As hackers become increasingly sophisticated, carrying out more frequent attacks on enterprise networks, it becomes highly essential for companies to have a solid structure for their security framework.
It is no longer a matter of whether your company should consider it but a matter of ‘when’ you’ll be putting the structures in place. Click To TweetIt is a reality that any business could be attacked, small or big; cyber attackers simply look to take advantage of lapses in an organization’s network to strike. This has forced many organizations to reassess their approach to security and how best to allocate scarce resources toward lessening potential damage as much as possible. Hence, some IT skills are essential to be deployed in bolstering the security system of your company. And because cybersecurity is diverse, you’ll need to gather various skills to reinforce it, whether as a company owner or a job seeker.
What Are IT Skills Required For A Secure Company?
1. Scripting
Scripting is a form of coding geared toward making a program perform an action. Therefore, it is essential to understand how to design tools and automate repetitive tasks with scripting languages for improved efficiency. Scripting languages employ a high-level construct to translate and accomplish a command at a given time. With this kind of computer language, you can give specific instructions to programs such as servers, web browsers, or any standalone application.
Some popular scripting languages today include PHP, JavaScript, Ruby, Groovy, Python, and Bash, among others.
2. Intrusion Detection
Another great skill needed for a security company is intrusion detection. The skill is required to monitor network activity to uncover any act of intrusion—-which is also one of the benefits of Zero Trust strategy. Aside from handling the initial attack, the skill also helps to deal with the possible consequences of a breach. The primary goal is to minimize potential damage to the network as much as possible. Some essential skills needed for intrusion detection include intrusion detection systems (IDS), security information and event management (SIEM) products, and intrusion prevention systems (IPS).
3. Security Controls and Frameworks
A cybersecurity control and framework skill offers several policies, best practices, tools, and security protocols to enhance an organization’s business operations and improve its data security. The framework deployed is dependent on the business and the focused industry. However, some of the most prevalent cybersecurity frameworks to familiarize yourself with includes System and Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the Center for Information Security (CIS).
4. Network Security Control
Several cybersecurity attacks occur over a network of connected devices. And the same technologies utilized in the collaboration process can also lead to security vulnerabilities. For an organization to stay secure, there will be a need to have a good understanding of wired and wireless networks and the security approach that will be best for them. Network engineers have the task of securing the network at an optimum level by utilizing the required security tools to ensure that the security systems are adequately secured.
In summary, they have to secure the integrity and usability of the network and data, including targeting diverse threats, adequate network security to manage request access, utilizing hardware and software technologies to block access to threats, and stopping the possibility of them spreading.
5. Cloud Computing
Cloud Businesses need to incorporate cloud computing skills more than ever. Moving towards cloud services has helped big organizations save on investments in on-premises data centers and servers. In addition, the spike in demand for improved workers’ productivity and collaboration digital tools like Google Docs and even the use of streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix necessitated the move to cloud technology.
With cloud computing, people can use data storage, software applications, and other software services over the web rather than leveraging physical servers in a back office. Some critical skills required for cloud computing include cloud security, DevOps, Machine Learning and AI, Cloud Security, database skills, technical skills needed for cloud computing, and cloud deployment and migration across multiple platforms,
6. IT Project Management
IT project management skills used to require just some spam filtering, antivirus, and maybe some perimeter defense tools. But today, these solutions are considered long-term aspects of training and solutions, upgrades, and maintenance. As a result, they are highly essential in any organization.
IT project managers live in a dynamic world with esoteric technologies and difficulty providing a value proposition to management.
Usually, this includes creating systems and improving security infrastructure to deliver high performance for the organization. Some crucial skills project managers must reflect on include active negotiation and accountability skills, project leadership skills, understanding IT architecture and standards, agile scheduling skills, IT metric management skills, risk management, and project planning skills.
If you are using application software development services, make sure that the company you share your projects with has enough credit on the market and maintains a high-security level while working on projects.
7. Data Science and Data Analytics
With the massive volume of data being curated by companies, they can track threat actors, monitor the effectiveness of countermeasures, and identify potential attacks. But they’ll need IT experts with analytic skills and experience. Companies need people with training, knowledge, and experience with analysis tools, including algorithms, machine learning, and AI, to analyze reports, process data, and crunch the figures.
Some critical data analytics skills needed are Python, data visualization, linear Algebra and Calculus, data cleaning, SQL and NoSQL, Microsoft Excel, communications, and critical thinking.
8. Post-Mortem Deep Forensics
Another essential security skill is conducting a post-mortem and/or forensic investigation after an event. Many organizations now involve their security teams in deep forensic training to improve their incident response skills.
As companies learn about emerging threats and improve their capabilities in handling them, they’ll need malware analysis and post-mortem/deep forensics.
9. Security Analysis
It is great to have security tools around you. But it is essential to understand how the tools fit into your overall security posture. IT experts should be able to determine the required tools and how best they should be deployed. In addition, you’ll need to understand unique features, infrastructure, customers, markets, and industries that determine the organization’s security policy.
With security analysis, a company can identify the conditions that give room to attacks and strategize to cut down on the possibilities of those attacks. This aspect should be a critical part of any organization. Some skills that can help in security analysis include firewalls and routers installation, threat analysis, risk mitigation strategy, familiarity with physical, network, and software security, data encryption, ethical hacking, and penetration testing, and knowledge of compliance regulations and standards like HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and CCPA.
10. Soft(er) Skills
Soft skills are slightly different in the security environment. For instance, while it is great to have teamwork, communication, and collaboration skills, there is also the part of psychology and critical thinking. IT experts have to be able to think like an intruder. They have to be equipped with knowledge of social engineering tricks to identify malicious activities like phishing, spear-phishing, and ransomware.