Prerequisites of Virtual Teamwork in Security Operations Centers: Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics

Abstract

Cybersecurity is an emerging field of national security where usually the technical aspects of defense take first place. Cyberdefense is heavily relaying on teamwork where members of Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) or Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) or Security Operations Center (SOC) teams are often geographically dispersed. In cybersecurity teamwork, computer supported collaboration is crucial as the team functions virtually in many ways.In this paper we present the results of interviews that were conducted with SOC exerts and we summarize the reviewed relevant literature. We have reviewed knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAOs) that make a team of cybersecurity experts capable to perform as virtual teams. These results revealed that to treat the cybersecurity team as a socio-technical system and supporting to cope with challenges of virtual teams helps them to be more effective and enhances employee retention. This perspective may contribute to cyberdefense of both industry and military.