ISACA State of Cybersecurity 2024 Report: Why CyberSec is Now a Harder Job

• The State of Cybersecurity 2024 highlights growing challenges, including an aging cybersecurity workforce, declining budgets, and persisting skill gaps despite increased reliance on AI and training initiatives.
• Occupational stress has risen significantly due to a complex threat environment. Economic conditions have led to better retention but have also reduced professional development opportunities and benefits.
• Enterprises are underprepared for AI implementation and cyber insurance usage, with notable gaps in cybersecurity readiness, governance, and employee engagement.

The State of Cybersecurity 2024 report reveals pressing challenges and evolving dynamics in cybersecurity. Workforce concerns dominate, with the most significant proportion of cybersecurity professionals now aged 45-54, raising succession planning alarms. Staffing levels have slightly improved, yet vacancies for technical roles have declined, possibly due to shrinking budgets. Occupational stress remains high, fueled by the increasing complexity of cyber threats, and organizations struggle to retain talent as professional development budgets and employee benefits shrink.

Economic uncertainty has contributed to the “Big Stay,” discouraging job changes, but this may only delay potential attrition. Skills gaps persist, particularly in soft skills and emerging technologies like machine learning (ML) and large language models (LLMs), although initiatives to train nonsecurity staff into cybersecurity roles are increasing. Cyber insurance and AI adoption in security operations remain underutilized. Nearly half of organizations lack clarity on their cyber insurance policies, and only a minority of professionals are engaged in the governance and implementation of AI solutions.

As cyberattacks increase, organizations are ill-prepared to counter sophisticated threats, particularly those leveraging AI. The report emphasizes the need for comprehensive training, enhanced collaboration, and better alignment between cybersecurity strategies and organizational priorities to mitigate risks and prepare for future challenges. Without these efforts, the cybersecurity workforce risks burnout and an inability to keep pace with evolving threats.

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