Fortinet has developed new security operations center (SOC) augmentation services designed to help strengthen an organization’s cyber resiliency and support short-staffed teams strained by the talent shortage. In addition, as part of Fortinet’s leadership efforts to help close the cyber skills gap, the Fortinet Training Institute has added initiatives across its programs to further increase access to its training and certifications.

A lack of resources and personnel, combined with the sheer volume of security alerts SOC teams receive per day, often results in missed detections and slower responses that increase exposure to cyber risk. SOC teams require an immediate solution to mitigate these challenges through investment in automated and integrated SOC and cybersecurity technologies and experienced professionals to better protect against threats.

Fortinet’s new and enhanced services help SOC teams reduce their organizations’ cyber risk while freeing up their time to focus on higher-priority projects. Some of the updates include: SOC-as-a-Service, Outbreak Detection Service, and more.

“But technology alone won’t solve this issue, which is why we are dedicated to also delivering human-based SOC augmentation services to provide immediate support, while investing in an industry-leading training institute to close the cybersecurity skills gap,” said John Maddison, EVP of Products and CMO at Fortinet. “This combination of technology, services, and training enables SOC professionals to better protect their organizations from detection to incident recovery.”

Fortinet’s 2022 Cybersecurity Skills Gap report found that 50% of global leaders cite security operations as one of the most challenging roles to fill, and 42% are still in need of security operations analysts. Additionally, the same Fortinet survey found that worldwide, 80% of organizations suffered one or more breaches due to a lack of cybersecurity skills and awareness.

As part of Fortinet’s longstanding commitment to eliminate the skills gap, the Fortinet Training Institute offers multi-level training and certifications to security professionals seeking to advance and upskill their knowledge in key cybersecurity areas. These programs also help untap new talent pools to help build the cyber workforce of the future, with a focus on providing training opportunities for women, veterans, students, and underserved populations. Some recent updates across programs include: Increasing Access to Advanced Technical Training, Supporting the Advancement of Women Professionals in Cybersecurity, and Developing Cybersecurity Skills in Youth.

Through these initiatives, Fortinet is progressing toward the company’s pledge to train 1 million people in cybersecurity by 2026.