Cybersecurity Has a People Skills Gap Too

Organizations that process, store or transmit payment card information face increasing pressure to protect sensitive data and comply with industry standards. Among the most widely recognized requirements is the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). While many organizations view PCI DSS as a compliance exercise, the reality is that the framework is designed to strengthen security and reduce the risk of data breaches. As cyber threats continue to evolve, organizations are also recognizing that point-in-time assessments may no longer provide sufficient visibility. This is where Continuous Pentesting and Continuous Security Validation can help. WHAT IS PCI DSS? PCI DSS is a security framework developed to help organizations protect cardholder data and maintain secure payment environments. It applies to merchants, financial institutions, payment processors and service providers that handle payment card information. The standard covers multiple areas, including: * Network security. * Access control. * Vulnerability management. * Monitoring and logging. * Security testing. * Incident response. The objective is not simply compliance but the protection of sensitive payment information. WHY PENETRATION TESTING

AI can summarize a security alert in seconds, help analysts investigate suspicious activity and reduce time spent on repetitive tasks. That is useful, especially for teams dealing with more alerts than they have hours in the day. But faster analysis is only valuable if someone can recognize when the result is wrong. A recent UK government study offers a reason to look carefully at that balance. Published on 29 September 2026, Cyber Security Skills in the UK Labour Market 2026 found that 57% of businesses had a basic technical cybersecurity skills gap, up from 49% in the previous study. The report also found that 47% of people responsible for cybersecurity in businesses and charities lacked confidence in dealing with cyberattacks and had not outsourced the function. Meanwhile, 70% of cybersecurity businesses said staff were using AI in their daily work, compared with 53% in the previous study. GOV.UK [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-security-skills-in-the-uk-labour-market-2026/cyber-security-skills-in-the-uk-labour-market-2026?trk=public_post_comment-text] The findings describe the UK market, but they raise a question relevant to any organization adopting AI: are teams building the

There used to be a fairly predictable starting point for a cybersecurity career. Learn networking. Understand access control. Get comfortable with security operations. Then, after some experience, start tackling the newer and more complicated stuff. AI is messing with that sequence. On 1 September 2026, ISC2 introduced its updated Certified in Cybersecurity exam outline, the first major content revision since the entry-level certification launched in 2022. Foundational AI concepts are now integrated into the material, including identifying AI assets, recognizing automated threats and supporting secure governance of emerging technologies. Its updated AI guidance goes further. Cybersecurity professionals increasingly need competence in AI governance, model security, data integrity, prompt engineering, AI risk management and the security of AI-enabled systems. That’s quite a list for something that was recently considered a specialist topic. AI SECURITY IS MOVING DOWN THE CAREER LADDER There’s a practical reason for this. AI-enabled systems are entering everyday business operations. At the same time, AI can be used for phishing, social engineering and increasingly automated attacks. Indonesia is already preparing for that reality.