In 2024, the nation witnessed an alarming number of cybersecurity breaches, calling attention to the increasing frequency and sophistication of these occurrences and a growing need to build a stronger safety net and talent pool to combat these attacks. Among The Worst Hacks of 2024 were:
Salt Typhoon’s Espionage: Phone data from nine U.S. telecoms was hacked, breaching the security of elected officials and campaign members.
Snowflake Data Breach: Hackers accessed data from large consumer-facing companies, resulting in significant data loss.
Change Healthcare Ransomware Attack: Over 100 million people’s data was captured, resulting in a $22 million ransom payment.
Russian Espionage: Compromise of Microsoft executives’ emails.
North Korean Cryptocurrency Theft: Approximately $1.34 billion was stolen to fund weapons programs.
According to the World Economic Forum, a global shortage of nearly 4 million cyber professionals exists. 52 percent of public companies surveyed cite a lack of resources and skills, 71 percent have cybersecurity job vacancies, and 95 percent of cyber leaders want more significant recruitment efforts in this area. Developing talent pipelines across several roles will be critical for facing and extinguishing the coming threats. In-demand positions include:
Key Skills: Threat analysis, intrusion detection, incident response
Cybersecurity analysts monitor systems for unusual activity, identify vulnerabilities, and respond to potential breaches.
2. Ethical Hackers and Penetration Testers
Key Skills: Penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, coding expertise
Ethical hackers simulate cyberattacks to uncover vulnerabilities, identify weaknesses in a company’s defenses, and recommend corrective actions.
Key Skills: System architecture, network security, secure coding
Security engineers design and implement robust security systems to protect networks and data and build firewalls, encryption protocols, and access controls to optimize cybersecurity protocols.
4. Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs)
Key Skills: Leadership, strategic planning, regulatory compliance
CISOs are charged with creating and deploying an organization’s cybersecurity strategy. They ensure that policies comply with regulations, oversee security teams, and manage the balance between risk mitigation and business operations.
Key Skills: Cloud architecture, data encryption, API security
Cloud security specialists focus on protecting data stored in the cloud, preventing unauthorized access, and ensuring compliance with industry standards.
Key Skills: Crisis management, forensics, communication
In the event of a breach, incident response teams identify the scope of the attack, isolate affected systems, and develop recovery plans while communicating effectively with stakeholders.
Key Skills: Regulatory knowledge, data classification, risk assessment
Data privacy professionals ensure compliance with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA. They manage sensitive information, conduct audits, and develop policies to safeguard customer and employee data.
8. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Specialists
Key Skills: Predictive analytics, algorithm design, anomaly detection
AI and ML specialists enable predictive threat detection by designing systems that identify patterns and anomalies, providing early warnings of potential attacks.
Key Skills: Risk assessment, business continuity planning, financial analysis
Cyber risk advisors bridge the gap between cybersecurity and business operations. They assess potential threats’ financial and operational impact, helping organizations allocate resources effectively.
10. Secure Software Developers
Key Skills: Secure coding practices, vulnerability mitigation, software testing
Secure software developers ensure that applications are built with security in mind, reducing the risk of a breach.
This post was first published on the Human Capital Solutions blog.
