IT security is an activity that should be high up on every corporate agenda. The global IT security industry was estimated to be worth around $140 billion in 2021 and is set to rise year on year for the foreseeable future. This fast-growing industry is a direct reaction to the threats posed to organizations by cyber criminals and cybercrime in general. The costs of a successful cyber attack can cost any company millions of dollars and have the likelihood of causing reputational loss and even legal action on behalf of the customer base if data and information has not been adequately protected. Today in 2022, many medium and large-sized organizations have a team of dedicated IT security staff. Their role is to ensure that IT infrastructure remains secure and the risks posed to an organization’s continued functioning by acts of cybercrime are minimized. This article describes five key skills that are needed by this vital employee group.
- Cloud security
Only a decade ago, many organizations had never heard of cloud storage or cloud-based applications. Today an increasing number of companies rely on such systems to store data or run applications via the internet. The move to cloud-based systems has been rapid in recent years, but because of this transition, there is an ever-increasing need to ensure that these systems are secure.
The Capital One Data Breach in 2019 was one of the most widely reported cloud-based hacks to take place in recent history. This hack resulted in millions of bank customers’ data being exposed because multiple accounts got hacked at once via cybercriminals gaining access to the cloud-based server. Today, IT security professionals need to be highly trained and knowledgeable on cloud-based systems and should be able to assess their strengths and vulnerabilities to attack. Knowledge of cloud infrastructure entitlement management (CIEM) is a skill that is growing in demand amongst IT security professionals; you can click here to learn more about it.
- Customer service and communication skills
IT security staff are highly trained and have access to a range of knowledge on specialist topics. Some of this knowledge and learning is extraordinarily complex, and it should be recognized that staff from other departments and teams will not be as well-versed in such topics. As a result of this, IT security staff need to be strong communicators when solving IT security issues with the wider staff base. The need to explain complex topics in a way that non-specialist staff can understand is a key trait that is often required from IT security professionals. IT security staff tend to be excellent problem solvers but need to be able to communicate clearly and effectively with staff when resolving issues, as well as having well-developed customer service skills.
- Commitment to lifelong learning
Few sectors of work are as fast-paced as the IT security industry. The pace of change and development is often rapid as new applications, technologies, and ways of working are rolled out on an almost perpetual basis. IT security professionals must be committed to a philosophy of lifelong learning and must relish working in an ever-changing environment. Put simply, if an IT security professional does not continue to build on their knowledge and expertise within their field, their knowledge will become outdated. IT security staff will need to be fully aware of the latest developments in the field of IT security. New starters who are fresh from university will have the latest learning in terms of IT security and applications, and existing staff must seek to keep up with this level of current industry-specific knowledge.
- Data science skills
Data science and the use of analytics are becoming increasingly accepted and required parts of cybersecurity, so the IT security professional should look to develop advanced skills in this field. Today analytics and machine learning can be harnessed to spot patterns in user behavior that may indicate that they have malicious intentions or are not who they claim to be. Other big data tools are starting to become a common part of firewall security and anti-virus applications. An IT security professional who can demonstrate solid data science skills or has a data science background is one who will become increasingly sought after in the world of business.
- Collaboration skills
As a final point, it is important to recognize the value of well-developed teamworkand collaboration skills among IT professionals. IT security professionals do not work in silos and will often be required to collaborate with different departments to roll out new projects and applications that are used within the wider organization. IT security staff must be excellent team players who can communicate and collaborate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders in the organization. Senior IT security staff may oversee a portfolio of projects and must be able to work and delegate with other teams so that these projects can be delivered on time and to budget.
