The Cybersecurity Skills Shortage And How You Can Still Protect Your SMB's Critical Data

There's one simple reason why outsourcing network security is a growing trend – there's a shortage of skilled professionals to fill cybersecurity jobs. 

At a time when cybercrime is on the rise, not being able to acquire and keep security experts on staff could leave your office exposed to online threats.

Many sources have identified this cybersecurity hiring gap. Let's start with the Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Strategy memorandum from July 12, 2016:

“Both Federal and private sector executives cite the lack of professionals with the requisite knowledge and skills as a significant impediment to improving their cybersecurity. However, there simply is not a sufficient supply of cybersecurity talent to meet the increasing demand of the Federal Government. Recent industry reports project this shortfall will expand rapidly over the coming years unless companies and the Federal Government act to expand the cybersecurity workforce to meet the increasing demand for talent.”

It's not just the government having a hard time finding talent:

• A Frost & Sullivan/ISC study says that there will be 1.5 million unfilled cybersecurity positions (globally) by 2020
• Cybersecurity Ventures turns that estimate up a notch, estimating 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs by 2021
• In the United States alone, CyberSeek estimated 350,000 cybersecurity openings in 2017 

Whatever the exact number is, there is a wide gap that's growing between the need for cybersecurity professionals and the number of skilled professionals available. A survey from ISACA's Cybersecurity Nexus revealed “most job applicants do not have the hands-on experience or the certifications needed to combat today's corporate hackers.” In the same survey, a quarter of the companies said it took 6 months minimum to fill cybersecurity positions.

What Should You Do?

Maybe you're one of the lucky few SMBs with a IT staff who have the knowledge and talent to keep your office secure (hold on to them if you can!).

If you don't have in-house talent, or the time and resources to develop information security talent, consider managed network services – outsource that security challenge to a managed IT partner.

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, these two infographics are worth 2,000. They illustrate the cybersecurity skills gap at a glance better than I could explain in another 1,000 words!