The global cybersecurity workforce is at an all-time high of 4.7 million, yet 3.4 million more workers are needed to protect against the growing cyber threat, according to a new report from professional organization (ISC)2.
Here are six more things to know from the 2022 Cybersecurity Workforce Study released Oct. 20. The report features survey responses from nearly 12,000 individuals from across the world.
1. The U.S. has 1.2 million cybersecurity workers, up 5.5 percent from last year.
2. The U.S. workforce gap is 410,695, a 9 percent increase over 2021.
3. Fifty-four percent of organizations with a significant staff shortage said the dearth of employees puts them at a moderate risk of experiencing a cyberattack, while 20 percent classified the risk as extreme.
4. The biggest cause for the shortage, according to 43 percent of the respondents, is not being able to find enough qualified talent.
5. The top ways organizations are trying to recruit more cybersecurity talent are providing more flexibility (work from home/anywhere) and investing in training.
6. The top reasons employees left for a job within the past two years were finding a better-paying position elsewhere and getting a job with a better title/promotion.