- Did you know that the worldwide information security market is forecast to reach $170.4 billion in 2022?
- Why do over 68% of business leaders feel their cybersecurity risks are increasing?
- How is it possible for a CISO to command a salary of USD 500,000 per year?
Cybersecurity issues are becoming a day-to-day struggle for businesses. And they’re not going away anytime soon.
Real-world challenges, worrisome implications
Cybersecurity complaints to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation more than tripled during the early days of the pandemic last year. Much of this resulted from increased remote working scenarios – a workplace trend that’s expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Consequently, remote workers will continue to be a popular target for cybercriminals.
More than 6 in 10 organizations suffered a ransomware attack last year. And the average amount that victims paid over to their attackers jumped by 43% in the first quarter of 2021 from the preceding quarter.
The Colonial Pipeline is believed to have paid cyber-criminal gang DarkSide nearly $5m in ransom, following a cyber-attack that plunged the US fuel supply chain into a crisis.
In response to these growing threats, President Joe Biden signed The Cybersecurity Executive Order aimed at boosting US cybersecurity defenses.
Now, if that doesn’t raise a red flag about the danger cybercrime poses to our society, what will?
Threat actors are innovating
Cybercriminals are always on the prowl for their next big payday. And let’s not forget, these aren’t just bored guys in hoodies operating out of their basements. Cybercriminals are well organized. And very well-funded.
Is your business ready to respond to the next new flavor of cyber threat when it emerges?
Unfortunately, recent research suggests that most businesses have major chinks in their security armor. An alarming percentage have unprotected data and lackluster cybersecurity policies and procedures. This puts them at risk of attack by threat actors with malicious intent.
Cybersecurity isn’t an IT issue; it’s a boardroom issue
To get on the front foot, organizations need to place cybersecurity firmly on their boardroom agendas. Required interventions include making their businesses “secure by design” and embedding security best practices into day-to-day operations.
Being intentional about rolling out targeted employee awareness training is also critical, given that 95% of cybersecurity breaches are caused by human error and that the average annual security spending per employee increased from $2,337 in 2019 to $2,691 in 2020. Today, more than ever, companies need to prioritize developing and maintaining a team of cybersecurity experts who understand how perpetrators think.
But there’s another problem: the demand for cybersecurity professionals outstrips supply. Many times over. The US needs at least 360,000 more cybersecurity professionals, according to Clar Rosso, Chief Executive of the Cybersecurity Professional Association (ISC). “It really is a matter of the supply not being able to keep up with the demand. And the demand is growing at exponential rates,” she said in a statement last month.
The cybersecurity professional talent crunch was highlighted in another recent report, also from ISC, which revealed that the number of unfilled cybersecurity positions currently stands at a jaw-dropping 4.07 million globally, up from 2.93 million this time last year. This includes 561,000 in North America alone.
The shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals in Europe also skyrocketed by over 100 percent during the same period, up from 142,000 to 291,000.
A seller’s market
According to an article published by the University of San Diego, cybersecurity is a market with ZERO percent unemployment right now. So, as you’d expect, these jobs pay incredibly well, with senior CISOs raking in as much as $500,000 a year.
Other lucrative opportunities in the field include:
- Lead Software Security Engineer
- Cybersecurity Sales Engineer
- Cybersecurity Architect
- Cybersecurity Manager/Administrator
- Penetration Tester
- Information Security Analyst
If you have your sights set on this exciting and rewarding career, the sky’s the limit! But first, read up about some of the hard and soft skills you’ll need to master to achieve your goals.
As you’ll have gathered from this article, there’s no better time for you to jump on the cybersecurity bandwagon. So, let your dreams take flight!
How can we help?
If you’re an experienced cybersecurity professional who’s looking to take your career to the next level, why not arrange to speak to one of our consultants at Talentooze? It’s our ambition to provide great career opportunities that unleash your potential and accelerate your ambitions.
If you’re a business leader seeking to hire a cybersecurity guru to bolster your organization’s defenses against the scourge of cybercrime, look no further. Contact us, and we’ll share details of our staffing solutions and approach.
