Currently, there is an extreme shortage of cybersecurity talent in the labor market. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has pointed out that there is a global cybersecurity talent gap of 3.4 million. In an era where digital security is more important than ever, this worsening talent shortage poses a significant risk to both public and private entities. In fact, according to the same NIST data, more than half of major cybersecurity incidents this year are expected to be caused by talent shortages or human error. So, how can we address this shortage? The answer is: by strengthening programs that cultivate the next generation of industry talent.
01 Student-Operated SOC: A Model for Workforce Development
The current talent shortage is where student-operated Security Operations Centers (SOCs) come into play. These unique, market-oriented programs provide academic institutions with a way to share the costs typically involved in SOC operations while enhancing their cybersecurity frameworks and providing students with practical experience that translates into employable skills after graduation.
In Louisiana, a pioneering student-operated SOC is being promoted across 34 campuses of Louisiana State University (LSU), taking a statewide approach to address cybersecurity. Launched in 2023, the program recruits students from various disciplines—not just cybersecurity and IT—to join the SOC and provides ongoing support and training through TekStream’s MDR services (which utilize Splunk SIEM/SOAR software deployed on AWS). The SOC offers round-the-clock security protection for 34 institutions while providing students with up to 1,000 hours of frontline security experience each year. Since early 2024, students have handled approximately 33% of SOC cybersecurity incidents.
As part of this innovative model, industry veterans teach students how to manage the LSU SOC using Splunk technology. The level of training students receive is on par with TekStream employees, covering topics such as cyberattacks, analysis, network defense, policy and escalation handling, and real-time response to actual incidents. This means they gain highly sought-after professional experience while completing their studies.
This not only provides a low-cost method for cultivating new talent but also offers LSU opportunities to train and upskill existing IT staff. In the long run, this will help LSU and other public and private entities address workforce shortages, thereby reducing labor costs in both sectors. The first three graduates in December 2024 have all entered the cybersecurity industry as full-time employees of TekStream.
02 Benefits of Student-Operated SOCs
In addition to being an important resource for cultivating and enhancing industry talent, student-operated SOCs bring other benefits. Firstly, they provide academic institutions looking to expand or strengthen cybersecurity programs with an affordable, scalable source of on-site talent, particularly suitable for institutions adopting a statewide strategy.
Moreover, they offer students aspiring to pursue careers in cybersecurity a unique and competitive educational option. Students participating in the program receive transcripts upon completion, which helps them enter the job market directly. This is an additional advantage for students looking to enter this field, making them more competitive compared to students from other universities during interviews and job negotiations.
Finally, LSU’s student-operated SOC serves as a scalable model that can be emulated by other public and private entities worldwide to improve overall cybersecurity infrastructure. Other academic institutions, such as the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), have already implemented similar programs on their campuses.
03 Improved Cybersecurity
The benefits of student-operated SOCs extend beyond talent cultivation. Through the public-private partnership between LSU, TekStream, Splunk, and AWS, LSU has transitioned from a passive defense model to an active defense model. In this architecture, LSU can achieve better automation capabilities, increased threat sharing and remediation capabilities, and maintain consistency across the architecture through a statewide approach. At the same time, their costs are lower than those of an independently operated model, and they can leverage AI in cybersecurity projects, helping to overcome many of the AI barriers that graduates face when entering the industry.
04 Strengthening Public-Private Cooperation for a Secure Future
According to a snapshot from the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, global cyberattacks on critical infrastructure increased by 30% in 2023. As we spend more time online and generate more data, the number of cyberattacks will only continue to rise.
Ensuring and cultivating the next generation of cybersecurity talent is the future path to successfully addressing the talent gap. In the long run, student-operated SOCs provide an educational, scalable cybersecurity resilience solution that will help public and private entities achieve proactive cybersecurity protection.
LSU’s student-operated SOC is a prime example of the importance of collaboration between academia, government, and private sector organizations in driving innovation and long-term workforce development. Through more similar student-operated SOC projects, we can expand the cybersecurity workforce and better protect public and private entities against the inevitable rise of cyberattacks.
Translated by Yan Zhikun,Original article:
https://www.darkreading.com/cybersecurity-operations/embracing-next-generation-cybersecurity-talent
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