Cybersecurity is at a critical juncture. Organizations around the world increasingly recognize the importance of cybersecurity to their reputation and ongoing operations, driven by mainstream media reports about breaches. This recognition results, in many cases, in an increased desire to hire skilled cybersecurity professionals to protect systems and information assets.

This renewed interest in cybersecurity talent also is creating a significant skills gap, a cybersecurity staffing shortage, as employers struggle to stand out among the pack and recruit talented professionals to fill their open positions. Recent research confirms that this trend exists and that organizations are truly struggling to fill positions.

Information security industry association (ISC)² released its Global Information Security Workforce Study in February. This study surveyed more than 19,000 security professionals and projects that there will be a gap of 1.8 million cybersecurity experts over the next five years. That gap represents a 20 percent increase from the 1.5 million shortfall predicted by the same study last year — and provides quantitative evidence of the anecdotal pain felt by hiring managers around the world.

Published June 5, 2017 on certmag.com

Read the full story: Solving the cybersecurity staffing shortage