Cybersecurity is in a state of emergency, and things are only getting worse. This crisis has been looming over the industry for years, but recent events have highlighted the severity of the situation.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on many sectors, but one thing it has done across the board is drive more businesses online and increase their reliance on internet networks, connected devices, and websites.

It’s maybe not shocking, then, that we’ve seen an increase in cybercrime. Businesses were required to use technology, although in some situations, they may not have been able to do so. Cybercriminals saw this as an opportunity. As a result, they are more vulnerable and potentially easier to hack.

A shortage of security specialists

Businesses facing greater threats and threat from cybercriminals have, predictably, sought to hire cybersecurity experts to shore up their defences. However, there is a problem: there aren’t enough cybersecurity experts to go around.

The talent shortage is expected to be so serious that 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs will go unfilled by 2021, according to estimates. This is a serious issue, and it’s made worse by the fact that the number was only 1 million in 2014; the cybersecurity skills gap is widening year after year.

The two issues collide

As a result, the situation has gotten worse as a result of two factors: an increase in the number of cybercrime incidents and a scarcity of cybersecurity skills. Knowing these things, though, does not make it any easier.

So, how can a company get ahead of the cybersecurity skills shortage by overcoming the problem? The good news is that there are several options; all you have to do now is figure out which one is best for your business.

Outsourcing your cybersecurity

Some companies also believe that their in-house IT team is responsible for all aspects of cybersecurity. In principle, this gives you full control of your system and eliminates the need to hire outside experts that might be more interested in supplying you with costly (and possibly unnecessary) cybersecurity steps.

This isn’t always the case, however. Outsourcing will provide you with all of the cybersecurity expertise you need without the need to hire a costly team. Because of the scarcity of cybersecurity experts, recruiting them in-house is also prohibitively costly.

Working with cybersecurity experts that have been certified by organisations like CREST will ensure that you are working with trustworthy professionals. For a fraction of the cost of doing the job in-house, you’ll be able to get high-quality cybersecurity services including 24/7 surveillance and proactive threat detection.

Investing in your in-house team

Having just stated that recruiting a team of cybersecurity experts is likely to be too costly or impractical for a small company, it is important to consider the benefits of investing in your own IT team.

It’s a common misconception that a company’s cybersecurity is solely the responsibility of the IT department, and that no one else should be involved. This is, in truth, the incorrect method. You must remember that every employee of your company is responsible for their own cybersecurity and must assist in keeping the company safe.

Regular training sessions will help you accomplish this. Teaching your entire team how to spot possible cyberattacks and react is just as important as teaching them every other aspect of cybersecurity.

The hybrid

Of course, the third option is a hybrid approach that incorporates aspects of in-house and outsourced cybersecurity function. Some aspects of cybersecurity work are still better off being outsourced. Consider penetration testing, which is an essential part of evaluating the cyber defences. Penetration monitoring involves cybersecurity experts attempting to gain access to the device using illegal hacking methods and equipment.

Attempting to do this in-house almost defeats the aim, as the goal is for a professional to test the cybersecurity measures to see if they can withstand a genuine assault.

Investing not only in general training but also in more in-depth cybersecurity-focused learning can, on the other hand, be extremely beneficial in the long run. If you can’t find qualified in-house employees at a reasonable price, it could be less expensive to train and educate the existing IT team.

Finally, some thoughts

Your company doesn’t have to suffer because of a cybersecurity skills shortage. You will get ahead of the game and discover the right skills by in-house training and outsourced solutions if you are diligent.

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