Adrian Johnson
TLDR:
– Global cyber threats have increased twofold in recent years, leading to a talent gap of nearly 4 million cyber professionals worldwide.
– Existing cyber staff are under strain, with vacancies in cybersecurity roles causing increased workload and pressure.
Article Summary:
Empirical evidence shows a significant rise in global cyber threats, with $12 billion in losses from malicious cyber incidents against the financial sector alone in the past 20 years. This has worsened due to a well-documented cyber talent gap, estimated at nearly 4 million professionals short globally. The strain on cyber teams is concerning, with 71% of organizations having vacancies in cybersecurity roles, leading to over reliance on existing staff who have to do more than one person’s job.
The impact of the talent gap also affects key security activities like patching vulnerabilities, system configuration, risk management, and incident response. To bridge this gap, CISOs can focus on rethinking skilling strategies, upskilling existing staff in adjacent fields, fostering diversity in hiring, and automating processes wherever possible. By fostering an attitude of success and prioritizing team morale, CISOs can navigate the challenges posed by the cybersecurity talent gap and improve their organization’s cyber resilience.
