"To Fill the Cybersecurity Skills Gap, the Sector Needs to Boost Diversity"
The global cybersecurity skills gap and the lack of diversity in the cybersecurity workforce are the two main issues facing the cybersecurity sector. According to research, 3.4 million additional people are required to close the global cybersecurity workforce gap. A World Economic Forum survey found that 59 percent of businesses would struggle to respond to a cybersecurity incident because of the skills gap. According to data from 2022, the issue is getting worse as the workforce gap widened by 26.2 percent from 2021 to 2022. There is a noticeable lack of diversity in the cybersecurity industry. In Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields, women are generally underrepresented, and in cybersecurity specifically, they account for only about 24 percent of the workforce. About 26 percent of cybersecurity professionals are minorities. According to Fortinet's research into the cybersecurity skills gap, it negatively affects businesses by raising the possibility of security breaches, which can result in financial and reputational losses. With nearly $600 billion, or one percent of the global GDP, lost to cybercrime each year, cybersecurity incidents are having a greater impact on the world economy than ever before. Research also reveals that the number of new ransomware variants discovered in the first half of 2022 increased by almost 100 percent compared to the prior six months. Many people might think they cannot work in cybersecurity because they lack the necessary experience or technical training, but there are opportunities in the cybersecurity industry for almost everyone, as people can acquire the technical skills they need to pursue careers in the field by completing training programs and earning certifications. This article continues to discuss the need for diversity in the cybersecurity workforce, what could be holding potential candidates back, and making cybersecurity training more accessible for everyone.