The nature of our emergency

The security industry has a problem, and unlike the title suggests an AI doctor probably isn’t going to fix it.

In the past week I’ve probably seen half a dozen references to the shortage of manpower in the security industry. Which sector of the industry? All of it probably, but the two that stood out to me have been CISO’s and security operations centers personnel. Two cogs that are definitely needed for the larger machine to function, and currently AI isn’t up to the task of replacing them.

For cybersecurity professionals the math is easy to do. In an escalating arms race of AI Vs. AI, it’s the human touch that’s making the difference between success and failure. In Fortinet’s recently released Global Threat Landscape Report the company writes, “The rising demand for qualified cybersecurity experts, coupled with the need for organizations to offer attractive career development opportunities and work environments, continues to highlight the importance of human capital in combating cyberthreats.”

During RapidSOS’s recent Innovation Day, they directly discussed taking on staffing issues on behalf of operators with its VP of Public Safety Jamison Peevyhouse saying, “I’ve only seen the 911 staffing crisis deepen while your responsibilities widen. 2023 saw the highest volume of 911 calls in history, and we continue asking our public safety professionals to do more with less.”

In both situations AI is being used as a Band-Aid on a bigger problem, and while I firmly believe the continued advancement of AI will be beneficial as a tool for solving security problems, it might be time for the industry to start treating the disease and not the symptoms.