The rapidly changing IT
security threat landscape is making it impossible for even
large user companies to keep skills up to date, Kimmi Alkio, chief
executive at
security supplier F-Secure said last week.
He said large firms were buying more of their
security products from service providers as CIOs struggle with
a lack of in-house skills.
"More and more large organisations are buying their security
products from service providers because of a skills shortage,"
Alkio said. "IT directors are having real challenges finding
competent staff with a high degree of technical knowledge."
He said IT directors often turned to a partner in the form of an
ISP or integrator for a security service.
Nick Garlick, managing director at
security integrator Nebulas Security, confirmed that demand for
security consultants was increasing. "This year we have had more
consultants on site with customers than ever before," he said.
Garlick said security consultants needed to be highly skilled in
a wide range of areas, such as content, data and network security
practices.
With demand coming from in-house IT departments as well as
outsourcing suppliers, careers in IT security can be lucrative,
said Richard Swann, infrastructure manager at the Institute of
Directors. "This is because people with all the skills are few and
far between," he said.
Stuart Okin, UK security practice lead at Accenture, said, "We
are seeing a massive demand for information security services and
therefore a demand for the right people who can help companies and
governments decrease risk, reduce costs, improve productivity and
increase availability."
Risk and reward
as a data defender >>
Business data protection: the expert view >>
F-Secure >>
The Institute of Directors >>
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