In a post-COVID universe, we’ve taken big leaps as a society in terms of innovation, technological advancement, and adaptability. However, as technology evolves so does the prevalence of cyber-attacks and crime. This highlights the ongoing need to implement and manage efficient security processes and working from home arrangements.

We discuss the situation with Paxus VIC State Manager, Darren Frlan. He explained “over the last few years an overwhelming stream of vulnerabilities and security threats have crept up for businesses, that previously never existed. This risk is not only from hackers, but data leakage and the criticality to retain intellectual property. The upside, however, is that awareness and prioritisation of security has greatly increased.”

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Identifying threats

“The global pandemic has exposed and unmasked many cyber threats” Darren Frlan adds. “Businesses have been prompted to increase their security and invest time and resources into developing an IT protection strategy that addresses new remote working protocols.”

In this ever-evolving world, cyber risks are mounting, and organisations have been faced with the following challenges:

• Cyberattacks on video conferencing and preventing unauthorised parties from accessing meetings.

• Employers using personal devices to access company files and data. This can leave business information exposed as it’s harder to guarantee protection. For example, an employee may not have antivirus software or run regular anti-malware scans on their own devices.

• Home WI-FI connections are much easier to hack as they typically don’t have comprehensive detection measures to identify threats.

• Human error, naivety, and reckless behaviour by employees. This was already a big issue prior to COVID, but with relaxed working from home arrangements, less guidance, and less protocol, the problem has only been exacerbated.

• Hackers and cybercriminals have uncovered gaps and weaknesses during this time and are now directly targeting these vulnerabilities. The pandemic has presented an opportunity to step up certain criminal activities by exploiting employees. There has been an increase in phishing scams, data breaches, and credential fraud.

The sooner businesses implement effective strategies and sophisticated measures to barricade these threats, the sooner they’ll gain a competitive advantage.

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Meeting demand

Demand for qualified cybersecurity professionals has been continuously growing over the last few years. A skill shortage in the industry has now emerged not only in Australia, but globally.

As technology and automation continues to evolve Darren recommends that “awareness, education, and upskilling IT professionals, will be critical to combat the increasing threats of cybersecurity.

Companies will need to ensure their rate of innovation outweighs the speed that cybercriminals operate at.”

Cybersecurity professionals also have a critical role to play with identifying and responding to threats in a way that is agile and pre-emptive. This is essential to combat the fast pace of cybercrime.

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Cybersecurity skills in high demand

The importance of sourcing talent who obtain the right skill set will be imperative in preventing cyber-attacks and protecting the intellectual heart of the business.

Below are some of the must-have skills needed to thrive in this professional field:

• Complex problem-solving skills – This will be required to tackle comprehensive security challenges and daily troubleshooting.

• IT forensic skills – Having the ability to investigate how security beaches occur and how compromised IP is then recovered.

• Understanding hacking– To pre-empt attacks, cybersecurity professionals need to learn the same skills as a hacker so they can create solutions to intercept potential breaches.

• Communication skills– An essential part of being a successful cybersecurity professional is effectively communicating the findings and solutions across the business, clearly, concisely, and in a way that is simple to understand.

• Technical skills– Including knowledge on firewall protection, intrusion detection systems (IDS), advanced malware prevention, cloud management, and identity and access management (IAM).

• Audit and compliance- The ability to conduct a thorough review of the business’s adherence to security regulations and guidelines is essential to guarantee compliance and avoid penalties or fines.

The importance of cybersecurity experts in the future

Cybersecurity professionals have proven to be a vital and sought-after asset. Although the dust has finally settled after a tumultuous year, many processes and behaviours will be retained long after the effects of COVID.

“Cybersecurity is a critical necessity and failing to pioneer and progress in this space could cause detrimental damage to businesses.” Darren advises, “I’m confident that the future of this industry offers rapid growth with uncapped potential.”

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How Paxus can help

If you’re a business looking to transform your IT security team, or a cyber professional ready to excel your career, our team of specialist recruiters can help. Contact your local Paxus branch to find out more.