Cybersecurity is continuously evolving. The nature of cyber threats one month can be completely different from the threats that pop-up the following month. As IT teams struggle to keep up with the constant cyber threats, gaps can start to form within their organizational structure. While this can be concerning for IT teams, there are several steps you can take to start filling these gaps and strengthen your cybersecurity strategy. Launching a companywide education plan or expanding your team, if you have the means, can be powerful steps towards covering all the necessary skills. Outsourcing skills and tools when needed can also fill the gaps and help you identify other areas you may need to focus on..
While you may be unsure of where to begin when trying to fill your organization’s cybersecurity skills gaps, taking an initial step can help you gain a better sense of how to continue. We’ve outlined a few solutions for you that will help fill those skills gaps and strengthen your cybersecurity plan.
Conduct a Skills Audit
Identifying that there are skills gaps within your team is the first step towards stronger cybersecurity, but you may need to improve other areas as well. Conducting a skills gap audit within your team highlights the areas that you should focus on in terms of training, hiring, and service outsourcing. There may be some skills that you haven’t even considered that could use some additional attention or training and this is the perfect way to identify them. It’s important that your IT team is ready for anything, and an audit could prevent you from being blindsided by a cyberattack in the future.
Education
When your IT team is small, educating both them and your organization as a whole is a helpful way for everyone to get on board with cybersecurity best practices and new trends. Hosting monthly sessions on certain topics and testing their ability to spot a phishing email will gradually build a broader knowledge within your organization. In addition to educating your organization as a whole, your IT team should identify areas they don’t feel particularly strong in and take courses to build their knowledge base. By having all teams work together to build their skillsets within cybersecurity, you can establish a solid plan in maintaining and growing your cybersecurity strategy.
Expand Your Team
Small teams can only handle so many projects and responsibilities before becoming overwhelmed. Skills gaps can start to form when teams don’t have the time to hone in on their skills and stay updated on cybersecurity trends. If your organization and team has the budget to take on additional employees who specialize in cybersecurity, it can greatly ease the pressure of your IT team. Adding fresh talent with new skills provides more coverage to your team and potential gaps that may be forming in your strategy. While it may not be for everyone, investing in talent if you have the means can be a big strength to your cybersecurity in the long run and prevent more potential skill gaps from forming.
SOC-as-a-Service
Investing in a SOC-as-a-Service can help your team automate tasks for any existing skills gaps and create an overall stronger cybersecurity strategy. SOC experts can also assist you in targeting certain areas and help you determine the best security approach given your team and resources. While your team focuses on pressing tasks and continuing to build on their knowledge and education, a SOC-as-a-Service provides your organization with constant monitoring and threat detection to ensure that your cloud and network are safe. Your team can only protect your network to the best of their abilities. SOC-as-a-Service can provide the added security you need as you work towards narrowing your skill gap.
IT teams can be overwhelmed when faced with multiple skill gaps in their cybersecurity strategy. The amount of cyberattacks are increasing in frequency everyday.All companies are vulnerable to hackers, no matter the size or industry. Auditing your skill gaps is a strong initial step you can take to identify what areas of cybersecurity you need to be focusing on. From there, your team should tailor a plan that will fit them best based on budgets and skills needed. Remember that filling a skill gap isn’t a one size fits all issue. You should ensure that all necessary steps are being taken to resolve anything missing in your strategy.
