Cybersecurity workforce minimally impacted by pandemic, but still grappling with persistent hiring challenges
State of Cybersecurity 2021 report finds that 61% of cybersecurity teams are understaffed
The pandemic’s disruption has rippled across the globe, impacting workforces in nearly every sector. However, according to the findings from the State of Cybersecurity 2021 Part 1 survey report from ISACA in partnership with HCL Technologies, the cybersecurity workforce has largely been unscathed, though all-too familiar challenges in hiring and retention continue at levels similar to years past.
Released at the inaugural ISACA Conference, the results show that just 53% of the 3,600 information security professionals who participated in the survey indicated they had difficulty retaining talent last year during the pandemic—a four percentage point decline from the year before, which may have been a side effect of uncertainty amidst COVID-19. In a climate where remote work became more prevalent—and in some cases, mandatory—those citing “limited remote work possibilities” as a reason for leaving their cybersecurity role saw a six-percentage point decline (45%) compared to the year before.