Colley revealed that 73% of the 7500 (ISC)2 certified professionals participating in the survey said that cloud computing requires new skills for security professionals. Half of the respondents identified contract negotiation skills as one of their top three requirements, 93% listed developing a detailed understanding of cloud computing, and 81% prioritised enhanced technical knowledge.
“It is surprising to see such an emphasis on technology and detail when we are looking at a trend involving outsourcing the management of it. Professionals, the majority of whom have a technical background, appear to be focussing on the familiar. The instinct to develop skills for the new operational dynamic introduced by cloud computing may still be elusive for many”, said Frost & Sullivan’s lead analyst on the study, Robert Ayoub.
Over half of the members surveyed said their organisations are using cloud computing at some level. Sixteen percent said their organisations are using public cloud services, and 42 percent identified their use of software as a service (SaaS). The exposure of confidential or sensitive information, data loss or leakage, was confirmed as greatest concern to participants, with 85 percent rating this as a top or high concern.
This was followed by significant concern over weak system or application access controls (68 percent), susceptibility to cyber attacks (65 percent) and disruption in availability (62 percent).
“The concern over risks to data suggests that we as a profession recognise the need to master our understanding of how data is used and valued by the business and its customers. This goes beyond understanding the technology and detail of the systems. IT is a tool of the business, and it is the business itself, its processes and the information it uses that must be understood”, said Colley.
Survey participants were also asked whether cloud computing was likely to impact demand for information security professionals. The results revealed significant optimism, with less than 10 percent believing that cloud would reduce demand and about half believing the trend toward cloud would increase demand for security professionals.
The full results of the report will be released on February 17.