Today Twitter and news feeds have been filled with the Ashley Madison hacking scandal. In July, the website was reported to be hacked by a collective called ‘The Impact Team,’ however the company claimed that only two profiles were revealed. After threats to Avid Life Media were ignored, the group have now released over 9 gigabytes of data including names, email addresses and bank details.

With members now reaching for the deactivation button, this hacking scandal, along with the last week’s Carphone Warehouse data leak, certifies the need for secure cyber systems and highly skilled personnel to protect them.

Our global use of technology day-to-day brings with it a huge amount of information. Data is becoming more valuable, whether this is commercial information that can help overcome a competitor in your market, or personal data that is exchanged. Usually overlooked, businesses’ stored information can be extremely vulnerable in cyberspace and it’s easy to see why criminals take advantage of opportunities to infiltrate it.

With global organisations such as Ashley Madison under attack, it’s surprising that 93% of large corporations and 76% of small businesses have reported a cybersecurity breach in the past year, causing large financial damage. These costs, as well as the reputable damage caused by failing to protect information, could be avoided by hiring trustworthy personnel, who are able to put measures in place to prevent malicious attacks.

As a relatively new specialism, the cybersecurity job market is suffering from a skills shortage. Michael Brown, CEO at Symantec recently stated, ‘The demand for the (cybersecurity) workforce is expected to rise to 6 million by 2019, with a projected shortfall of 1.5 million’. While there are steps being made to improve cybersecurity awareness at an education level, the need for this talent is much more current.

This is where a specialist recruiter comes in. These trusted partners can advise you on the best way to get quality candidates into businesses faster, saving time and money. Job specifications or interview procedures that are dealt with incorrectly result in vacancies staying unfilled or candidates joining without the right company fit. With the protection of information at stake, the cost implications of getting the wrong candidate will be far greater than engaging with a recruiter who will make it their business to secure the ideal applicant.

In the digital age, computer networks are a target for criminals and the danger from cyber security breaches is only set to increase. With the right personnel in place, it’s possible to control potential threats and recover should a breach occur. Using an experienced, industry specific recruiter, who can provide you with this talent, really could make or break the UK’s tech development.

Austin Fraser is an award winning, specialist IT and Engineering recruiter who specialise in sourcing specialists. It's our mission to break the perception of 'stereotypical recruiters' and demonstrate that recruitment, when done well, is an excellent and consultative process. 

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