation of the Council through a consortium of cyber security professional bodies – including (ISC)² –known as the Cyber Security Alliance. (ISC)² has been diligently working alongside other Alliance volunteers to build the UK Cyber Security Council. It is set to commence operations in April 2021.

There is no question that now is a great time to break into cybersecurity as a career. (ISC)² research shows the shortage of skilled security resources is approaching 3 million globally. Getting into this line of work can be approached from many different angles. Whether you are an experienced professional looking to make a pivot into security or a college student exploring the field, the right preparation, network and credentials can make all the difference. We asked three cyber professionals about their journey into security and the advice they would give to up-and-comers in the field. Here’s what they shared. Certification helps direct your security focus Michael Banks, a cybersecurity engineer with Amazon Web Services, first got a taste of