Beyond the Code: Mastering Non-Technical Skills in Cyber Crisis Management
– Shahar Griffin
Normally, industry experts talk about technical and professional skills (IT, incident response, cyber theory, knowledge of regulatory policies and best practices) but they rarely talk about non-technical personal or soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving etc.Stress management – Cyber crises are high-pressure environments, and they require professionals who can remain composed and manage their emotions whether they are making decisions or responding to threats:
“There is no victory condition for security; cyber professionals often deal with one issue, then move right on to the next risk, the next event, the next incident — taking a toll on their mental health.”
Aaron Kiemele, CISO at Jamf
Both management and SOC teams must have the capability to handle stress effectively.Three examples include the healthcare, aviation, and oil and gas sectors:
– Healthcare – An increasing number of healthcare providers, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, have begun conducting crisis simulations to develop surgeons’ NTS in operating theaters and improve patient outcomes.Cyberbit’s crisis simulation exercises bring leadership and SOC teams together in real-life cyber incident scenarios, allowing leadership teams to prepare for the non-technical management challenges and dilemmas they will encounter in real incidents.(Source:
ENISA)
World Bank – The World Bank has conducted more than 30 crisis simulations exercises for the financial sector since 2008, with many of the exercises simulating cyber incidents as the triggers of financial instability.(Source:
World Bank)
Cyber crisis simulations give leadership and SOC teams an opportunity to develop and hone crucial NTS skills such as decision-making, critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, leadership, and communication, leading to exceptional levels of collaboration and communication between teams and optimized decision making.
Link: https://www.cyberbit.com/cyber-crisis/beyond-the-code-mastering-non-technical-skills-in-cyber-crisis-management/