According to O'Reilly's "State of Security 2024" report, security teams face significant skill gaps in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud implementation. The report reveals that nearly 39% of security team respondents indicated that cloud computing is a field requiring more skills but is difficult to find.
Cloud security is a complex field that necessitates the adoption of concepts such as access control and least privilege, and applying them to APIs provided by cloud vendors for control. Any mistake in any service could jeopardize the entire infrastructure, making infrastructure as code crucial.
"Cloud security requires the adoption of concepts like access control and least privilege, and applying them to servers and services you never see, and can only control through APIs provided by cloud vendors," writes report author Mike Loukides. "Any error in any service could jeopardize all your infrastructure—which is why infrastructure as code is so important. In many ways, the rules haven't changed, but the risks have become higher."
Potential talent should prioritize the following skills: the ability to consider protecting hundreds or thousands of virtual instances, and the ability to use or develop tools that can span multiple servers, services, and cloud providers.