When it comes to their cyber skills, the Dutch are among the best in the world, reports Consultancy.nl (Dutch). This is concluded from the results of a global ranking by strategy consultancy firm Oliver Wyman, which has examined the cyber risk skills of professionals.

To arrive at the ranking, Oliver Wyman used a combination of data analysis, surveys, interviews and collaborations with policy, industry and academic experts to map the level of cyber skills within 50 geographic regions.

While many studies mainly focus on technology aspects to measure the degree of cybersecurity, the researchers at Oliver Wyman took a different tack. The researchers conclude that people, rather than technology, are the key to successful cybersecurity. It is therefore important to focus in particular on the maturity of their cyber risk skills and knowledge.

“Studies show that most cybersecurity problems arise from human errors, such as when someone accidentally clicks on a malicious link and downloads malware. Raising awareness of cyber risks and encouraging people to learn more about cybersecurity should be included in every cyber strategy, ”said Paul Mee, Cyber Risk Lead at Oliver Wyman.

Oliver Wyman’s researchers examined several factors. For example, the public involvement in cybersecurity, government policy for cyber education, the quality of cyber instructions within educational institutions, the scale of initiatives within the business community and the degree of digital accessibility within a country were examined.

Switzerland emerges as the global leader in the survey. Shortly thereafter, Singapore follows in second place. Both countries are seen by the researchers as a textbook example of how government policy, in combination with a strong education system, can make a difference. In addition, both countries score highly on further training initiatives – teaching cyber skills to professionals who are already active in the labor market.

The Netherlands is in fifth place in the ranking, just behind the United Kingdom and Australia. Our country owes its position to the education system (especially in the “post-graduate” segment for professionals), the presence of a strong cybersecurity ecosystem (think of The Hague Security Delta, for example), government support and a mature IT infrastructure.

The corona pandemic has “increased the importance of cybersecurity” as more and more transactions and communication take place online today, Mee concludes, with the result that countries – even the front runners – still have plenty of work to do.

This article originates from: consultancy.nl

Read the full report: Oliver Wyman Forum Global Cyber Risk Literacy and Education Index

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