Data, for many businesses across all industries, is considered one of the most valuable assets. If confidential information ranging from internal corporate data to the financial information of customers or clients is accessed by unauthorized 3rd parties, the consequences can be devastating. These effects were most recently publicized in the news when the retail chain Target became the most recent victim of a data breach.

To protect your organization from similar security threats, you will need a good line of defense that goes beyond installing the right antivirus software of firewall systems. To ensure you are optimally protected against threats, you need to hire the right IT staff.

Depending on your needs and the software you use to store data, there are a variety of professionals you may benefit from recruiting including those with experience in the cloud and with mobile and social protection.

Cloud Security
If your organization is one of the many that has started to adapt to big data and cloud technology to store and analyze your sensitive information, it might be time to start investing in security professionals experienced in these systems. As a starting point, you'll want to hire people with knowledge of data encryption techniques and best practices, an understanding of the Software as a Service (SaaS) model, project management skills, and network administration and engineering skills.

Some common certifications that are geared toward systems and cloud security expertise to look out for in candidates include:

• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

Mobile and Social Protection
As more companies develop mobile strategies, allow employees to conduct business on their personal or work issued mobile devices, and/or rely on social media for marketing and branding, it becomes even more necessary to secure yourself against attacks through these channels.

In fact, antivirus software developer McAfee's 2014 Threats Predictions report found that mobile (particularly Android devices) and social media were two of the major channels through which malware users attacked businesses across multiple sectors in 2013. McAfee predicts that this this trend would continue through 2014. 

You can minimize your risk by recruiting IT professionals who have completed and passed CompTIA's Social Media Security Professional (SMSP) Certification. This certification validates an IT professional's ability to "teach or defend organizations from social media security breaches" through an education on "proper policy, guidelines, and defense against social media, smartphone, and mobile-based threats."

Professionals who typically hold this certification include:

• Network technicians
• Security administrators
• Security architects
• Security engineers
• Network administrators

Research from Social Media Security Training's founder Theodore Henderson found that organizations of all sizes across all sectors are susceptible to these security breaches. As a result, to guard yourself against these attacks, it's best to be proactive by investing in employees who are skilled in these areas.