Cyber aware workforces critical to mitigating breaches

As cyber breaches continue to ravage businesses, such attacks are increasingly being attributed to workforce skills gaps, opening the door for new training methods.

Fortinet has released its 2024 Global Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report, highlighting a common viewpoint between organisations that believe that the constant security breaches can be attributed to the cyber skills gap.

John Maddison, chief marketing officer at Fortinet, said: “The results from our latest Global Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report highlight the critical need for a collaborative, multifaceted approach to closing the skills gap.”

“To effectively mitigate risk and combat today’s complex threats, organisations must employ a strategic combination of leveraging the right security technology, upskilling existing security professionals through training and certifications, and fostering a cyber aware workforce.”

Key findings from the report

Corporate leaders are being held accountable for cyber attacks, with almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of respondents saying their directors or executives have faced fines, jail times, or loss of employment following an attack.

To improve cyber security, organisations have implemented various measures, including mandatory training or security staff (56 per cent), security awareness training for all staff (70 per cent), and purchasing security solutions (50 per cent).

These breaches are having a serious effect on an organisation’s bottom line, as well as the precious time of employees, disrupting productivity. The overwhelming majority (92 per cent) of respondents experienced one or more breaches in the last 12 months, highlighting just how disruptive breaches can be over the long term.

According to the report, cyber security depends on three key factors. The top three causes of breaches were information technology or security staff lacking the necessary skills and training (61 per cent), a lack of organisational or employee security awareness (63 per cent), and a lack of cyber security products (59 per cent).

The lack of necessary skills and security awareness paired with the overall lack of cyber security products can be fixed by organisations by fostering that collective approach to cyber security. Implementing the correct tools to counteract these attacks is a no-brainer for an organisation as it will undoubtedly save time and money.

This sentiment is being reinforced by the board of directors of numerous organisations, who view cyber security as a business imperative. As a result, executives and board of directors are increasingly prioritising cyber security and introducing a three-pronged approach to building cyber resiliency.

Three-pronged approach:

• Help information technology (IT) and security teams obtain vital security skills by investing in training and certifications needed to achieve this goal.
• Cultivate a cyber aware frontline staff who can contribute to a more secure organisation as a first line of defence.
• Use effective security solutions to ensure a strong security posture.