Rising cybersecurity breaches means security talent in demand

Cybersecurity is a constant issue for most businesses today, and the number of threats is only growing. One of the factors that affects how businesses cope with cyberthreats is their IT talent, as it is these professionals that provide them with the tools and expertise they need to protect their information.

As a result, the lack of professionals to fill IT contract roles is a concerning prospect for businesses, and the high demand for cybersecurity specialists may mean that those with right skills will be a lot more employable in the current market.

Increase in number of cybersecurity incidents reported

According to a 2016 information security report by ManpowerGroup, the rate of cybersecurity breaches increased by 38 per cent from 2014 to 2015. This may suggest that there is a growing level of threats that businesses need to contend with.

PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PwC) report The Global State of Information Security Survey 2016 reveals that the risk for Australian businesses is particularly pressing. The country saw the highest number of reported incidents globally, rising to a massive 109 per cent in just a year.

“The frequency of cyber security incidents in Australia almost tripled that of the rest of the world from 2014 to 2015,” said Steve Ingram, cyber leader of PwC Australian and Asia-pacific.

A 2015 study by Frost & Sullivan shows the top areas of cybersecurity concern for businesses right now, with application vulnerabilities dominating the list at 72 per cent, closely followed by Malware at 71 per cent. Other threats include mobile devices, cloud services and hackers.

IT security talent shortage

While cybersecurity is a big issue for companies, worries are only exacerbated by a shortage of IT professionals who are equipped to deal with the problem. According to ManpowerGroup, the worldwide demand for IT security experts will increase to 2.5 million by 2019, with a candidate shortage of about 1.5 million. This highlights the extent of the disparity between the supply and demand of cybersecurity experts, demonstrating that those with the right skills will be much more employable.

“The shortage of information security talent is not going to ease, organisations need to be imaginative and innovative in finding ways to leverage the talent they can acquire in the most effective way,” said General Manger of Experis Suzanne Gerrard.

She says that one of the ways for businesses to do this is to embrace the possibility of roles other than permanent ones. This may lead to an increase in the demand for contract roles, and it will be important for companies to reach out to an Australian IT recruiter to ensure they are prepared for future threats.