Future Cyber Security Army Needs More Than Just Programmers

  • Jan 22, 2015

Think the future of cyber security relies solely on computer programmers? Wrong.

Securing financial information, personal data and proprietary plans along government, corporate and personal networks will require filling the growing demand for skilled cyber security professionals with a diverse pipeline of talent, including consulting, communications and risk management, Heather Engel, Executive Vice President of Sera-Brynn, told Vice President Joe Biden in a roundtable discussion earlier this month at Norfolk State University.

Sera-Brynn was the only Hampton Roads-based business invited to participate in discussions with the closed-door panel, which included Biden, the Virginia Governor and members of President Obama's cabinet.

“It’s time to change the conversation and help students and employers recognize that cyber security jobs aren’t only for programmers,” Engel said.“Cyber security is not just an IT problem, and businesses need talent across the organization with a variety of skills.Partnerships with schools, internship programs, work study and mentoring will shape the workforce, give hands-on experience and help students build connections that are vital for securing jobs.”

The discussion with Biden followed his announcement of a $25 million grant to support cyber security education.

“As the only certified cyber security audit firm in North America partnered with a large financial institution, we are uniquely positioned to contribute to this discussion,” Engel said.“We offer an end-to-end approach to managing cyber risk through compliance, insurance and incident response.&rdquo

“Technology alone has its limitations,”said Rob Hegedus, Sera-Brynn’s chief executive officer.“Our holistic approach to cyber risk management provides the most comprehensive protection for businesses of all sizes.”

And, it’s experience in seeing how a holistic approach can effectively manage the cyber risk of networks that gives Engel and Sera-Brynn firsthand knowledge of the need to have a diverse workforce battling the cyber security needs of the future.

"This industry requires critical thinking, questioning, and experimentation," Engel said. "Our adversaries are working with free downloads and a laptop.”

"But there’s good news,” she continued. “Having worked in this industry for more than 15 years, we see a need for students from all backgrounds and interests. Not all of those people will have a computer science background."

The answer? Engel calls on industry and educational institutions to start partnering now for the future.

"These partnerships will provide students with hands-on experience and help them build connections that are vital for securing a job," Engel said. "If they can earn credits through internships and graduate with less debt, so much the better. To change the conversation, we need to start early and diversify the talent pipeline."

Featured

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.