Last week, an alliance of 48 countries pledged that their governments will not pay ransom demands to cybercriminals. The alliance of the International Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI) met at the White House’s third annual CRI meeting last Tuesday and Wednesday.
The pledge comes after a congressman expressed concerns over the lack of cybersecurity professionals.
Ransomware attacks in particular have been on the rise. Anne Neuberger, the White House’s deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technologies, said that during the first half of 2023, ransomware attacks worldwide increased by 45% over the previous year.
As the name suggests, The International Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI) is a collaborative effort among multiple countries aimed at countering and mitigating the impact of ransomware attacks.
The increase in these attacks is especially worrying after a member of the Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee said last month that the true threat is a worker shortage. Referencing 570,000 cybersecurity jobs currently available in the U.S., Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) said during an event on Oct. 19, “The number one cyber threat is not having a workforce to defend [the United States].”
Crucially, specialized cybersecurity skills reach beyond purchasing the latest antivirus software from your local office supply store. “Without trained staff, you lack more than someone that is proficient with a software. You lack training, awareness, and best practices,” states Maria Chamberlain of Cybersecurity provider Acuity Total Solutions. “The recent ransomware attacks in Las Vegas were the result of human error, social engineering. That had less to do with a computer screen and more to do with training and awareness. That’s invaluable in an evolving security landscape.”
Although the subcommittee is making cybersecurity training programs a priority, the time needed to bring these workers online puts pressure on companies and government agencies to bridge the gap.
Cybersecurity contractors like Ms. Chamberlain believe that they’re in the best position to bring immediate benefits. She continues, “contractors can immediately bring professionals to the table that have the skills and a current knowledge of the latest threats.” And government agencies might not really have other options at the moment.
Could the rise of cyberwarfare coupled with a labor shortage create a battle for market share? As agencies struggle to fill essential cybersecurity positions, contractors present an attractive solution. Independent contractors can be hired on an as-needed basis, allowing agencies flexibility and scalability depending on a threat or project need.
But a dependency on outside expertise may prove to be irreplaceable compared to a dewy-eyed IT graduate.
Contractors often possess a wider range of personnel skills that come from a variety of backgrounds. Staff may include persons with former positions in the military, the private sector, or intelligence communities. This varied experience can contribute to more diversified strategies to tackle a wider scope of cyberattacks.
In addition, contractors often are able to offer more attractive employment opportunities to young graduates. As new recruits come into the workforce, a well-staffed security contractor could have the ability to provide a lower-pressure environment to start a career.
As the cybersecurity market swells to more than $113 billion in the next five years, demand and contracts will continue to grow. While this provides an opportunity for contractors, it has the potential to create a competitive recruiting environment that could put government agencies at a disadvantage. Agencies looking to employ in-house cybersecurity staff may find themselves picking from the bottom of the barrel in terms of talent.
Whatever solution plays out long-term for governments to protect their systems from ransomware and other types of cyberattacks, the short-term problem is clear — with such a high demand for cybersecurity professionals and contractors dominating the market, federal agencies may have to settle for lesser in-house talent.
Charley Ross is a writer from Portland, Oregon.
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