Zach Fuller - Founding Partner of Silent Sector - the Expertise-Driven Cybersecurity services firm protecting companies across the U.S. The cybersecurity industry is failing to protect our nation's economy and way of life. The fight against cybercrime is a mission that transcends individual jobs and corporate interests. Cybersecurity is far more than a business initiative. MORE FROMFORBES ADVISOR. "A three-year comparison of the number of complaints of ransomware submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation between 2018 and 2020, demonstrates a 65.7 percent increase in victim count and a staggering 705 percent increase in adjusted losses," according to the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs. While we must do better as an industry, it is not due to the faults or shortcomings of cybersecurity professionals. The cybersecurity industry is filled with incredibly brilliant and passionate people. Security professionals are dedicated to their craft in an admirable way that few industries can match. Cybersecurity is a mindset, a passion and a mission for many practitioners. The cybersecurity industry is not properly structured to fight an asymmetrical war. Many are quick to reference the shortage of cybersecurity talent as the core problem. We cannot afford to wait for decades while recruiting and developing enough new talent to overwhelm the enemy with an immense army of security professionals. In speaking with many CISOs and other cybersecurity professionals around the country, it is clear that much of our current cybersecurity talent is underutilized. This is causing frustration that results in significant costs and turnover while cybersecurity professionals leave their employers in search of a better environment. Much of our security talent is focused on product development rather than providing the human-based support that most organizations need. The industry will need to focus less on product development and more on professional services in order to bring more hands-on support to mid-market and emerging companies that need it most. To gain a stronger foothold in the fight against cybercrime, we must get better at utilizing the talented professionals we already have. It is time we think differently about building business structures and environments for our cybersecurity professionals to grow and thrive. We need nimble and fast-moving security teams providing companies with direct access to the expertise and support they need, without the added expense of middlemen and excess overhead. It is impossible for any one person to be an expert across all domains of cybersecurity. The cybersecurity industry has a tremendous amount of dedicated and passionate professionals who already know how to protect our digital assets. We are fortunate that for many in the field, cybersecurity is not just a job or corporate initiative.
This Cyber News was published on www.forbes.com. Publication date: Thu, 30 Nov 2023 23:19:27 +0000