Neurominority Talent in Cybersecurity: A Competitive Advantage

It is extremely striking to discover the next annual summit that SANS Institute is going to dedicate to Neurodiversity in Cybersecurity on June 27 in a free online format.

SANS Institute is one of the world’s leading organizations for the education, training and certification of cybersecurity experts. In this edition, they insist on the persistent shortage of talent in cybersecurity. At a global level, according to the 2022 Cybersecurity Active Population study prepared by (ISC)2, they identified a global need for 3.4 million workers in this field. Specifically pointing out an approximate number of 700,000 vacant positions in the USA according to data from Cybersecurity Ventures, hence the need for this industry to redouble its efforts to attract, train and engage more workers.

Additionally, they highlight the opportunity to expand perspectives and skills because these jobs and workplaces are not “one size fits all.” Linking below is the differential value represented by neuro minority (ND) people, who have strengths and experiences that provide unique value to form better teams.

The cybersecurity sector has always been dynamic and highly disruptive. Unfortunately, the actors that make up the cybercrime sector are increasingly more prepared and organized in highly professionalized structures with more complex objectives. They not only seek a lucrative economic objective, but they also go further by fulfilling geopolitical objectives for illicit purposes.

These are some reasons that show us the continuous search for minds that not only understand the complex challenges of digital security but are also capable of thinking differently when solving problems and anticipating threats and vulnerabilities. This is where neurominorities talent shines brightly, not as a challenge to overcome, but as a competitive advantage that can drive innovation and cyber resilience within an organization.

In Europe, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) also published the “Threat Forecast 2030” Report in March of this year, insisting on the lack of talent with cybersecurity capabilities as the second biggest threat in the world. cybersecurity ecosystem.

Thus, in the world of cybersecurity, there is a pressing need for personnel.

What are the advantages that neurodivergent neurominorities can bring to Cybersecurity?

Neurominority talent people often possess unique skills that are extremely valuable in the field of cybersecurity. For example:

In the case of autistic people:

• Great attention to detail: They are people with great ability to detect patterns and anomalies. This is essential in cybersecurity to identify unusual behaviour in systems and networks. In this way, its great attention to detail will allow you to identify vulnerabilities and anomalies in the code or security infrastructure.
• Outstanding logical and analytical thinking: They may also have high technical skills, like programming, mathematics or logic. These are crucial skills for data analysis and response to security incidents.
• Being persistent and intensely focused on your area of interest. Their meticulous nature and tendency to direct communication are positive assets to improve problem-solving.

Regarding people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), some of the characteristics that a cybersecurity team can provide are:

• Ability for hyperfocused thinking allowing deep concentration on complex and prolonged tasks required by computer security.
• Creativity and innovative approaches through lateral or divergent thinking are a very valuable skills in cybersecurity. So, technical knowledge being essential, lateral thinking provides solutions from an unusual angle to:

o An unexpected attack may face a solution not obvious to a neurotypical person. That is, it will create unique solutions to security problems.

o Detection of hidden vulnerabilities, which other people may overlook.

o Incident resolution, for example during a cyber-attack, lateral thinking will identify strange patterns by connecting seemingly unrelated dots and detecting intrusions or security breaches.

o Innovation in defense is currently a highly strategic area for adopting prevention strategies in cybersecurity. Lateral thinking allows you to develop new strategies and tools against emerging threats.

These skills and abilities of thinking are essential to developing an effective cyber resilience strategy, which allows organizations to anticipate threats, resist attacks, recover from them, and adapt to new adversary tactics.

Conclusion

Including neurominority talent people in cybersecurity teams is not just about covering a social inclusion quota; It is recognizing the real value that this diversity brings to the workplace.

Investing in neurominority inclusion is investing in the capacity for innovation and competitiveness. By doing so, an organization not only improves its cybersecurity capabilities but also contributes positively to society by fostering a more inclusive and representative work environment.

The push toward including neurominority in cybersecurity is not simply a fad, but an innovative trend with tangible benefits for businesses. Leveraging neurominority means taking a richer, more multifaceted approach to addressing security challenges in cyberspace. The keys to more robust and effective cybersecurity are found in the unique talent mix of neurodivergent individuals.

Within the framework of neurominority talent people, innovation and cyber resilience become the fundamental pillar that neurominority talent people contributes to cybersecurity. Companies that understand and value these capabilities will be one step ahead in the digital protection and security game.

[1] Source: https://www.sans.org/cyber-security-training-events/neurodiversity-cybersecurity-summit-2024/

[2] Source: https://fortune.com/education/articles/the-cybersecurity-industry-is-short-3-4-million-workers-thats-good-news-for-cyber-wages/

[3] Source: https://www.enisa.europa.eu/publications/foresight-cybersecurity-threats-for-2030-update-2024