The Cybersecurity Skills Gap and Workforce Shortage

What is the Cybersecurity Skills Gap? 

The cybersecurity skills gap is a critical challenge faced by organizations globally, leading to increased cyber risks and vulnerabilities. According to HDI Global, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to hire experienced cybersecurity professionals. There is also a lack of basic cybersecurity training for non-technical employees, which can lead to more attacks and breaches. These employees can fall for phishing scams and cannot always tell when there is an active infection.  

Despite the high demand for talented cybersecurity professionals, the requirements to have certain degrees and certifications like CISSP, CISA, or CISM can limit the hiring pool. There has been a push for universities to create more programs and courses where this knowledge and these certifications can be obtained. This lack of traditional education for cybersecurity professionals pushes this gap further apart and worsens the cybersecurity skills shortage.  

This cybersecurity talent shortage can lead to bigger consequences like overall increased cybersecurity risks, exploitation, operational disruption, data leakage, reputation damage, and so much more. According to an article by MUO, there are some ways to reduce the cybersecurity skills gap: 

1. Teach cybersecurity in schools (before college level). 

2. Improve access to cybersecurity education and training programs. 

3. Increase benefits and incentives for new and current cybersecurity professionals. 

4. Offer continuous education to ensure a professional's knowledge is up to date.  

5. Define a clear career path for aspiring cybersecurity professionals. 

Cybersecurity Workforce Shortage 

There is a shortage of cybersecurity professionals across the industry, which is expected to continue growing in the coming years. This shortage can be attributed to several factors, such as the evolution of technology, increasing demand, regulatory compliance requirements, and the ever-evolving complexity of the threat landscape.

• Rapid technology advancements—Advancements in technology like cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) add complexity and vulnerabilities to business networks. As businesses continue to digitize business processes and add devices to their business, the number of cyber threats and attacks also increases, causing a need to protect business networks, data, and systems. Overall, this causes an increase in demand for cybersecurity professionals with a supply shortage. 

• Regulatory standards and requirements—Because of advancements in technology, regulatory frameworks like NIST, HIPAA, GDPR, NERC CIP, and PCI–DSS are becoming more stringent and evolving. This causes a high demand for cybersecurity professionals with expertise in risk, regulatory, and compliance management. 

Viewing Cybersecurity as an Expense 

Many businesses view cybersecurity as an expense rather than an investment, often overlooking its strategic importance in protecting valuable assets and maintaining trust with customers. Cybersecurity should be considered essential, as it is crucial in protecting data, network systems, and other private information.  

Businesses must shift their mindset to consider cybersecurity an integral part of their company. Without it, hackers can easily access sensitive information and leak it to the public—or, in some cases, hold the information for a ransom. Larger companies may have more expensive pricing when it comes to cybersecurity services, but some specialize in small—to medium-sized businesses, which may have lower costs and retainer fees.  

Determining the appropriate level of protection for a business's network, applications, and devices can be a challenging task. However, it doesn't have to be complicated. Various factors, such as budget, technology infrastructure (devices, computers, applications), compliance requirements, and threat landscape (probability of cyber-attacks varies from industry to industry), can influence the level of security needed from business to business. It is essential to note that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and it can be challenging for businesses to determine independently. Seeking expert help is often necessary to achieve the best results. 

Breaking into the Cybersecurity Industry  

There seems to be a lack of coordination between the Human Resource departments, hiring managers, and the overall hiring strategy for cybersecurity professionals in organizations. Hiring managers require assistance to improve their security measures, but organizations have strict eligibility criteria that are challenging for cybersecurity professionals to meet. This results in difficulty for aspiring cybersecurity professionals to enter the field. 

Cybersecurity Requirements 

Many job requirements in the cybersecurity field include certifications, work experience, and a relevant degree. Unfortunately, even if a cybersecurity professional has gained significant knowledge through free training, research, or self-study, they may still be disqualified for job opportunities solely based on the lack of certifications. This is because organizations tend to place a higher value on certifications than other forms of education or experience. 

Focused Skills 

For cybersecurity professionals currently in the field, many of them only perform cybersecurity activities during working hours and have different hobbies outside their jobs. Having a cybersecurity job does not necessarily mean their skills and education in cybersecurity are also growing.

Depending on the job type, many cybersecurity professionals stagnate and become experts in a specific domain within cybersecurity. For example, a cybersecurity professional who only performs vulnerability management will have senior-level skills in vulnerability management but lack the skills of an AWS cloud security architect and vice versa. Situations like this only add to the workforce shortage and the disconnect between hiring companies and cybersecurity professionals. 

Skills and Experience Development  

Organizations should approach the development of their cybersecurity professionals like building a sports team. While there may be occasional exceptional talents, overall, there needs to be a focus on skill development, understanding of the game, and the evolution of the playing field. It's important to recognize that technology is evolving a lot faster than the skills of cybersecurity professionals, just like building a sports team, and therefore, continuous skill development is crucial. 

Unrealistic Expectations 

Often, organizations misunderstand the definition of an entry-level job and fail to post such positions accordingly. These roles require proper training and a certain amount of time to grow into. This can be attributed to the high demand for skilled workers, a rapidly evolving threat landscape, and an increased need to protect businesses' critical information and systems more effectively. 

Hiring or giving people an opportunity based on attitude sometimes goes a long way than hiring for traditional requirements. Some of the best professional athletes have been players who are coachable, learn quickly, solve quickly, have great critical thinking skills, and are always looking to learn more. The same can be said about the hiring approach for cybersecurity professionals.   

The Value of Cybersecurity Solutions 

Cybersecurity solutions provide invaluable benefits that companies of any size should consider. These benefits include: 

Threat Detection 

Detecting threats in a timely manner is essential. Without a cybersecurity solution, you might miss the threat altogether. It's important to detect threats immediately to avoid a full-blown hack or infection.  

Incident Response 

As mentioned above, you never want to miss a detected threat. If a threat occurs, you want a professional to respond immediately to the incident and fix the issue. A quick and effective incident response decreases downtime, reduces mass financial losses, and maintains business operations.  

Data Protection 

Every company, regardless of size, has essential data that must be protected. Companies often handle private data such as customer information, financial accounts, intellectual property, and other types of data. To prevent disasters, organizations must have strong data protection measures like file encryption, access controls, data masking, and other data loss prevention technologies.  

Regulatory Compliance 

Not everyone has the same level of knowledge as a cybersecurity professional, so they might not know the rules and regulations of cybersecurity.  

Safeguarding Businesses 

 The ultimate goal of cybersecurity is to safeguard businesses from the many cyber threats and security risks. To do this effectively, a company must ensure they have the proper cybersecurity measures and cybersecurity professionals checking these measures.

Why Businesses Should Invest in Cybersecurity Solutions 

Investing in cybersecurity solutions is imperative due to the rising frequency and sophistication of cyber threats. Breach statistics reveal the substantial financial and operational impacts on businesses of all sizes and industries. 

Breach Statistics 

Recent breach statistics highlight cyberattacks' alarming frequency and severity, underscoring the urgent need for robust cybersecurity measures. In 2023 alone, there were 3,205 data compromises, which impacted over 300 million victims. The number of cyberattacks is growing every year. In 2021, there were 1,860 data breaches, but that number has almost doubled in recent years.

Cost to Business

The costs of cybersecurity breaches vary across different business types, with small businesses often experiencing proportionally higher financial losses and operational disruptions. Large businesses tend to have cybersecurity measures in place, but smaller businesses can sometimes believe that a breach would never happen to them. However, they can happen to any business at any time.

Tips for Aspiring Cybersecurity Professionals 

Acquiring relevant skills, certifications, and hands-on experience is crucial for aspiring cybersecurity professionals to enter and thrive in this dynamic and in-demand field. 

1. Get the Right Education 

To be a cybersecurity professional, you must have the right education. However, the education needed does not have to come from a college degree. There are many certifications and specialized training programs for aspiring cybersecurity professionals.  

2. IT Education and Training 

Cybersecurity professionals must have a solid understanding of information technology, including networking and computers, to effectively protect against cyber threats. 

3. Gain Hands-On Experience  

Gaining practical experience through internships, freelance, independent projects, programs, and entry-level positions can greatly improve your chances of a successful cybersecurity career. You want to be able to showcase and apply your learned skills to potential employers.  

4. Stay Up to Date on Cybersecurity News 

Ensure you know the latest trends, attacks, software, and career moves. You can do this by reading articles, attending Cybersecurity/tech conferences, participating in online forums, or even joining a group on social media.  

5. Network with Other Cybersecurity Professionals  

Build your professional network through networking events, LinkedIn, and other online forums. Try to connect and learn from other professionals or even find a mentor to guide you on your career path. Networking is how most jobs are found these days so always make time for making new connections.  

6. Try to Find Your Specialty  

There are many different areas of cybersecurity to specialize in. These areas include cloud security, incident response, risk management, and threat intelligence. While it is good to have some knowledge in each area, specializing in one area allows you to develop deep expertise and proficiency, becoming a subject matter expert in that aspect of cybersecurity. This can help you find more specific jobs in the cybersecurity field! 

Free Cybersecurity Training and Education 

Some free cybersecurity training and education sources: 

• YouTube – There is a lot of great free content on YouTube that offers basic cybersecurity training. 

• EC-Council - https://www.eccouncil.org/cybersecurity-exchange/cyber-novice/free-cybersecurity-courses-beginners/ 

• SANS Institute - https://www.sans.org/cyberaces/ 

• TryHackMe 

• Hack The Box 

• Cybrary 

Collaborative efforts from academia, industry, and government are necessary to address the skills gap and shortage of cybersecurity professionals. Investing in cybersecurity education, offering competitive salaries and benefits, providing professional development opportunities, and fostering diversity and inclusion are crucial steps in bridging the skills gap and building a robust cybersecurity workforce for the future.