Closing the Cyber Talent Gap
The articles are numerous: too many jobs for cybersecurity professionals and too few bodies to actually fill them. Many of these articles point to States’ investment in nurturing cyber talent, especially in areas that might typically have a more industrial focus, such as Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. The problem is just starting to be addressed, but many of these newly trained resources are early in their careers, and therefore unable to drive strategic initiatives in a complex environment.
One of the challenges with cybersecurity is the fact that it is not a straight-line exercise. Spinning up a cybersecurity program does not have a definitive “end-state”; it’s an exercise in continuous improvement. And, despite numerous guidelines on what to concentrate on, organizations are still unclear on where they should best spend their time and energy on cybersecurity projects.
This is where cybersecurity outsourcing can close the gap. Companies with existing security teams can concentrate on the care and feeding of their current environment and solutions, and bring in consultancies for more specialized work, such as cloud security. The costs for these projects and programs are usually less than hiring full time employees, and you get the added benefit of having a highly skilled and motivated team of cyber talent that is instantly accountable and outside the spectrum where internal politics may get in the way of the mission.
How To Find The Right Resource
Some tips on what to look for in your outsourced cybersecurity services provider:
- What is the makeup of the team that will be engaging with you?
If it’s one highly skilled consultant, with the rest of the team made up of junior resources, you may want to look elsewhere.
- Do they start the conversation with tools and vendors?
This is a sign they are a product reseller, and they may have limited service resources. Specific tools should only be discussed after defining requirements, and not as a starting point.
- What are the tangible deliverables and outcomes you’ll receive
Make sure to have clearly defined deliverables and outcomes. If you’re unsure, the first part of the engagement should include an assessment to determine what the ongoing deliverables will look like.
As the cyber talent gap continues to grow, organizations need to look to outsourcing in order to effectively defend against evolving attacks. Outsourcing and staff augmentation is becoming more popular and, with the right partnership, it is a viable solution to help combat the cyber skills gap for the foreseeable future. CDG’s team of experts seamlessly integrates with our clients internal teams to deliver a customized program for the short-term or long-term, please contact us today for more information.