Close the InfoSec Skills Gap: Develop a Technical Skills Sourcing Plan


Systematically source the cyber and information security skills your organization needs.

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Major Business Pain Points

  • The demand for qualified cybersecurity professionals far exceeds supply. As a result, organizations are struggling to protect their data against the evolving threat landscape.
  • It is a constant challenge to know what skills will be needed in the future, and when and how to acquire them.
Close the InfoSec Skills Gap: Develop a Technical Skills Sourcing Plan-Pain Points

Recommendations

Key Points

  • Plan for the inevitable. All industries are expected to be affected by the talent gap in the coming years. Plan ahead to address your organization’s future needs.
  • Base skills acquisition decisions on the five key factors to define skill needs. Create an impact scale for the five key factors (data criticality, durability, availability, urgency, and frequency) that reflects your organizational strategy, initiatives, and pressures.
  • A skills gap will always exist to some degree. The threat landscape is constantly changing, and your workforce’s skill sets must evolve as well.

Approach

Close the InfoSec Skills Gap: Develop a Technical Skills Sourcing Plan-Recommendations
  • Organizations must align their security initiatives to talent requirements such that business objectives are achieved and the business is cyber ready.
  • Identify if there are skill gaps in your current workforce.
  • Decide how you’ll acquire needed skills based on characteristics of need for each skill.

Methodology and Tools

Executive Brief

Read the concise Executive Brief to find out why you should develop a technical skills acquisition strategy and review the methodology.

  • Close the InfoSec Skills Gap: Develop a Technical Skills Sourcing Plan – Executive Brief
  • Close the InfoSec Skills Gap: Develop a Technical Skills Sourcing Plan – Phases 1-3

1. Identify skill needs for target state

Identify what skills will be needed in your future state.

  • Close the InfoSec Skills Gap: Develop a Technical Skills Sourcing Plan – Phase 1: Identity Skill Needs for Target State
  • Security Initiative Skills Guide
  • Skills Gap Prioritization Tool

2. Identify technical skill gaps

Align role requirements with future initiative skill needs.

  • Close the InfoSec Skills Gap: Develop a Technical Skills Sourcing Plan – Phase 2: Identify Technical Skill Gaps
  • Current Workforce Skills Assessment
  • Technical Skills Workbook
  • Information Security Compliance Manager
  • IT Security Analyst
  • Chief Information Security Officer
  • Security Administrator
  • Security Architect

3. Develop a sourcing plan for future work roles

Acquire skills based on the impact of the five key factors.

  • Close the InfoSec Skills Gap: Develop a Skills Sourcing Plan for Future Work Roles – Phase 3: Develop a Sourcing Plan for Future Work Roles

All resources on this page are provided to Cyber Leadership Hub members under license from third parties including Info-Tech Research Group Inc, a global leader in providing IT research and advice.