One of the most prestigious voices in the IT industry recently made an interesting proclamation: “The next big thing is dead.” So starts CompTIA’s IT Outlook 2019, which finds the next big thing is no longer about some new jaw-dropping technology advancement but rather a combination of various technologies, people and processes. If you’re expecting to be bowled over by a new technology trend any time soon, think again. Producing the desired business outcomes now means getting your human resources to expertly fuse together already-available technology building blocks and tools. And that’s what will fuel IT market growth of about 4% in 2019, CompTIA says. So what is the relevance to cybersecurity in all this? Strategic thinking and the application

If you already have or are pursuing your CISSP from (ISC)², make sure you have your oven mitts at the ready. That’s because, as reported by CNBC, the new Upwork Skills Index includes the Certified Information Systems Security Professional as one of the 20 hottest job “skills” in the entire U.S. labor market. You read that right. Not just in security. Not just in IT. The entire labor market. Upwork is a platform for freelancers, so they keep a close eye on the types of skills employers are looking for and update their list quarterly to provide real-time validation of current trends in the labor market and tech industry for their users. The most recent Index reveals that 17 of

Stop us if you heard this one before: Cybersecurity professionals are responsible for protecting their organization’s users and data from the dangers of cyber threats, but they feel underappreciated. Two-thirds (67%) believe “IT security is viewed either as merely reactive to business needs or a cost rather than an asset to the organization,” says a survey of cybersecurity professionals and CISOs by Thycotic, a privileged access management (PAM) vendor. The survey found that a majority of cybersecurity professionals in the United Kingdom and Germany say executives and co-workers see them as more of a burden than a business benefit – a notion that restricts them in their work. “Traditional attitudes about cybersecurity appear to remain entrenched, with boards seeing IT

By John McCumber, Director of Cybersecurity Advocacy, (ISC)² After a lot of planning and coordination, we were excited to announce our new partnership with CyberUSA earlier this week. What is CyberUSA, you may ask? Governed by its members, the nonprofit was established to enhance information sharing between states and improve cyber resilience at all levels of participation: local, regional, and national. It is focused on the common mission of enabling innovation, education, workforce development, enhanced cyber readiness and resilience within our state and local communities, and connects them at the national level. What does all that mean? The key takeaway is that – against the backdrop of a shortage of half a million skilled cybersecurity professionals in North America –

For the fourth year in a row, Certification Magazine named the Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP®) as the “Next Big Thing.” The magazine conducted their annual salary survey and found that the CCSP was the top choice for professionals to pursue in 2019. Ranking #2 in the list – for the third year in the row – is the CISSP certification. You can read the full article, “Certification leads to improved performance, increased earning power” here or in the January issue of Certification Magazine. This issue focuses on detailed results and findings from the annual salary survey.