March 2019

| STRATEGIES | W e’ve all heard of the wider IT skills shortage, but the lack of security skills in the industry is even more critical. According to a report by the Life and Times of Cyber security Professionals, IT workers that have specialist cyber security skills are approached with a new job offer at least once a week. In fact, 45% of organisations claim to be severely lacking in this specific area of talent. This high demand provides an opportunity for IT contractors to cash in. But, if the opportunity is so lucrative, where are these talented recruits hiding? And could AI be the answer? A threat, or a blessing? The rise of automation is one of the most talked-about topics in the realm of IT. Estimates suggest that up to 80% of jobs in the sector could be at risk due to an increase in automated technology and the potential of artificial intelligence (AI). But, in cyber security, which is so severely lacking in talent, is this technology really such a bad thing?   Ultimately, it depends on how you look at it. It is becoming increasingly difficult for human operators to manage all aspects of cyber security — particularly in areas that generate massive amounts of data, such as security testing. The advantages of implementing automation for security testing are obvious, but the growth of machine learning also provides an opportunity for technology to proactively bolster an Graham Smith, head of marketing at Microsoft recruitment partner Curo Talent, explains the role of automation in IT security and how it could address the skills shortage. www.smartmachinesandfactories.com March 2019 | 25 | Could AI security prevent hacks?