The Impact a Widening Cybersecurity Talent Gap is Having in 2022

It doesn’t matter whether you are a small business with a couple of employers, or a much larger business, you are a target for hackers. Today, a lot of businesses' cybersecurity solutions are not up to scratch. Hackers are becoming smarter, and attacks are becoming more likely. This isn’t something that’s likely to change any time soon, and so businesses need to improve their cybersecurity to keep threats at bay. This is becoming increasingly difficult with the widening cybersecurity talent gap, and it’s beginning to have an impact on businesses.

The Cybersecurity Talent Gap is Widening

There is a significant shortage of manpower in cybersecurity, an issue that has remained prevalent for a number of years. As businesses are realising the seriousness of a cyber attack and online crime, the skills shortage is becoming more of a problem. It’s not just large and established companies that are worried about cybersecurity, but small businesses and startups too.

There are a number of reasons for this widening talent gap, and a lot of it stems back to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, a number of people resigned from their jobs, and lockdown restrictions meant that working from home became the new norm. This made cybersecurity difficult, as companies had to find a way to regulate corporate security outside of the workplace.

This has created a lot of jobs, and not enough people to fill them. Plus, a lot more companies are paying attention to cybersecurity than before, meaning that there’s more competition for talent. Companies are snapping up cybersecurity experts, leaving slim pickings for everyone else. Simply, there is a supply and demand problem. There are a tonne of cybersecurity positions, but not enough talent to fill them.

Security Service Providers Need to Be Utilised

MSSPs (managed security service providers) can help to overcome the challenge of finding talent in the cybersecurity sector. With a MSSP on hand, businesses can rest assured knowing that their security is being managed by a team of professionals. However, the cost of working with a MSSP is something that few small businesses are able to afford. They need to be utilised, but it’s out of reach for many.

Even for businesses that can afford the services of MSSPs, they might still need to hire talent to handle specific security systems. This is because a lot of MSSPs don’t provide a full range of cybersecurity protection, meaning that businesses need to make up the difference elsewhere.

MSSPs Need to Provide More Sophisticated Cybersecurity Solutions

A lot of companies are trying to build infrastructure, instead of adding specific tools, which brings with it a variety of technical ramifications. For example, building an infrastructure allows companies to operate multiple security systems. However, with a growing number of employees working remotely, security could be at risk if it’s not done correctly. In response to this, a lot of small businesses turn to MSSPs, but the systems being offered are complex and hard to navigate. It’s not simply a case of clicking once or twice to keep on top of an antivirus program, a lot more goes into cybersecurity and businesses aren’t prepared. Without cybersecurity experts, of which there aren’t many, the chances of being hacked are exponentially increased.

With cybersecurity becoming a lot more sophisticated, companies don’t have the talent to put a cybersecurity solution into action themselves. Regardless of size and industry, companies of every type will struggle without the manpower.

What’s the Solution?

There is no sign of the cybersecurity talent gap closing any time soon, which means there is likely to be security pressure on small businesses for the foreseeable future. This means that MSSPs are going to have to focus on meeting the growing cybersecurity demands, which would allow small businesses to improve their security.

With improved security, business owners can focus on innovation and growing within their chosen industry. However, this does rely on cybersecurity becoming a more affordable service, and investments must be made into solutions that work for a variety of businesses.