Cybersecurity Skills Gap

• March 3, 2023
• By SECNORA

Experts unanimously are of the opinion that organisations worldwide are facing a cybersecurity talent shortage. If we take a closer look, it is clear that cybersecurity leadership positions have been worryingly vacant for the past many years. 

Unfortunately, the skills gap has become a major problem in the cybersecurity industry since the pandemic began two years ago. The IT and security teams were forced to embrace remote work and hybrid work models. The approach broadened the threat landscape and the security teams had to face the harsh reality of a lack of professionals helping with the growing menace of cyber attacks. 

Just looking at some of the stats in the past few years reveals a bleak picture of the skills gap in the cybersecurity field. According to the Fortinet Global Threat Landscape report released in 2021, there was a 10 times increase in ransomware attacks. Compared to the increasing cyber-attacks, the cybersecurity workforce recorded a shortfall of over 3 million people as per a Cybersecurity Ventures report. 

Cybersecurity Skills Gap: Trends

As cybersecurity incidents continue to create havoc, disrupt operations and cause millions of dollars of losses, it has become a hot topic among business leaders and decision-makers. A majority of leaders from different countries believe that skill shortages are a concern and pose risks to their businesses. In countries like the US, China and India, leadership want more headcount in IT and security.

Approximately 60% of global leaders accept that the recruitment of talent is a major challenge in the cybersecurity field. Plus, the retention of professionals in different regions is a big issue. 

Among the many cybersecurity job profiles, Cloud Security Specialist is the most sought-after role as per Fortinet. However, finding the right people is a daunting task. 

Impact of Cybersecurity Skills Gap 

Organisations across the globe are competing fiercely to hire the best cybersecurity professionals from the scarce resources available. This has resulted in a two-fold problem. First, cybersecurity remuneration has increased which means that many companies are unable to hire and build a strong team. Secondly, many companies are putting pressure on the existing workforce to take up more responsibilities ultimately leading to burnout. 

The skill gap problem has thus forced government agencies, security firms and other organisations to compromise on security. This has put all the stakeholders including customers, employees, partners and associates at risk and has other negative consequences. 

Reasons for Skills Gap in Cybersecurity

 At this point, it is important to understand why there is a skills gap in the cybersecurity industry. Read on to find out the major reasons for the shortage of talent in the cybersecurity space.

• Technology

Technology has become part and parcel of everyday life. Organisations are built on technologies and tools today. Technological innovations are transforming and redefining business functions and promise to do more in 2023 and beyond. Digital transformation is also a reality. Along with the growth of complex technology, the possibilities of cyberattacks have also increased. Thus, cybersecurity teams need to be bigger and better prepared to tackle the challenges ahead.

•  Certifications and Experience

 A majority of organisations, large and small, still are not aware of the cybersecurity domain and how it needs to develop and implement. Consequently, many in leadership positions look to hire only those with degrees, certifications and many years of experience. Due to the unrealistic expectations of different organisations, many proficient and skilled cybersecurity professionals are reluctant to work for organisations. 

• Workforce Diversity

As the whole business world looks for better workforce diversity, the cybersecurity industry lags behind when it comes to diversity. According to a recent study, only 20 to 25% of cybersecurity professionals are women. Many other communities are underrepresented when it comes to a cybersecurity career. This is indeed a big concern for organisations and needs to be resolved immediately. 

• Skills

 As technology evolves such as cloud storage and becomes a necessity around the world, the cyber threat landscape also keeps changing and taking a new shape. In such as scenario, the skill upgrade is of paramount importance. However, as discussed before, the professionals are so occupied with work that they do not have time or energy left to take training or courses. 

•  Cybersecurity as a Career

 Due to the technical nature of cybersecurity, only a certain group of individuals with an interest in computers and security are attracted to this career. Moreover, cybersecurity career hasn’t become mainstream in different parts of the world. As cybersecurity needs come to the limelight, nations will hopefully promote and focus to provide advanced educational opportunities to cybersecurity aspirants. 

Solutions for Cybersecurity Skills Gap  

Organisations can take certain measures to fill the cybersecurity skills gap. 

• Education and Awareness are primary ways to fill the skills gap in the cybersecurity industry. Strong measures need to be taken to encourage women to choose a cybersecurity career. Plus, underrepresented communities should be given free education and basic-level training to generate interest in the cybersecurity field. Plus, the organisations can open up opportunities by laying down recruitment rules and diving paid internships and scholarships for talented individuals to promote diversity. 
• Organisations should look to build the in-house team by providing opportunities to talents and people who have skills. Instead of prioritising certifications, degrees and courses, new employees selected can be trained, educated and developed into quality professionals. 
• Another important thing is to provide all the support to the existing cybersecurity professionals and team members. This can be achieved by investing in automation tools to automate repetitive tasks and take the pressure off the employees.
• Organisations can choose to outsource security initiatives to third-party security service providers. Job rotation is another good initiative where employees will be able to learn new skills and solve multiple problems. All in all a major cultural change can help in reducing the skills gap problem in the cybersecurity industry. 

According to reports, the global cost of cyberattacks will reach 23 trillion dollars by 2027. Thus, filling the cybersecurity gap is important for the global economy. The coming years are critical for organisations to take positive measures regarding cybersecurity hiring and training.