4 Million Job Openings Await Skilled Cybersecurity Professionals

The cybersecurity landscape is experiencing a surge in demand, with an estimated 4 million job openings waiting for skilled professionals globally to tackle the increasingly complex threats. As data breach costs escalate, the urgency for qualified individuals to safeguard digital assets has never been greater.

Security is the fulcrum of the digital ecosystem. But in the last few years, the threat landscape has become so complicated, calling for completely new approaches to deal with threats, as conventional strategies and solutions no longer hold good. The custodians of enterprise security- the CISOs and in some cases the CIOs and CDOs – need to navigate the threat landscape through a new lens and are now told to create strategies that are not just pro-active, but pre-emptive. This calls for a dedicated cybersecurity organization, manned by qualified professionals. This digital security organization will strategically interact with the IT organization, creating a digital ecosystem backed by cyber resilience for IT operations.

The Devil is in the Detail

Let's dig into some data. IBM’s Cost of Data Breach 2024 Report states that the global average cost of a data breach has risen to $4.88 million. This signifies a 10% increase over last year and the highest total. The report recommends that adopting AI and automation can cut breach costs.

Security breaches now have far-reaching ramifications for organizations, from reputational damage to substantial financial loss. To mitigate these risks, a proactive security infrastructure leveraging best-in-class technologies – including AI is the way forward.

Job Demand Surpassing Supply

As organizations look at building cyber resilience, there is a pent-up demand for strategic security professionals, and it is going up by the day. Some time back, the World Economic Forum (WEF) stated that there is a shortage of 4 million cybersecurity professionals.

Let’s look at what’s contributing to this shortage. The primary reason is that building a strong cybersecurity workforce isn't easy for many organizations. Moreover, expert opinion suggests that a lack of a structured career path in this industry and relevant training programs discourages many from taking up positions that come with huge stress factors as well. But, as we go ahead, organizations will invest higher budgets in digital security, paving the way for this key stakeholders to evolve further.

How to Land in a Cyber Security Job?

Nevertheless, it is indeed a challenging market, here is a compilation of skillsets, every budding cybersecurity professional must have to make a cut:

• Understand how networks work: From basic to advanced level knowledge on the inner dynamics of TCP/IP, DNS, and routing to build a solid foundation.
• Cryptography: Get a grip on encryption and how their algorithms work.
• Penetration testing tools: An essential skill that helps in identifying vulnerabilities in systems, networks, and applications by simulating cyber-attacks.
• Certifications: Following certs will elevate your skills quotient:  Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC), Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Expert, Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), CompTIA Security+, AWS Certified Security – Specialty, Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA, Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP), GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC).
• Malware Analysis: Gain a deep understanding of how malware manifests and learn to create malware mitigation strategies.
• Capture the Flag (CTF): Participating in CTF events- these are problem-solving events that give ample insights into multiple threat landscape scenarios and possible solutions and fixes that can be taken in real-life security events.
• Learn to code: Programming languages like Python and Bash  (Bourne Again SHell) will help in automating various security tasks.
• Strategic mindset: Last but not least, the ability to blend technology with strategy is extremely critical in rolling out an evolutionary security plan that constantly stays relevant to the threat landscape.

While the above skills serve as a starting point, more advanced expertise comes with gaining skills in various leading security solutions and experience. This comes with a continuous leaning mindset.

Future Proof Your Career

While leadership roles like CISOs are well compensated, the entry to mid-senior roles- where the bulk of the job openings are is a great starting point for a thriving career. According to Glassdoor, it states that the average annual salary for a Cyber Security Specialist in India is approximately ₹11,17,500, with total estimated compensation reaching around ₹11,87,500.

The time is now to make that career shift, if you are not finding your mojo in the core software sector, cybersecurity would be a great career decision by blending your software skills and diving into this industry that offers immense career uptick.