Many students who once aimed for white-collar careers are now opting for manual professions they believe AI cannot easily replace.
The post AI-Driven Layoffs Push UK Students Toward the Trades appeared first on TechRepublic.
Many students who once aimed for white-collar careers are now opting for manual professions they believe AI cannot easily replace.
The post AI-Driven Layoffs Push UK Students Toward the Trades appeared first on TechRepublic.
HP가 2028년까지 4,000명에서 6,000명 규모의 인력을 감축할 계획이라고 밝혔다. HP는 10억 달러 절감을 목표로 한 AI 전환 전략의 일환이라고 설명했다.
HP CEO 엔리케 로레스는 지난 25일 진행된 실적 발표 후 컨퍼런스콜에서 이번 감원이 제품 개발, 내부 운영, 고객 지원 부서를 중심으로 이뤄질 것이라고 언급했다. HP는 구조조정 비용이 약 6억 5,000만 달러에 이를 것으로 예상하며, 이 가운데 2억 5,000만 달러가 2026 회계연도에 반영될 것이라고 밝혔다.
로레스는 컨퍼런스콜에서 “이번 조치를 통해 3년에 걸쳐 10억 달러 규모의 연간 비용 절감 효과가 발생할 것으로 예상한다. 회사가 경쟁력을 유지하기 위해 반드시 필요한 일”이라고 말했다.
HP는 이번 감원을 AI 기반으로 비즈니스 프로세스를 재설계하기 위한 필수 조치로 규정했다. 회사는 지난 2년간 제품 개발, 고객 서비스, 운영 프로세스 전반에서 AI 활용을 시범 적용해 왔으며, 이제 전사로 확대하는 단계에 들어섰다고 언급했다.
로레스는 “우리가 확인한 것은 프로세스 재설계부터 시작해야 한다는 점이다. AI, 특히 에이전틱 AI를 활용해 프로세스를 재구성하면 상당한 효과를 거둘 것으로 보인다”라고 말했다.
HP는 절감될 10억 달러를 제품 혁신 가속에 20%, 고객 만족도 향상에 40%, 생산성 제고에 40% 비율로 배분할 계획이라고 설명했다.
HP는 이번 조치를 AI 활용을 위한 전환이라고 설명했지만, 일부 분석가는 실제 감원이 AI의 생산성 향상 때문인지, 아니면 전통적인 비용 압박에 따른 조치인지에 대해 의문을 제시했다.
그레이하운드리서치의 최고애널리스트 산치트 비르 고기아는 “HP의 직원 감축은 단기적인 AI 활용 효과보다는 비용 통제 목적이 더 크게 작용한 것으로 보인다”라며, “회사는 이번 조치를 AI 전환 전략의 일환으로 설명했지만, PC 수요 둔화, 부품 가격 급등, 주요 사업 부문의 마진 압박 등 금융 지표를 보면 보다 전통적인 비용 절감 문제로 해석된다”라고 말했다.
이번 감원은 HP가 올해 2월 1,000명에서 2,000명 규모의 인력을 줄인 데 이어 진행되는 추가 조치다. 그 이전에는 2022년 11월 시작된 ‘퓨처 레디 트랜스포메이션(Future Ready Transformation)’ 프로그램을 통해 총 9,400명이 영향을 받았다. 누적된 감원 규모가 커지면서 HP의 운영 연속성에 대한 우려도 제기되고 있다.
하드웨어 교체를 계획하거나 벤더 관계를 관리하는 CIO 입장에서는 이번 구조조정이 서비스 수준과 납기일에 어떤 영향을 미칠지 우려할 만하다. 여기에 메모리 가격 상승 압박까지 더해지면서 향후 제품 가격 인상이 불가피하다는 신호도 나오고 있다.
고기아는 HP와 유사한 구조조정을 진행 중인 여러 벤더에서 이미 운영상의 문제가 드러나고 있다고 지적했다. 또한 그는 “일부 HP 고객은 지역 지원 조직이 재편된 이후 보증 수리 처리 속도가 늦어지고, 재고 정보 업데이트도 예측하기 어렵다는 불만을 제기하고 있다”라고 말했다.
고기아는 “CIO는 계정 관리팀과 직접 논의해 어떤 변화가 진행되고 있는지 파악하고, 누가 어떤 영역의 전달 책임을 맡는지 명확히 해야 한다. 또한 구조조정 이전에 체결된 지원·서비스 계약이 있다면 이를 다시 검토할 필요가 있다”라고 조언했다.
비용 측면에서도 HP는 메모리 칩 가격 상승이 2026 회계연도 하반기 수익성에 영향을 줄 것이라고 경고했다. 완화 조치를 적용하더라도 주당 0.30달러 규모의 충격이 불가피할 것으로 예상했다.
HP는 이러한 압박에 대응하기 위해 공급처 다변화, 일부 제품군의 메모리 구성 축소, 가격 인상 등을 병행할 계획이다. 로레스는 “하반기 가이던스를 보수적으로 제시하는 동시에, 저가 공급처 확보, 메모리 구성 축소, 가격 조정과 같은 적극적인 조치를 시행하고 있다”라고 설명했다.
로레스는 또한 HP가 2026 회계연도 상반기를 충당할 만한 재고를 확보하고 있지만, 하반기에는 재고가 소진되면서 현재의 높은 메모리 가격이 생산 원가에 반영돼, 마진 압박이 심해질 것으로 전망했다.
PC와 서버 벤더 전반이 유사한 압박을 받는 가운데, HP의 감원도 업계의 추세를 따른 것으로 분석된다.
고기아는 “HP, 델, 레노버, HPE에서 최근 이어진 감원 사례는 이들 기업이 운영 방식을 장기적으로 변화하고 있음을 보여준다. 많은 벤더가 대규모 판매 전략, 방대한 제품 포트폴리오, 인력 중심의 지원 모델에서 벗어나, 단순화된 제품 구성, 중앙집중식 운영, AI·서비스·클라우드 기반 플랫폼 투자로 이동하고 있다”라고 설명했다.
그는 벤더의 전환 과정에서 기업 고객이 운영상의 불편을 겪을 수 있다고 진단하면서, “지금 중요한 것은 장기 전략만이 아니라, 전환기 동안 얼마나 안정적으로 운영을 유지할 수 있는가다”라고 말했다.
dl-ciokorea@foundryco.com
Five men have pleaded guilty to running laptop farms and providing other assistance to North Koreans to obtain remote IT work at US companies in violation of US law, federal prosecutors said.
The pleas come amid a rash of similar schemes orchestrated by hacking and threat groups backed by the North Korean government. The campaigns, which ramped up nearly five years ago, aim to steal millions of dollars in job revenue and cryptocurrencies to fund North Korean weapons programs. Another motive is to seed cyber attacks for espionage. In one such incident, a North Korean man who fraudulently obtained a job at US security company KnowBe4 installed malware immediately upon beginning his employment.
On Friday, the US Justice Department said that five men pleaded guilty to assisting North Koreans in obtaining jobs in a scheme orchestrated by APT38, also tracked under the name Lazarus. APT38 has targeted the US and other countries for more than a decade with a stream of attack campaigns that have grown ever bolder and more advanced. All five pleaded guilty to wire fraud, and one to aggravated identity theft, for a range of actions.
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SAN FRANCISCO — Amazon showed off its latest robotics and AI systems this week, presenting a vision of automation that it says will make warehouse and delivery work safer and smarter.
But the tech giant and some of the media at its Delivering the Future event were on different planets when it came to big questions about robots, jobs, and the future of human work.
The backdrop: On Tuesday, a day before the event, The New York Times cited internal Amazon documents and interviews to report that the company plans to automate as much as 75% of its operations by 2033. According to the report, the robotics team expects automation to “flatten Amazon’s hiring curve over the next 10 years,” allowing it to avoid hiring more than 600,000 workers even as sales continue to grow.
In a statement cited in the article, Amazon said the documents were incomplete and did not represent the company’s overall hiring strategy.
On stage at the event, Tye Brady, chief technologist for Amazon Robotics, introduced the company’s newest systems — Blue Jay, a setup that coordinates multiple robotic arms to pick, stow, and consolidate items; and Project Eluna, an agentic AI model that acts as a digital assistant for operations teams.
Later, he addressed the reporters in the room: “When you write about Blue Jay or you write about Project Eluna … I hope you remember that the real headline is not about robots. The real headline is about people, and the future of work we’re building together.”
He said the benefits for employees are clear: Blue Jay handles repetitive lifting, while Project Eluna helps identify safety issues before they happen. By automating routine tasks, he said, AI frees employees to focus on higher-value work, supported by Amazon training programs.
Brady coupled that message with a reminder that no company has created more U.S. jobs over the past decade than Amazon, noting its plan to hire 250,000 seasonal workers this year.
His message to the company’s front-line employees: “These systems are not experiments. They’re real tools built for you, to make your job safer, smarter, and more rewarding.”
Later, during a press conference, a reporter cited the New York Times report, asking Brady if he believes Amazon’s workforce could shrink on the scale the paper described based on the internal report.
Brady didn’t answer the question directly, but described the premise as speculation, saying it’s impossible to predict what will happen a decade from now. He pointed instead to the past 10 years of Amazon’s robotics investments, saying the company has created hundreds of thousands of new jobs — including entirely new job types — while also improving safety.
He said Amazon’s focus is on augmenting workers, not replacing them, by designing machines that make jobs easier and safer. The company, he added, will continue using collaborative robotics to help achieve its broader mission of offering customers the widest selection at the lowest cost.
In an interview with GeekWire after the press conference, Brady said he sees the role of robotics as removing the “menial, mundane, and repetitive” tasks from warehouse jobs while amplifying what humans do best — reasoning, judgment, and common sense.
“Real leaders,” he added, “will lead with hope — hope that technology will do good for people.”
When asked whether the company’s goal was a “lights-out” warehouse with no people at all, Brady dismissed the idea. “There’s no such thing as 100 percent automation,” he said. “That doesn’t exist.”
Instead, he emphasized designing machines with real utility — ones that improve safety, increase efficiency, and create new types of technical jobs in the process.
When pressed on whether Amazon is replacing human hands with robotic ones, Brady pushed back: “People are much more than hands,” he said. “You perceive the environment. You understand the environment. You know when to put things together. Like, people got it going on. It’s not replacing a hand. That’s not the right way to think of it. It’s augmenting the human brain.”
Brady pointed to Amazon’s new Shreveport, La., fulfillment center as an example, saying the highly automated facility processes orders faster than previous generations while also adding about 2,500 new roles that didn’t exist before.
“That’s not a net job killer,” he said. “It’s creating more job efficiency — and more jobs in different pockets.”
The New York Times report offered a different view of Shreveport’s impact on employment. Describing it as Amazon’s “most advanced warehouse” and a “template for future robotic fulfillment centers,” the article said the facility uses about 1,000 robots.
Citing internal documents, the Times reported that automation allowed Amazon to employ about 25% fewer workers last year than it would have without the new systems. As more robots are added next year, it added, the company expects the site to need roughly half as many workers as it would for similar volumes of items under previous methods.
Analysts, meanwhile, are taking the potential impact seriously. A Morgan Stanley research note published Wednesday — the same day as Amazon’s event and in direct response to the Times report — said the newspaper’s projections align with the investment bank’s baseline analysis.
Rather than dismissing the report as speculative, Morgan Stanley’s Brian Nowak treated the article’s data points as credible. The analysts wrote that Amazon’s reported plan to build around 40 next-generation robotic warehouses by 2027 was “in line with our estimated slope of robotics warehouse deployment.”
More notably, Morgan Stanley put a multi-billion-dollar price tag on the efficiency gains. Its previous models estimated the rollout could generate $2 billion to $4 billion in annual savings by 2027. But using the Times’ figure — that Amazon expects to “avoid hiring 160,000+ U.S. warehouse employees by ’27” — the analysts recalculated that the savings could reach as much as $10 billion per year.
Back at the event, the specific language used by Amazon executives aligned closely with details in the Times report about the company’s internal communications strategy.
According to the Times, internal documents advised employees to avoid terms such as “automation” and “A.I.” and instead use collaborative language like “advanced technology” and “cobots” — short for collaborative robots — as part of a broader effort to “control the narrative” around automation and hiring.
On stage, Brady’s remarks closely mirrored that approach. He consistently framed Amazon’s robotics strategy as one of augmentation, not replacement, describing new systems as tools built for people.
In the follow-up interview, Brady said he disliked the term “artificial intelligence” altogether, preferring to refer to the technology simply as “machines.”
“Intelligence is ours,” he said. “Intelligence is a very much a human thing.”
Linking employee benefits to corporate objectives strengthens organizational culture and drives productivity. Benefits that reflect a company’s strategic priorities foster loyalty, encourage innovation, and attract top talent
When staff members feel valued and supported, they develop a stronger connection to the organization’s mission. A benefits program aligned with business goals creates a sense of shared purpose, motivating employees to go beyond routine tasks and contribute ideas that spur growth. As workplaces evolve, it becomes essential to balance individual well-being with the company’s ambitions. By weaving benefits into the fabric of strategic planning, organizations build a supportive environment where both employees and the business flourish.
Effective benefits planning starts with a clear articulation of the company’s long-term vision. Leaders must determine whether the focus is on market expansion, product innovation, operational efficiency, or customer experience. Each of these priorities demands a tailored benefits approach. For example, a company pursuing rapid market growth may emphasize relocation allowances and global mobility support. An organization that values innovation might invest in continuing education stipends, certification programs, or partnerships with academic institutions. Operational excellence goals may call for wellness initiatives that reduce absenteeism and healthcare costs. It is also critical to ensure that benefits comply with evolving regulations and reflect the company’s financial capacity. Regularly reviewing strategic objectives keeps benefits relevant as the organization advances through different stages of growth.
A comprehensive benefits package addresses physical, mental, and social health. Health coverage should include preventive care, mental health counseling, and wellness allowances that employees can use for gym memberships or mindfulness apps. Flexible work arrangements such as telecommuting options, compressed workweeks, and adjustable start times enable staff to manage personal responsibilities without sacrificing performance. Career development programs that offer tuition reimbursement, mentorship, and job rotations help employees build new skills and advance their careers. Onsite amenities or partnerships with local providers for fitness classes, nutrition coaching, or ergonomic assessments demonstrate a genuine commitment to long-term health. When employers show that they care about employees’ overall well-being, staff members feel more engaged, remain with the company longer, and are better equipped to drive business success.
Incentives tied directly to measurable outcomes encourage behaviors that support corporate growth. Profit-sharing plans or discretionary bonuses reward employees when company targets are met or exceeded. Sales teams might earn additional vacation days for surpassing revenue milestones, while project managers could receive professional development credits for delivering major initiatives on time and within budget. Recognition programs such as peer-nominated awards or quarterly leadership shout-outs highlight both individual contributions and team achievements. Embedding benefit enhancements into performance review cycles sets clear expectations and provides ongoing motivation. When employees see a transparent relationship between their efforts and their rewards, they are more likely to collaborate, innovate, and maintain high levels of productivity.
Access to expert advice empowers employees to maximize their benefits. Hosting quarterly enrollment fairs or virtual Q&A sessions gives staff a forum to ask questions and explore options. Personalized consultations and educational webinars led by benefits specialists clarify complex topics such as premium structures, retirement savings options, and tuition reimbursement policies. Digital resources, including mobile apps and online portals, allow employees to compare plans side by side and enroll at their convenience. When developing retirement offerings, many organizations engage professional firms that specialize in retirement plan design. These experts ensure that plans remain compliant, cost-effective, and scalable. By providing clear guidance and tools, companies help employees make informed decisions that strengthen their financial security and enhance the overall value of the benefits program.
Long-term stability in employee benefits fosters trust and loyalty. Supplemental retirement vehicles such as deferred compensation arrangements or profit-sharing accounts layer additional financial security beyond core plans. Equity incentives and employee stock purchase options align individual interests with the organization’s success, creating a sense of ownership. Financial wellness seminars covering topics like budgeting, debt management, and investment basics equip employees with essential money management skills. Regular surveys of employees’ changing needs, such as caregiving support or elder care assistance, guide the evolution of benefits offerings. By building a roadmap that adapts alongside the business, organizations signal a commitment to investing in employees’ futures as much as they invest in the company’s growth. This proactive approach cultivates stronger engagement and positions the workforce to drive long-term success.
When employee benefits are carefully aligned with corporate growth strategies, they become a powerful engine for engagement and performance. A thoughtfully designed program addresses well-being, rewards achievement, and provides expert support while remaining flexible enough to evolve with the business. Companies that invest in benefits alignment gain an engaged, motivated workforce that contributes to innovation and competitive advantage. In today’s dynamic market, aligning benefits with strategic objectives is not simply a perk, but a vital component of long-term organizational resilience and success.
The post Aligning Employee Benefits with Corporate Growth Strategies first appeared on Information Technology Blog.
With the cost of data breaches at an all-time high, organizations are working to proactively identify areas of risk on the network. Using pentesters to conduct penetration (pen) testing is becoming more common. To protect themselves, businesses must know their risk areas before hackers find vulnerabilities. Organizations can lower their attack risk by protecting against weaknesses or eliminating them.
The 2022 IBM Cost of a Data Breach found that data breaches cost an average of $4.35 million per breach, an increase of 12.7% from 2020. For many businesses, breaches are becoming a “when”, not an “if” proposition. Of the organizations participating in the study, 83% have experienced more than one data breach — and only 17% said it was their first time.
As a result, many organizations are turning to pen testing to improve their overall security.
During pen testing, pentesters determine how secure an app or network is by trying to break into it. Pentesters often use black box testing, where the tester does not know the underlying infrastructure, apps or code. The process allows pentesters to conduct the tests from the perspective of an outside hacker and uses automated processes to test vulnerabilities.
Other forms of pen testing can be used as well. White box pen testing relies on the tester’s knowledge of the infrastructure to quickly test security using specialized tools. Gray box testing blends white box and black box testing as the tester uses personal knowledge of the infrastructure and both manual and automated tools to exploit weaknesses.
Pen testing provides numerous benefits to companies, including infrastructure knowledge and fewer errors. While some companies balk at the initial price, the approach saves significant costs by reducing risk and the likelihood of a breach. Companies regulated by compliance guidelines often turn to pen testing as part of their compliance process.
While penetration testing is similar to ethical hacking, some differences exist. Mainly, penetration testing focuses on breaching specific systems to take over the environment. Ethical hacking, on the other hand, uses all hacking techniques. Ethical hackers are usually not company employees, although some companies hire ethical hackers as full-time employees. Bug bounty programs are a bit similar, but they’re more focused on all types of bugs instead of just breaching a system. Because bug bounty programs are open to the cybersecurity community, external hackers typically participate as well as the occasional internal employee.
Pentesters who work as contractors are typically responsible for following testing protocols designed by the hiring agency or organization. Full-time pentesters usually start with a goal and then determine which tools and methods will best help them reach it. After completing their tests, pentesters write documentation detailing the results to help make security changes.
In addition to technical skills, pentesters need good written and verbal communication skills. Pentesters often need to collaborate with the IT department to help create solutions based on the results of the tests. Because of the types of attacks happening in the real world and the technology used by cyber criminals, pentesters need to stay on top of the latest trends in the cybersecurity industry.
Some companies require pentesters to have a computer science degree or cybersecurity certificate. However, many others accept on-the-job experience — especially experience in the cybersecurity industry. While some companies may require a bachelor’s degree, others look for candidates with digital badges or certifications.
Some companies hire internal pentesters, especially for white box pen testing. However, contract pentesters hired for specific projects typically conduct black box pen testing to ensure they don’t have prior knowledge of the infrastructure. If you are looking for a job as a pentester, consider looking for both full-time employment and contract gigs.
Pentesters looking for full-time employment often find jobs at non-technical companies that want to ensure their infrastructure is secure. Other testers work for cybersecurity firms that offer services to other companies. With IT spending on cybersecurity increasing as risks escalate, the demand for pentesters will also likely continue to climb.
Overall, pen testing is a great entry-level career for tech workers or people who want to enter the cybersecurity field. While some technical knowledge is needed, many of the tools and techniques are learned on the job.
The post What is a Pentester, and Can They Prevent Data Breaches? appeared first on Security Intelligence.
As new cybersecurity threats continue to loom, the industry is running short of workers to face them. The 2022 (ISC)2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study identified a 3.4 million worldwide cybersecurity worker gap; the total existing workforce is estimated at 4.7 million. Yet despite adding workers this past year, that gap continued to widen.
Nearly 12,000 participants in that study felt that additional staff would have a hugely positive impact on their ability to perform their duties. More hires would boost proper risk assessment, oversight, patching of critical systems and proper system configuration.
Many factors have contributed to this gap in essential cybersecurity workers. Some of the top reasons the survey identified were a lack of internal promotion opportunities, struggles with turnover and attrition, budget issues and a lack of qualified talent. But what defines “qualified talent” in cybersecurity today?
The industry has two options. The first is to cut the pie by continuing to focus on degree and certification holders. The other is to make a bigger pie by widening the talent pool and offering on-the-job training to applicants with the passion and mindset to succeed.
The term “cybersecurity” has been overly mystified. Does it involve a reclusive hoodie-wearing night owl? A math whiz writing complex code or working with cryptography?
Unfortunately, misconceptions and complexity have built a wall around the industry. This, at least in part, may explain the high percentage of people with university degrees working in cybersecurity fields. In fact, 82% of the workforce have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.
That level of formal education may have been necessary in the past, but the industry requires all types of workers right now. The first step to closing that worker gap will be to ensure that the public understanding of “cybersecurity” is demystified. Core skills aren’t coding or highly advanced math; core skills are problem-solving, investigative thinking, dedication and hard work.
Recently, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) identified that a “cybersecurity specialist” is “just your average person” that can come from varying backgrounds. This is completely true, especially when key cybersecurity tasks today revolve around monitoring, detection and the ability to spot anomalies. Contrary to popular thinking, cybersecurity is not a bunch of blinking lights and super-secret artificial intelligence — though there are elements of that.
The cybersecurity industry could be morphing into a 21st Century version of manufacturing and assembly lines. Yes, there are still skilled labor requirements. But there is still no substitute for “hands-on keyboard” or “taking live fire” during an incident response case. That comes through experience.
Therefore, this begs the question: Who is better suited for a cybersecurity position? Somebody with a high school diploma but has managed computers and IT systems since they were a teenager, making mistakes along the way but solving them with passion and curiosity? Or a person with a cybersecurity degree who read about the field in a book, spending limited time with hands on a keyboard?
Let’s return to the (ISC)2 study. Participants are trending towards practical skills and experience as more important qualifications. Certification, degrees and training are nice, but problem-solving abilities and related work experience are what employers are looking for. Interestingly, certifications are seen to be more valuable for skills growth than a means to jump into a career in cybersecurity.
It almost feels as though there is an elephant in the room: are we considering the right people for cybersecurity jobs, especially for entry-level jobs?
Granted, some positions require a strong mix of experience, paper qualification and/or validation, and years of battle hardening. For instance, a CISO or senior-level SOC analyst will almost certainly have done time in the trenches.
But some positions grant some low-risk, hands-on experience. If an organization finds a candidate with sincere curiosity, problem-solving skills and the appropriate soft skills, their paper qualifications may not matter. Rather, what will determine success is the organization’s ability to train the individual on the necessary tools and the core technical competencies required to complete the job. A curious person with problem-solving skills can figure out the rest. Just do not leave them hanging because they may suffer from burnout.
Back to the assembly line analogy: Let’s say you are new to the machinery or protocols in a manufacturing shop. If you can be trained, shadow somebody more experienced for a period of time and have the right work ethic you can pick up the skills and excel. It’s the same principle in cybersecurity.
This is how to bridge the gap, especially in the short term. Waiting three to seven years for individuals to complete advanced degrees may no longer be practical, given the high demand. Technologies will change and there is no guarantee of “hands on keyboard” battle scars.
It’s time to start thinking outside the box. Pitch these two scenarios to a hiring manager today:
Based on these surface descriptions, who are you inclined to interview first for a cybersecurity job?
The above example is not a knock on those seeking university degrees or certifications; rather, it is a reality check. If 80% of workers in the industry have university degrees and there are not enough people to meet the need, well, you need to start looking elsewhere to fill the gap. Otherwise, expect retention problems.
For hiring managers, that will mean carefully crafting your requisitions and keeping your expectations in check. These new hires will be your apprentices for a while. Know that if you get them early, reward them with the opportunity and treat them right, you may also be filling a long-term need.
The post Bridging the 3.4 Million Workforce Gap in Cybersecurity appeared first on Security Intelligence.
Neil Wyler started his job amid an ongoing cyberattack. As a threat hunter, he helped his client discover that millions of records had been stolen over four months. Even though his client used sophisticated tools, its threat-hunting technology did not detect the attack because the transactions looked normal. But with Wyler’s expertise, he was able to realize that data was leaving the environment as well as entering the system. His efforts saved the company from suffering even more damage and disruption.
Wyler shows that threat hunters can help prevent a cybersecurity catastrophe. But what is a threat hunter, and how can they improve an organization’s security posture?
While enterprise security systems are a key part of cybersecurity, threat hunters provide organizations extra protection. A threat hunter reviews all the security data and systems to look for abnormalities and potential malware issues. Threat hunting complements automated security tools and is best used in conjunction with that technology. By combining the strengths of both human expertise and artificial intelligence (AI) tools, companies can find cyber threats faster and reduce damage.
Threat hunters search, log, monitor and neutralize threats to find issues before they become serious problems. In some companies, threat hunters design the threat-hunting program, which starts by building the hypothesis the program is looking to answer, such as searching for malware with specific criteria. Threat hunting typically involves looking for malware threats incorporated into commercial technology but not yet known.
Threat hunters use three approaches: structured, unstructured and situational.
During structured tests, the threat hunter leverages indicators of attack (IoAs) and the tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) of an attacker. Unstructured hunts occur when a trigger indicates a compromise, and the hunter looks at patterns before and after the detection. Situational hunts commence when a risk assessment is warranted, such as knowing attacks are happening at similar companies.
What makes threat hunting different from other cybersecurity tasks is that they don’t just use security information and event management (SIEM), endpoint detection and response (EDR) and other typical processes. Instead, threat hunters search through security data to look for patterns that indicate malware or attackers. Once they discover a cyber criminal’s potential entry method, they work to patch the issue to prevent future incidents.
Threat hunting is often one of the responsibilities of a cybersecurity analyst. However, some managed service professionals (MSPs) hire threat hunters whose primary responsibility is threat hunting for clients. Cybersecurity firms also hire threat hunters to provide the service to their clients. Additionally, threat hunters can work freelance for companies that need threat-hunting expertise but don’t want to hire an MSP.
Companies often look for certifications or bachelor’s degrees when hiring for analyst and threat-hunting positions. Candidates can also go into threat hunting with digital badges or certifications. However, cybersecurity analysts can learn threat-hunting skills on the job and then move into a threat-hunting role.
Threat hunters need strong technical skills and expertise with cybersecurity tools. However, the most important skills are problem-solving and analysis because the role requires manually reviewing data. Threat hunters must also have a strong interest in cybersecurity and a willingness to continually stay updated on cyber criminals’ latest TTPs. Additionally, threat hunters need good written skills to communicate findings to IT leaders. Because threat hunters often work on a team with other cybersecurity professionals, they also need the ability to collaborate and verbally communicate with others.
As cybersecurity risks and threats continue to increase, threat hunting is apt to become an even more crucial facet of cybersecurity. Organizations need the human touch to catch sophisticated threats, even using sophisticated tools. Cybersecurity professionals specializing in threat hunting or adding it to their skill set will likely have solid employment opportunities.
The post How Do Threat Hunters Keep Organizations Safe? appeared first on Security Intelligence.
A well-written cover letter can be the make or break for your job application. And given how competitive the job market in the UK is at the moment, every advantage you have over your competitors can be crucial.
Before you even think about how to write the perfect cover letter, you need a well-written CV that grabs a Hiring Manager’s attention. Lucky for you, we’ve put together tips on writing CVs here. But once you’ve got the attention of the Hiring Manager, that’s where your cover letter comes in and highlights why you’re the right candidate for the job.
Here at Dynamic we speak to Hiring Managers everyday. And we know exactly what they want to see from a candidate. And we’re here to share those secrets with you, so you can write a cover letter that’s impossible to ignore, and lands you that interview for your dream job.
But before we get started, it’s important to ask the question, do you need a cover letter in 2023? We would argue that whether a job application asks for a cover letter or not, you should still include one. And we’re not the only ones who think so.
A study from ResumeLab, shows that 83% of recruiters agree that while they aren’t ‘strictly necessary’, a well-written cover letter, tailored to the job you are applying for, can be an important part of their hiring decision.
And 74% of recruitment decision makers prefer to receive a job application which includes a cover letter that’s separate from the CV.
So while skilled professionals are as in demand as they have ever been, there is still a huge amount of competition for the roles out there. And a great way to set yourself apart from other applicants is to write a cover letter that shows you’ve done your research and want the job more than the next applicant.
So here’s our 7 steps on how to write a cover letter that helps you stand out from the crowd and gets you into that interview!
Let’s start with the most obvious. If you send over a generic cover letter that you send for every job, it’s going to be just that: Generic.
Your cover letter should talk about the role and how your experience relates to the job. Use specific examples from the job description and your own experience. And what work does the company do that you’re excited to be a part of? Even showing your understanding of the work the company does, or the clients they work with, shows you’ve done your research.
And you should also aim to address the cover letter to the hiring manager of the business. You can usually find out this information from LinkedIn or the company website.
Similar to in your CV, you should aim to use statistics and figures to back up any arguments you make in your cover letter. If the job is asking for applicants to have experience
When writing your cover letter, you should keep the job description you’re applying for close to hand. This is so you can relate your experience to the requirement of the job: Essentially showing why you’re perfectly equipped to do the job at hand.
Spelling it out and making it a reality for the hiring manager on why you’re their perfect candidate, makes it impossible for them to not give you an interview.
At the end of the day, a lot of hiring decisions are based on technical ability to do the job. So in an industry like IT where you need experience with a variety of technologies and software, this becomes even more important.
And despite what you may think, from our experience there is very rarely the perfect candidate for a job. Businesses will happily hire someone who fills 80% of the requirements, who they can teach the other 20%, and build them out into the employee they are looking for.
And given the wide variety of tech out there in the IT industry, you may not have worked with all the software they want. But if you have worked with similar tech, it’s well worth emphasising the fact that you do have those transferable skills: Alongside all the tech that you have worked with that they want.
A cover letter should also convey your excitement at the opportunity, for both the position and the company.
Highlight examples of what’s so great about the company, and what aspect of the job interests you the most. Because what really interests hiring managers is seeing your passion for your work come through the page: Something that’s often hard to convey with merely a CV.
Hiring Managers want to see a cover letter. But, what they don’t want to see is a 10 page cover letter detailing your life story, or repeating everything you already stated in your CV!
So aim to keep your cover letter to one page or less. The Hiring Manager reading your application is likely reading through many CVs and cover letters. So you want to keep yours short, to the point, and get straight into why they should give you the job.
Your cover letter should have a clear structure that makes it easy for the reader to follow and find the relevant information: Introduction, body, and conclusion.
The introduction paragraph should introduce yourself and why you are writing.
The body of the message should discuss why you are applying for the role, and why they should give it to you. Using specific examples of your previous experience and skills to show why you’re a good fit for the job.
Finally, you should use the conclusion as an opportunity to reiterate your interest in the position and to thank the hiring manager for considering your application.
Now it’s all finished, it’s time to proofread before you send it off. When hiring managers are looking for their next Network Engineer or Cyber Security Analyst, they’re not looking for someone who has a passion for writing. But if your cover letter is riddled with spelling mistakes, it doesn’t look great, and can actually hurt your chances of getting an interview.
Another great step to take (if possible) is to have someone else look over it for you. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes can help you spot mistakes you don’t even realise you’re making.
But better than telling you how to write the perfect cover letter, is giving you a cover letter template to work with. Below is an example cover letter you can use to create your own individual cover letter.
The areas marked in red are the details you will need to edit for your cover letter. Many of these areas will need to be changed for each individual job that you apply for.
Dear (Hiring Manager’s Name),
My name is (Your Name) and I am writing to express my interest in the (Position) role. I have (Number) years of experience as a (Your current position) and I am confident in my ability to make a valuable contribution to your team.
I have previous experience working with (Skills and technologies mentioned in job posting), and I’m excited to continue to develop these skills at (Company). What really excites me about this position, is the opportunity to work with (Specific technology). I have previous experience working with (Technology), and this previous experience will be crucial to my success in the (Position).
I currently hold (Relevant/ similar certifications to those mentioned in the job posting) certifications, that will assist me in the (Position) role. Additionally, I am working towards earning (X certification), to support my own professional development, and my career goal of reaching a (Position you want to reach in your career).
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to speaking with you further about how my skills and experience will make me an effective part of your team.
Sincerely,
(Your Name)
Now the above may seem a bit confusing. So here is what this Cover Letter may actually look like for you.
Dear Mrs Brown,
My name is Hames Jones and I am writing to express my interest in the Network Engineer position. I have 2 years of experience as a Junior Network Engineer and I am confident in my ability to make a valuable contribution to your team.
I have previous experience working with LAN and WLAN environments, from implementation to management, and I’m excited to continue to develop these skills at IT Solutions Inc. What really excites me about this position, is the opportunity to work with Cisco FirePOWER. While I haven’t used it before, I’ve previously worked with FortiGate, and this previous experience will be crucial to my success in the Network Engineer Position.
I currently hold a CCNA certification, which will assist me in the Network Engineer role. Additionally, I am working towards earning a CCNP Enterprise, to support my own professional development, and my career goal of reaching a Senior Network Engineer position in the near future.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to speaking with you further about how my skills and experience will make me an effective part of your team.
Sincerely,
James Jones
Your cover letter may contain much more information than this, referencing more of the skills that the job advert asks applicants to have. But this should give you an accurate idea of how to create your own cover letter, and how to relate your own experiences to the position you are applying for.
One of the only times when you don’t need to know how to write a cover letter, is when you’re working with a recruiter or recruitment agency in your industry.
Here at Dynamic, we’re experts in recruiting in the IT Industry: Network, Infrastructure, IT Sales, Cyber and Cloud… Because we understand our market, our clients and our candidates: And our clients trust us to bring applicants to them who are right for the role. This means they often don’t ask for a cover letter, because a recruiters job is to sell you to the Hiring Manager without the need for a cover letter.
If you’re looking for your next IT position, you can look at our open job vacancies here. Or reach out to us here for a confidential chat about taking the next step in your IT career.
The post How To Write The Perfect Cover Letter in 2023 appeared first on Dynamic Search Solutions.
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