Staying up to date on cybersecurity news is not just about knowing where the latest data breach happened. It also requires following the rapid changes in the industry, and knowing which companies are on the forefront of information security, and who the thought leaders are. Staying on top of cybersecurity news also helps CISOs and security managers ensure their teams are well-informed and aware of emerging threats. Knowing what’s happening in the cyber industry today helps your team prepare for tomorrow. Your infosec team is likely checking in on cyber news sites like The Hacker News, Threatpost, and SC Media, but there are more resources to help cybersecurity leadership get a full picture of what’s happening in the industry. Here are some of our favorites.
Nobody has time to scroll through numerous cyber news sites each day. If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for your cybersecurity news, it’s hard to beat Cyber Security News, an aggregator site run by Cyware, a cybersecurity solutions firm. What makes the site perfect for busy managers and CISOs is its functionality and customization options. With a free registration (which requires only an email address) you can subscribe to daily, weekly, or monthly threat briefings delivered to your inbox. You can customize the alert feed by topic so the most relevant news rises to the top, and you can bookmark posts you’d like to share with the team later. By our count, the site posts between 20 and 30 alerts each day from leading cybersecurity news sites and thought leaders, making it easy for you to get updates quickly and when you want them.
There are plenty of people pontificating about the intersection of security, technology, and people. Most of us don’t have time to check in on these big-picture issues every day; however, knowing what some of the top minds in cybersecurity are discussing keeps you and your team ahead of the curve, and ahead of threats. This is also where you’re going to get insights on issues that go beyond the day-to-day tasks of security, such as workplace culture, workplace diversity, responding publicly to data breaches, and when and how to invest in your people. Thought leaders like Chris Roberts, Chief Security Strategist for Attivo Networks, and Alyssa Miller, a hacker, security evangelist and cybersecurity professional, are great to follow, as is Bruce Schneier, a fellow and lecturer at Harvard's Kennedy School and a board member of Electronic Frontier Foundation.
Sometimes the best news about the industry comes from people you already know. We all know LinkedIn is a place hiring managers have turned to for finding talent, but it’s also a great resource for intelligence gathering, especially within your region. Keeping an eye on what your connections are up to, who’s hiring, and major shifts in security leadership at other companies are all clues as to how other cyber teams are faring. Following hashtags like #cybersecurity and #cyberjobs also keeps you informed on what people in the industry are talking about. We know that not all cybersecurity professionals are on LinkedIn because many in the industry are suspicious of social media and its ability to protect user data. Still, when it comes to gathering information on what’s happening in the industry from a large sample of cybersecurity professionals, LinkedIn can’t be beat.
At publish time, face-to-face meet-ups and conferences are on a temporary hold. When it's appropriate/safe to get together again, these events play an important role in keeping cybersecurity teams up-to-date on tools and techniques emerging in the industry. Events like local meet-ups provide people a chance to meet others in their region and do a little old fashioned networking. It not only aids managers and staff when hiring and job seeking, respectively, but it also contributes to shared knowledge and builds problem solving skills. Similarly, cybersecurity and infosec conferences, like RSA Conference, provide access to industry experts, professional training, information on cutting-edge tools and techniques, as well as discussions on larger issues that are impacting the industry, such as talent retention and diversity. Cyber professionals are often stereotyped as people who love to stay at home, happy living in their own tech bubble. Yet we find the best cybersecurity professionals and thought leaders are engaged with others, constantly looking for new ways to solve problems and address threats. This requires more than just talking with friends in chat rooms. It also means following the latest in cybersecurity news.
