Cyber Workforce Shortfalls

[jmccumber]

OK - we've all seen the statistics, projections, and analyses.

How do you feel about the projected shortfalls in our cybersecurity workforce?  Are there really over 600K position unfilled?  How is this number assessed?  Do "most" CISOs and other senior security talent rake in salaries north of US$500K per annum?

I fear some of what we are seeing in the media is rehashed FUD statistics reminiscent of the days when every virus outbreak or insider threat was costing business billions in losses.

What say you?

Mc

[jmccumber]

Here's an interesting update:

https://www.darkreading.com/operations/thinking-about-a-career-move-in-cybersecurity/a/d-id/1330944?...

[JenD]

Hello, I know it's another accreditation organisation but I did see this webinar recently which was useful.

https://www.isaca.org/Education/Online-Learning/Pages/webinar-a-roadmap-for-transitioning-to-a-caree...

For myself, I have finally got a position - I applied to around 80 jobs, went to several expos and conferences, followed lots of cyber organisations and people on Twitter to keep up to date, and did whatever I could in my current organisation to gain experience. 

[Caute_cautim]

Fantastic, well done for the persistence.   It might be a circuitous route, but you will built up experience as you move along your journey.  Taking the opportunities, as they arise builds up your width of knowledge and prepares you for the next challenges along the way. 

Hope it goes very well for you.

John

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@JenDwrote:

Hello, I know it's another accreditation organisation but I did see this webinar recently which was useful.

https://www.isaca.org/Education/Online-Learning/Pages/webinar-a-roadmap-for-transitioning-to-a-caree...

For myself, I have finally got a position - I applied to around 80 jobs, went to several expos and conferences, followed lots of cyber organisations and people on Twitter to keep up to date, and did whatever I could in my current organisation to gain experience. 

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[Beads]

If there was really the shortage you people keep bemoaning. Salaries should be shooting through the roof by now and for years to come. Show me the compensation tables supporting such a shortage as last I looked security people are just as likely to expect a 3 percent raise much like most American workers.

I see less a shortage of security but one of qualified or skilled people. Racing out and getting a Master's degree with no experience is still a person with no experience, thus no hard skills and too much education making these people a questionable hire in the first place. Sorry but I will not hire people without a solid background in IT first then into security.

To that keep in mind that security is primarily a "big city" kind of practice not quite as universal as my country cousins would agree. Cities already experience some salary inflation built into the cost of living. Now this 600k idea is just absurd.

Hard skills pays the bills.

Am I missing something here cause someone needs to clue business in on this shortage before all is lost.

[Caute_cautim]

Interesting report from Capgemini, which is more objectives and indicates wider implications not just security field: 

https://www.capgemini.com/2018/04/is-your-greatest-cyber-vulnerability-a-lack-of-cybersecurity-talen...

"Results from our research with 1,200+ senior executives and employees show that:

• Cybersecurity tops the list of technical skills in high demand
• Cybersecurity has the most pronounced gap between demand and supply: 68% of organizations say they need this skillset, while only 43% of employees say they are proficient in it (see Figure 1).
• Today, 68% of organizations say that their demand for cybersecurity talent is high, and this is expected to rise to 72% in the next two to three years. Moreover, the war for that talent is an intense one. Traditional organizations have to compete for talent with tech firms such as Google and Facebook, who present an attractive proposition for cybersecurity professionals.'