Pirates seizing cargoes, attacks against wastewater purification facilities, ransomware in hospitals, and stealing from global financial institution - it seems that cyber attacks are becoming more common, aggressive, focused and harmful in all areas. A look at printed analysis reports and trends in cyber attacks over the past year provides a rather clear picture - the distinction between physical attacks and cyber threats is becoming irrelevant. Regardless of what its business is, every organization has something of value for cyber attackers. Financial fraud was only the beginning; the attackers have bigger fish to fry. They want to cause a bigger shock.
The market has already realized that attackers focused on a target will always find a way to penetrate an organizational network, and this realization is a significant step towards devising more advanced security programs suitable for situations in which the attacker has already achieved penetration. At the same time, there is still a big difference between awareness and recognition of the risks and the ability to cope with them.
Defending against advanced cyber threats requires different thinking, and it is thinking like this that is sparking constant innovation at CyberArk Software Inc.(Nasdaq:CYBR). At our global headquarters in Petah Tikva, research teams are investigating advanced techniques for detecting and defending against attacks, and are developing innovative products to protect businesses and organizations against cyber attacks.
From the global security community's perspective, winning the contest against advanced threats requires innovative expertise in problem solving, groundbreaking research and development, sharing of data aspects and information about attacks within the ecosystem, resources, and human capital. Israel is excellently poised in every one of those areas, so we have a good chance of retaining our leading position in cyberspace at the global level. At the same time, global cyber leadership requires careful attention and a balance between the regulatory aspects and the investment in personnel. In order to spark cyber innovation, decision makers must be able to steer a course guided by a profound understanding of the constrictive effects that regulation is liable to have on the cyber industry, while at the same time making major investments in education at a young age in order to arouse curiosity and desire among those destined to be Israel's next generation of cyber workers.
First, a warning: the cyber threat is global, and therefore requires global cooperation in response. It therefore follows that care should be exercised to avoid bringing research and development to a halt through overly restrictive regulation. We must strive to create an environment that spports the growth of startups and mature companies, while avoiding barriers that will obstruct their progress. In many countries, governments are increasing their involvement in cyber regulation designed to protect the consumers' information and privacy. These positive measures are even more effective when they are taken in cooperation, with the sharing of information and capabilities between government and industry. In other cases, regulation is liable to go too far and undermine innovation in the industry. The attackers, on the other hand, have no regulatory constraints, and greater flexibility and room for maneuver must therefore be maintained in order to avoid unintentionally giving the attackers an advantage.
Secondly, the opportunity: we are hearing firsthand from our global customers that the shortage of skilled information security workers is a real challenge. Together with the headlines and reports warning that this shortage is a problem in the making, many organizations are already feeling the talent crisis. To put it simply, it was recently reported that there were a million cyber jobs available in the world today. Furthermore, according to the Women's Society of Cyberjutsu, an organization aimed at helping women in the cyber field, only 11% of information security workers worldwide are women, a figure that highlights a great opportunity if only suitable access to education and resources is made available. A third of CyberArk's employees are women, and the proportion in research and development is even higher. These numbers are good, and we intend to go on improving them.
The future of the cyber industry in Israel and other countries depends on our ability to recruit and train new talents. Israel is an exemplary model for increasing access to education - a model that can be expanded and duplicated elsewhere. For example, Magshimim is a high school educational program designed to provide access to technology and sciences to Israeli students in outlying areas. High school students in the program enjoy a special training course at an academic level that will enable them to join elite IDF units, and later work in the cyber and high-tech industry. It is important to expand the educational program still further to reach students at younger ages, and to focus on education in information systems, particularly cyberspace. Expanding these programs and fostering curiosity and a larger pool of accessible talents requires support from the industry in the form of both money and mentors and instructors.
Another mission of the Israeli industry I regard as very important for the Israeli cyber economy is encouraging local organizations and companies to adopt the solutions developed in Israel - another way of buying "made in Israel." For example, in CyberArk's first years, the adoption of our technology by organizations in the private sector helped us a lot and led us to success, even before we began expanding our global business. This subject itself is worthy of a separate column.
Educational initiatives for developing skills in future generations, together with expanding cooperation between the government, the IDF, industry, and academic institutions, is the key to creating and nurturing a prosperous ecosystem in the Israeli cyber industry and the global community. Such an ecosystem will have a direct and concrete effect on the ability of organizations in all fields to continue their innovation for the purpose of supplying better and safer goods and services, for the benefit of the whole world.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 5, 2016
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