Top considerations for narrowing the federal cybersecurity skills gap

by Vimesh Patel for Federal News Network

As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, so do threats posed by adversaries who want to disrupt the federal government's networks and critical infrastructure.

The federal government has voiced its concern about employee readiness to prevent the latest cybersecurity issues and made progress with the National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy. However, as attacks become more sophisticated, agencies must work more closely with industry to stay ahead of the fast-paced cybersecurity challenges that lay ahead.

In a recent survey conducted by the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC2), 78% of government and 76% of military respondents noted they face cybersecurity staffing shortages, tied for first and second by industry. With organizations across the private and public sectors looking to rapidly build out their cybersecurity teams, federal agencies must prioritize upskilling opportunities for their current workforce while identifying opportunities to recruit and retain top talent.

Upskilling and expanding the federal cybersecurity workforce

Federal employees have access to various government training environments, including the Persistent Cyber Training Environment (PCTE) and Federal Virtual Training Environment (FedVTE), that can help them develop foundational cybersecurity skills. However, these programs often cannot update content and technology fast enough to keep pace with both adversarial techniques and industry advancements.

Industry can augment the federal government's existing skills-training capabilities and expose employees to emerging cyber technologies as well as AI and automation. For example, industry-led capture the flag (CTF) competitions can help federal cybersecurity professionals obtain hands-on experience with new technologies and analyze their understanding of the threat landscape to better prepare for a wider range of potential attacks. These customizable environments provide continuous learning and skill enhancement opportunities while helping teams develop coordination and chemistry.

Another consideration to combat the federal cybersecurity skills shortage is the role of diversity within teams and the opportunity its continued development presents.