Cybersecurity Survey Results Reveal Hiring Struggles Persist, More Diversity Progress Needed

State of Cybersecurity
Author: ISACA
Date Published: 18 March 2020

ISACA® recently released part 1 of its State of Cybersecurity 2020 survey report, which found that cybersecurity teams are still struggling with hiring and retention, with very little improvement from last year. Slight progress was reported in the effort to increase the number of women in cybersecurity roles and in established diversity programs, but most cybersecurity teams indicate that progress is minimal and they still have significantly more men than women.

Some additional key findings include:

  • 62 percent of respondents said their organization’s cybersecurity team is understaffed, and 57 percent say they currently have unfilled cybersecurity positions on their team.
  • 70 percent of respondents said that fewer than half of their cybersecurity applicants are well qualified.
  • 72 percent of cybersecurity professionals believe their human resources departments do not regularly understand their needs.

“Cybersecurity jobs are in high demand but, as many organizations are all too aware, it continues to be a real struggle to find the right candidates with the right skills and experience to meet the demands of these roles,” says retired Brigadier General Greg Touhill, ISACA board director and president of the AppGate Federal Group. “Better understanding the nature of the skills gaps and issues with hiring and retention can help the industry more effectively drive innovative strategies and tactics to address and overcome these long-standing challenges.”

Learn more about the State of Cybersecurity 2020 results and download the complimentary report on the State of Cybersecurity 2020 page of the ISACA website.