The Cybersecurity Skills Shortage

There is a massive problem in cybersecurity, and it has been growing for years. This problem is not a malicious program, or a rogue nation-state, or angry hackers, but rather a persistent imbalance in the labor market. Simply put, there are not enough cybersecurity professionals in the United States to meet the increasing need for better cybersecurity among American businesses. The lack of qualified cybersecurity personnel has been a problem for years, and it is proving to be more intractable than one might think.  The problem is intensified as companies become more aware of their own vulnerabilities – especially in light of the high-profile network breaches that occurred throughout 2015.

The demand for cybersecurity professionals far outpaces the available supply. According to Jon Olstik from Enterprise Strategy Group, in 2016 “46% of organizations now claim that they have a problematic shortage of cybersecurity skills representing an 18% year-over-year increase.” This means that cybersecurity teams are often understaffed, which makes it even more difficult for them to properly protect their employer’s networks.

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