Security panic prompts training surge

IT training companies will reap the benefits of this year's security panics, as companies realise the need for IT staff with security expertise.

Both Internet Security Services (ISS) and QA expect to increase the number of security courses and hold them more frequently to meet the growing demand for such training from technical staff.

Liz Timoney-White, education manager for ISS, said the company's training revenue had doubled over the last year. Daniel Morgan, business manager for the internet and messaging area at QA, said that it has also seen a "steady increase" in demand for security training.

Timoney-White explained that there was particular interest in ISS' vendor-neutral courses in ethical hacking and protecting a network. They are now as popular as the training it provides on its own product range.

The company is planning to branch out to non-technical staff by offering in-house security presentations to alert users to the need to protect the network.

Martin Overton, managing director of Checkware, said it was better to give staff security training than outsource security functions. "It is worthwhile to train up your own staff. Outsourcing overall security is like handing over the keys to the crown jewels," he said.

Overton advised using companies that make a living out of security and penetration testing for training staff in specific areas. "The right training at the right level is invaluable, but it has to be hands-on," he said.