Eric Knapp, chief engineer for cybersecurity solutions and technology at Honeywell Process Solutions, believes we need to re-frame the way we think about hackers. Public opinion paints them all as criminals, when in fact, "hacking" is a skillset that is used by cybercriminals. Not all those with that skillset are criminals. For some, hacking is problem-solving and finding flaws in security. That doesn't mean they're going to use this skill for nefarious purposes.
In a recent Downstream Today article, Knapp explains that if we don't use these individuals to our businesses' advantage, they will turn to other methods of profiting off their skills. A recent survey revealed 82% of oil and gas industry respondents reported an increase in successful cyberattacks over the past 12 months. Malware being used by cybercriminals can adapt and rewrite itself once it's detected. That's where it would be helpful to have a hacker on your side.
"If we hire them, and we put them on the good team, then they're our heroes," Knapp explains. "If we don't hire them, they're going to find some other way to make money off of their skills. If they're on our team, they help; if they're on the other team, they hurt. They're not going to just go away."
To read more, see the full article from Downstream Today.
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