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Shortage in cyber security talent

Intel Security released Hacking the Talent Shortage, global report outlining the talent shortage crisis impacting the cyber security industry across both companies and nations. With a majority (82 percent) of respondents admitting to a shortage of cyber security skills throughout the field, this crisis is resulting in direct and measureable damage to organisations whose lack of talent makes them more desirable hacking targets.

In 2015, 209 000 cyber security jobs went unfilled in the United States alone (Ariha Setalvad, “Demand to fill cybersecurity jobs booming”, Peninsula Press, March 31, 2015, http://peninsulapress.com/2015/03/31/cybersecurity-jobs-growth/). Despite one in four respondents confirming their organisations have lost proprietary data as a result of their cyber security skills gap, there are no signs of this workforce shortage abating in the near-term. Respondents surveyed estimate an average of 15 percent of cyber security positions in their company will go unfilled by 2020. With the increase in cloud, mobile computing and the Internet of Things, as well as advanced targeted cyber attacks and cyber terrorism across the globe, the need for a stronger cyber security workforce is critical.

“The security industry has talked at length about how to address the barrage of hacks and breaches, but government and the private sector haven’t brought enough urgency to solving the cyber security talent shortage,” said Chris Young, senior vice president and general manager of Intel Security Group. “Welcoming non-traditional sources of education, providing training opportunities, evolving skills for automation and diversifying the industry are all critical next steps to address this workforce crisis.”

The demand for cyber security professionals is outpacing the supply of qualified workers, with highly technical skills the most in need across all countries surveyed. In fact, skills such as intrusion detection, secure software development and attack mitigation were found to be far more valued than softer skills including collaboration, leadership and effective communication.

This report studies four dimensions that comprise the cyber security talent shortage, which include:

1. Cyber security spending: The size and growth of cyber security budgets reveals how countries and companies prioritise cyber security. Unsurprisingly, countries and industry sectors that spend more on cyber security are better placed to deal with the workforce shortage, which according to 71 percent of respondents, has resulted in direct and measureable damage to their organisation’s security networks.

2. Education and training: Only 23 percent of respondents say education programmes are preparing students to enter the industry. This report reveals non-traditional methods of practical learning, such as hands-on training, gaming and technology exercises and hackathons, may be a more effective way to acquire and grow cyber security skills. More than half of respondents believe that the cyber security skills shortage is worse than talent deficits in other IT professions, placing an emphasis on continuous education and training opportunities.

3. Employer dynamics: While salary is unsurprisingly the top motivating factor in recruitment, other incentives are important in recruiting and retaining top talent, such as training, growth opportunities and reputation of the employer’s IT department. Almost half of respondents cite lack of training or qualification sponsorship as common reasons for talent departure.

4. Government policies: More than three quarters (76 percent) of respondents say their governments are not investing enough in building cyber security talent. This shortage has become a prominent political issue as heads of state in the US, UK, Israel and Australia have called for increased support for the cyber security workforce in this past year.

Closing the gap in this global shortage of cyber security talent requires countries and organisations to develop critical technical skills, increase cyber security budgets, cultivate a larger and more diverse workforce and reform education and training programmes to include more hands-on learning opportunities, especially in areas such as the automation of security networks.

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