ESG TechTruth: Advanced Persistent Threat: The Pervasive IT Security Skills Shortage Most Commonly Cited Area with a Problematic Shortage of IT Skills for 4th Consecutive Year: Information Security

CISOs face an advanced and persistent security threat that has nothing to do with cyber-crime or espionage, but rather is directly related to the languishing global cybersecurity skills shortage. Indeed, since 2012, more organizations have identified information security as an area in which they have a problematic shortage of IT skills. This data indicates that cybersecurity skills continue to be in high demand, but short supply. It also demonstrates that current university programs, training organizations, and government funding are not adequate for producing an ample supply of cybersecurity talent. Finally, organizations with problematic shortages of IT security skills have no choice but to burden their current staff with incremental work. Since individual employees can’t scale to meet demand, it is highly likely that they are focusing on high-priority events, cutting corners,andmissingdetails. This only increases IT risk. 

Read the related ESG Research Report, 2015 IT Spending Intentions Survey.