Read our new report The IT Security Team: 2021 and Beyond to ascertain the full impact of the pandemic on the IT security teams around the globe.

Based on findings of an individual survey of 5,400 professionals across 30 countries, the report reveals how IT security teams’ cybersecurity experiences changed over the course of 2020 and what this means for the future delivery of IT security.

More work, more learning

With technology a key enabler for dispersed and digital organizations, IT professionals played a vital role in helping organizations to keep going despite the restrictions and limitations necessitated by COVID-19.

At the same time, adversaries were quick to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the pandemic: 61% of IT teams overall reported an increase in the number of cyberattacks targeting their organization over the course of 2020.

It’s therefore not surprising that demand on IT teams grew over the course of 2020. 63% of respondents said their team saw an increase in non-security workload, while 69% experienced an increase in IT security workload.

However, the vast majority of IT teams that faced a rise in cyberattacks (82%) and a heavier security workload (84%) over the course of 2020 also strengthened their security skills and knowledge.

Adversity brought teams together

Despite the challenges created by the pandemic, 52% of the IT teams surveyed said team morale increased during 2020, with those facing the greatest challenges often reporting the greatest increase. For instance, ransomware victims were considerably more likely to have experienced an increase in team morale than those that weren’t hit (60% versus 47%.)

While morale is also likely influenced by external and personal circumstances during the pandemic, these findings suggest that a shared purpose, a sense of value and facing adversity together helped to bond and lift the spirits of IT teams.

The experiences of 2020 have fuelled ambitions for bigger IT teams

Many teams have entered 2021 with plans to increase the size of both in-house and outsourced IT teams, and to embrace the potential of advanced tools and technologies.

The survey found that 68% of IT teams anticipate an increase in in-house IT security staff by 2023, and 56% expect the number of outsourced IT security staff to grow up over the same time frame.

An overwhelming majority (92%) expect Al to help deal with the growing number and/or complexity of threats.

Read the full survey findings

To learn more, including a deep dive into the experiences of different countries and sectors over 2020 and their future IT security delivery plans, read The IT Security Team: 2021 and Beyond survey report.

Source: Sophos