News
Comment from Fujitsu: Cybersecurity skills shortages damaging businesses
July 2016 by Michael Keegan, Chair of Fujitsu UK
comment from Michael Keegan, Chair of Fujitsu UK & Ireland, on the news that 82% of organisations have a shortage of cybersecurity skills, according to a new study from Intel Security. 71% of these businesses felt that the shortage had been responsible for direct and measurable damage to their business.
“Cybercrime is a recurring issue that every business faces, as it really is a case of ‘when, not if’ a breach will occur. The importance of having cybersecurity skills within the organisation is clear, with 71% of businesses stating that a skills shortage has been directly responsible for measurable damage. This is something that business leaders must take seriously. The cost of a hacking can be astronomical, as reputations are damaged, sales fall, share prices drop and stakeholders lose confidence.
“Cybersecurity must be addressed at the highest level of the business, not left to the IT department. In short, the C-suite must take collective action. It is vital to upskill the existing IT team and educate the entire workforce on common cybercriminal tactics and the risks of using their own devices in the workplace. HR Directors must also have a dedicated plan in place to attract and retain skilled staff. And finally, leaders should consider using a security operations centre (SOC) to identify and respond to threats. As cybercrime continues to grow in scale and sophistication, security must be embedded into company culture from the top down.”
