Where are you on Cybersecurity - Part II - Does your team have the skills?

Use this  checklist to address the cybersecurity skills gap in a team. The user can score themselves against each item to identify areas for improvement:

1. Technical Skills:

• Does your team have a strong understanding of network security, including firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention, and security monitoring?
• Does your team have experience with endpoint security tools and techniques, such as antivirus and anti-malware software, security patches, and secure configuration?
• Does your team have expertise in secure coding practices and software development life cycle (SDLC) security?

2. Incident Response Skills:

• Does your team have experience in incident response planning and execution, including documentation, tabletop exercises, and communication protocols?
• Does your team have experience with threat intelligence and analysis, including identification of potential threats, vulnerabilities, and attack vectors?
• Does your team have experience in root cause analysis and remediation after a security incident or breach?

3. Risk Management Skills:

• Does your team have experience in conducting risk assessments and audits to identify potential security risks and vulnerabilities?
• Does your team have experience in developing and implementing risk management strategies, including risk mitigation and risk transfer?
• Does your team have experience in compliance and regulatory requirements, such as PCI DSS, GDPR, and HIPAA?

4. Communication and Collaboration Skills:

• Does your team have strong communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders?
• Does your team have experience in cross-functional collaboration with other IT teams, business units, and external partners?
• Does your team have experience in working with third-party vendors and service providers to ensure secure outsourcing practices?

To score themselves against each item, the user can assign a rating, such as "Strong", "Moderate", or "Weak", based on their team's current level of skill and expertise. This revised checklist can help identify areas for improvement and prioritize training and development initiatives to bridge the cybersecurity skills gap in the team.

rubric for the revised cybersecurity skills gap checklist:

Score:

• 3 = Strong
• 2 = Moderate
• 1 = Weak

1. Technical Skills:

• Score of 3: The team has a strong understanding and experience in all technical skills listed.
• Score of 2: The team has some understanding and experience in some technical skills listed, but gaps exist.
• Score of 1: The team lacks understanding and experience in most technical skills listed.

2. Incident Response Skills:

• Score of 3: The team has a well-established incident response program and demonstrated experience in all incident response skills listed.
• Score of 2: The team has some incident response experience, but gaps exist in some incident response skills listed.
• Score of 1: The team lacks incident response experience in most incident response skills listed.

3. Risk Management Skills:

• Score of 3: The team has a strong understanding and experience in all risk management skills listed.
• Score of 2: The team has some understanding and experience in some risk management skills listed, but gaps exist.
• Score of 1: The team lacks understanding and experience in most risk management skills listed.

4. Communication and Collaboration Skills:

• Score of 3: The team has strong communication and collaboration skills and demonstrated experience in collaborating with internal and external stakeholders.
• Score of 2: The team has some communication and collaboration experience, but gaps exist in some areas.
• Score of 1: The team lacks communication and collaboration skills and experience in most areas.

Overall Score:

• 10-12: The team has a strong cybersecurity skillset and should continue to develop and enhance their skills.
• 7-9: The team has a moderate cybersecurity skillset, but there are areas for improvement.
• 4-6: The team has a weak cybersecurity skillset and requires significant development and training.
• 1-3: The team has a critical cybersecurity skill gap and requires urgent attention and support.