How Does Cyber Range Training Optimize Hiring and Retention?
How Does Cyber Range Training Optimize Hiring and Retention?
By Dr. Edward Amoroso, TAG Cyber
This blog is part of a series from TAG Cyber that focuses on using cyber range and simulation training for security operation center (SOC) teams to improve individual and team effectiveness. The Cloud Range platform is used throughout the blog series to illustrate world-class range training for these teams. Check out the first and second blogs of the series.
Cyber range training is now a useful means by which SOC team members can be more effectively evaluated, hired, and retained. This article explains this important staff-related property of cyber range training in the context of the commercial Cloud Range offering.
One issue universally accepted across the entire cybersecurity community is the challenge to hire, train, and support expert staff. As a result, enterprise security team leaders must become more involved in human resource (HR) management. This is easier said than done, though, because most security managers are not well-versed in this softer, but critically important, aspect of modern business.
The hiring process to identify and evaluate analysts requires a significant investment of time and effort for SOC managers. Unfortunately, resumes, interviews, and certifications don’t tell the whole story about a given candidate. That’s why security leaders are increasingly focusing on improving the effectiveness of their recruiting and evaluation process to build a skilled and knowledgeable team.
Supporting Skills and Aptitude
Once analysts are hired, security leaders also need to have a plan for ongoing support. This involves upskilling team members, keeping them engaged, and creating a career path for them within the company. Such effort not only helps to retain staff, but it also leads to a more productive and cooperative team. The bottom line is that people are the greatest asset in any company – and this is certainly true in the SOC.
A major value proposition for cyber range training is that it can include assessments, customized learning plans, and in-depth evaluation that fundamentally improves hiring, training, and retaining SOC staff. Engaging with a commercial cyber range program can improve the entire HR process.
Depiction of Cloud Range’s RightTrak Cyber Aptitude Assessment
A cyber range can reduce the likelihood of hiring the wrong candidates. Cloud Range, for example, includes an assessment called the RightTrak™ Cyber Aptitude Assessment that helps hiring managers better identify the talents and skills of job applicants. The resulting metric-based report helps managers focus on top candidates for different areas of cybersecurity, such as security operations, incident response, penetration testing, and scenario development.
Depiction of Cloud Range’s FastTrak Candidate Assessment
A complementary solution called FastTrak™ is designed for role-based candidate assessments. Hiring managers can see how candidates perform in areas relevant to the work activity. Cloud Range works with customers to develop tailored simulation exercises to identify gaps, areas of improvement, and strengths. This type of process will improve the success rate for new hires into a SOC and helps leaders learn what kind of training will most benefit the new hire.
SOC Staff Retention
Once SOC team members have been hired, a cyber range improves retention by engaging staff in continued programs of learning and self-improvement. Learning paths can be created for skills development, certification preparation, or career advancement. In addition, the use of live-fire team exercises improves camaraderie and soft skills, drives a more supportive culture, and ensures that the right people are working in the right jobs.
Capable staff will sometimes leave positions out of frustration when they are working among colleagues assigned to jobs they cannot perform. Immersive, hands-on training allows the team to rehearse defense tactics against real-world cyberattacks, so they are ready for the next threat. Cyber simulation training accelerates effectiveness and time to value – plus it helps teams stay ahead of the increasingly complex threat landscape.
Ultimately, a cyber range training program demonstrates a clear commitment to the people working across an organization, including in the SOC. HR teams struggle to tailor learning for high-tech staff, as found in a typical SOC team, so solutions such as those from Cloud Range are highly recommended for any enterprise security team hoping to attract and retain the best talent to their organization.
Stay tuned for the next blog in this series in two weeks!
Contact Cloud Range to learn how cyber range training can help with hiring, evaluation, onboarding and retention.
About TAG Cyber
TAG Cyber is a trusted cyber security research analyst firm, providing unbiased industry insights and recommendations to security solution providers and Fortune 500 enterprises. Founded in 2016 by Dr. Edward Amoroso, former SVP/CSO of AT&T, the company bucks the trend of pay-for-play research by offering in-depth insights, market analysis, consulting, and personalized content based on thousands of engagements with clients and non-clients alike—all from a practitioner’s perspective.
Copyright © 2023 TAG Cyber LLC. This report may not be reproduced, distributed, or shared without TAG Cyber’s written permission. The material in this report is comprised of the opinions of the TAG Cyber analysts and is not to be interpreted as consisting of factual assertions. All warranties regarding the correctness, usefulness, accuracy, or completeness of this report are disclaimed herein.
