Amidst smarter, new and evolving threats, here are the essential skills you must have in your cybersecurity arsenal

CISOs across the enterprise have pointed out the dearth of skilled cybersecurity professionals in the IT space. ESG research indicates 45 percent of organizations are facing a skills shortage in cybersecurity. 

Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), a non-profit information security advocacy group, predicts there will be a global shortage of two million cybersecurity professionals by 2019.

New and emerging threats are rendering current security skillsets inapt. The changing threat landscape makes it necessary for cybersecurity professionals to develop and adopt new skills

To stay ahead of the curve, the new age cybersecurity professional must understand architecture and controls, and manage operating systems and network security.

The job calls for a strong grasp on programming languages like Java, C/C++, disassemblers, PHP, Python, Perl, and Shell.

Intrusion detection is based upon discovering potentially harmful activity that could compromise an organization’s data. This includes network-based, host-based, and physical detection, and is essential to help organizations adopt a proactive approach to stay a step ahead of breaches.

The two most recognized certification programs to help security professionals earn their stripes are: Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

In the likely event of malware intrusion, it's imperative for security pros to acquire expertise in digital threat management, in addition to business continuity and disaster recovery planning (BCP/DRP). Following an attack, a business continuity plan is essential for organizations to bounce back and resume business as normal.