EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Government ( centre ), HE Dr Mubarak Alshamsi , Director ducationn and Training ( left ), Dr . Ahmad Abdulmanan Alawar , bu Dhabi Polytechnic ( right ) with Stuart Irving , Regional .
There is a global shortage of 2.72 million skilled cybersecurity workers , according to the 2021 Cybersecurity Workforce Study by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium , or ( ISC ) 2 . Cybersecurity professionals said in the study that the workforce gap remains the numberone barrier to meeting their organisations ’ security needs , with 60 % reporting that a cybersecurity staffing shortage is placing their organisations at risk .
“ The consequences of cybersecurity staff shortages are real and create challenges for organisational success ,” adds H . E Al-Kuwaiti . “ The right approach to cybersecurity can accelerate organisational transformation by striking a balance between risk and innovation , and that is why in cybersecurity we always talk about people , process and technology – where people is always the weakest link in the armour .”
While cybersecurity is high on corporate agendas , anecdotal evidence from Chief Information Security Officers ( CISOs ) suggests their warnings often fall on deaf ears , or that funding is woefully inadequate . This may also be one of the reasons why cyber professionals say they are struggling with workloads and stress . Let ’ s also not forget other headline grabbing events that have highlighted the need for greater sustainability and supply chain resilience . Cyber attacks , by their very nature , are often secretive affairs or impact people in less obvious ways , or gain less social media attention . However , H . E Al Kuwaiti thinks the tide is turning .
“ We are seeing that cybersecurity has become a top issue to tackle where the executive management team and the board struggle to understand and reduce the associated risks ,” he says . “ This is where we are seeing the CISOs get more air-time and respect but it is never enough . Besides working with executive management teams and boards of companies here in the UAE , we also need to galvanise CISOs .
“ The UAE Cybersecurity Council fully supports GISEC ’ s initiative of creating an InfoSec leaders inner-circle , a gathering of an extraordinary league of senior cybersecurity specialists , to create a fellowship with the mission to discuss key challenges to help build cyber resiliency of businesses in the UAE – and from the UAE to the world . Before other people take us seriously , we must first take ourselves seriously and position ourselves correctly .”
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