Bridging the Cybersecurity Workforce Gap

Addressing Challenges and Solutions

The cybersecurity landscape is currently facing its most formidable challenges in the past five years, with 75% of respondents acknowledging the severity of the threat. Despite these challenges, the demand for cybersecurity professionals continues to surge, resulting in a 9% increase in the global cybersecurity workforce since 2022, totaling 5.5 million individuals. However, this growth is outpaced by the expanding workforce gap, which has increased by 13% from 2022, leaving a deficit of approximately 4 million cybersecurity professionals worldwide by 2023. To reach full capacity, the profession needs to nearly double its current size. The widening workforce gap and pressures from budget cuts and layoffs are exacerbating critical skills gaps within organizations. Participants express concerns that these skills gaps leave their organizations vulnerable, particularly as rapidly evolving technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) expose deficiencies in knowledge, experience, and risk management processes. Addressing these challenges requires strategies to mitigate risks despite the global deficits in workforce and skills. Solutions to these issues are revealed in the study, offering insights for organizations and policymakers to adopt proactive measures. The report encompasses insights from a diverse and extensive survey of 14,865 international cybersecurity practitioners and decision-makers, representing various regions across the globe. By capturing their perspectives and experiences, the report provides valuable findings that offer guidance to cybersecurity professionals, leaders, executives, policymakers, and other stakeholders. By celebrating and sharing the creativity, resilience, and dedication of cybersecurity professionals, this report aims to shed light on solutions to the most pressing challenges facing the cybersecurity workforce today.