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Polls Reveal Some of the Issues Still Impacting Cybersecurity [Weekly Cybersecurity Brief]

Between increasing coverage and events like World Password Day, the strengthened focus on cybersecurity is certainly beneficial for those of us who are deeply invested in furthering the evolution of the field. And the understanding of cybersecurity’s expansive impact seems to be on the rise. But, as awareness grows, so too does our realization of where improvement is needed. Therefore, we look this week at some of the latest polls conducted by organizations revealing what still needs to be addressed.

We begin with a poll conducted by ISACA and HCL Technologies to capture an idea of where the cybersecurity workforce stands. According to the article on Help Net Security summarizing the poll, while the workforce remained mostly intact during the pandemic, the survey found that hiring and retention persist as issues within the industry. Of 3,600 information security professionals that participated, 53% shared that they still faced challenges keeping on employees. Sixty-one percent also indicated that their teams are “understaffed.” Not only is understaffing an issue for the respondents, but they also admitted to feeling as though candidates are often not fully equipped with the proper skills. These concerns become particularly evident as cyber incidents increased. The survey showed that these professionals hope to solve these problems with programs such as trainings of no-security staff members and reskilling opportunities. An additional solution will be creating understanding around cybersecurity needs among other departments such as HR.

Another survey by Gartner, a leading IT research company, found that there is some hope in the scope of organizational team leads that comprehend the importance of implementing a strategic cybersecurity approach across the board. A piece in Security Magazine written by Robert R. Ackerman Jr. points out that the survey concluded that “40% of American boards of directors will have a dedicated cybersecurity committee overseen by a qualified board member by 2025.” Although positive, this figure also reflects the work that still needs to be done. A 2020 study from PricewaterhouseCoopers uncovered that less than a third of nearly 700 participants relayed that they had a grasp on their company’s cybersecurity risks. Another survey that the article mentions is a Trend Micro poll that had 44% of its respondents answer that their board of directors only had minimal involvement in cybersecurity matters.  

Companies are not the only settings of cybersecurity concerns, however. The onslaught of having to conduct schooling from home throughout the pandemic has also made our homes grounds for cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Daniel Schiappa reports for Forbes that his company conducted a survey in which they polled 1,000 adults with school-aged children. What they found was that while cybersecurity-related anxieties have significantly increased, many at-home devices went mostly unmonitored. Two-thirds of the respondents worried that their family may experience a cyberattack but were specifically focused on concerns over problems such as malware, identity theft and social media hacking. But the survey shows that how to prevent such cybersecurity issues is not so clear. Forty percent said that if the device was school issued, then it is the responsibility of the school to take cybersecurity measures. However, many participants also shared that they were not actually relying on school issued devices meaning that they were using other personal devices, in turn, presenting its own concerns. If the device happened to be given out by the school, the districts then face the challenge of reviewing devices for compromises as in-person attendance returns.

Key Takeaways:

“61% of cybersecurity teams are understaffed” – Help Net Security

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/05/05/understaffed-cybersecurity-teams/

  • According to a poll conducted by ISACA and HCL Technologies, hiring and retention persist as issues within the cybersecurity industry.
  • Of 3,600 information security professionals that participated, 53% shared that they still faced challenges keeping on employees.
  • Sixty-one percent also indicated that their teams are “understaffed.”

 

“Corporate boards are better at cybersecurity but still need improvement” – Robert R. Ackerman Jr., Security Magazine

https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/95141-corporate-boards-are-better-at-cybersecurity-but-still-need-improvement

  • A Gartner survey found that by 2025, “40% of American boards of directors will have a dedicated cybersecurity committee overseen by a qualified board member.”
  • This number reflects a greater need for cybersecurity understanding among company leaders.
  • A Trend Micro poll had 44% of its respondents answer that their board of directors only had minimal involvement in cybersecurity matters.   

 

“What Covid-19 Revealed About The Lack Of Household Cybersecurity In The U.S.” – Daniel Schiappa, Forbes

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2021/05/06/what-covid-19-revealed-about-the-lack-of-household-cybersecurity-in-the-us/?sh=7751c62e7d8b

  • Work and schooling from home has brought about a number of cybersecurity concerns among adults with school age children according to a poll.
  • Two-thirds of the respondents worried that their family may experience a cyberattack but were specifically focused on concerns over problems such as malware, identity theft and social media hacking.
  • How to protect devices, especially if school issued, remains unclear. Schools then may be faced with the challenge of having to review home issued devices for cybersecurity issues as in-person learning returns.

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