For cybersecurity professionals, 2023 was a mixed bag of opportunities and concerns. The good news is that the number of people in cybersecurity jobs has reached its highest number ever: 5.5 million, according to the 2023 ISC2 Global Workforce Study. However, the same study reported that there is still a serious shortfall. To best address threat landscape challenges, the workforce needs to grow at a rate of 12.6 percent a year. In the 2023 study, it only grew by 8.7 percent.
More troubling than the shortfall of approximately 4 million cybersecurity professionals is the slowdown in hiring and the rise of cutbacks. As the ISC2 study found, nearly half of those surveyed said their companies have dealt with layoffs, reduced budgets and/or hiring freezes — with more slowdown expected to come in 2024.
It’s quite a paradox. The need for a skilled cybersecurity workforce is greater than ever due to the rise in cyber threats, new attackers and attack vectors. Positions are available. Yet the looming threat of an economic downturn has made employers overly cautious about filling out their security team, and part of the reason could be because having a warm body in the position isn’t enough; potential employees don’t have the right skill sets to effectively guard against today’s biggest risks.
So, what are the demands on the cybersecurity workforce as we head into 2024? What skills are in demand and what are the obstacles that potential cyber professionals face?
What employees are looking for
A Google search of ..
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