Cybercriminals are becoming bolder and more targeted in their attacks. Emerging threats, such as deepfakes and application programming interface (API) attacks, are the new go-to intrusion methods for these offenders, while defenders try to keep up with the pace and evolution of these tactics. Events such as pandemic disruptions (including increased hybrid work and accelerated digital transformation efforts), as well as geopolitical conflicts have only exacerbated this and made organizations more vulnerable. In fact, a recent survey found that 65% of cybersecurity and incident response (IR) professionals said cyberattacks have increased since Russia invaded Ukraine. In addition, two out of three survey respondents stated that they had experienced an attack involving the use of malicious deepfakes, and 23% of attacks now compromise API security.
As external cyber threats increase, internal security team burnout does, too, eventually leading to increased employee turnover and difficulty in hiring qualified candidates. A recent survey by Cybersecurity Ventures found that the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide grew 350% between 2013 and 2021, from 1 million to 3.5 million. The need for these jobs is increasing, but the talent gap is also widening as the qualifications continue to change and the work becomes more demanding.