Russian experts predict a shortage of cybersecurity specialists

Despite the funding cuts caused by the pandemic crisis, companies around the world are going to hire more and more cybersecurity specialists. But the shortage of specialists in the market is already observed and will only increase next year

The recruiting agency HeadHunter confirmed the growing demand for specialists in the field of cybersecurity, the number of vacancies for such specialists in Russia is growing at a double-digit rate. If for the whole of 2018 more than 17 thousand of them were opened, then from January to October 2020 – almost 30 thousand.

Natalia Golovanova, head of the SuperJob research center, notes that specialists and managers in the field of information security are most in-demand today in IT and financial companies. “Now the competition in this segment of the labor market is only 2.5 CVs per vacancy, which indicates a lack of specialists and a low level of competition,” she said.

Next year, Golovanova expects “a smooth increase in demand for specialists in the field of information security”.

It is worth noting that the average market salary of information security specialists is now 150 thousand rubles ($1,800) in Moscow, and 130 thousand rubles ($1,600) in St. Petersburg, and 320 thousand ($4,000) and 300 thousand rubles ($3,700) for information security directors.

Oleg Sedov, Director of Development for the Cybersecurity for the Population business at Rostelecom-Solar, confirms that the demand for information security specialists is significantly higher than the supply. “The problem of personnel is manifested not only in the shortage of employees but also in the lack of qualified specialists,” said Sedov.

According to a study by the consulting company PwC, more than half (52%) of Russian companies plan to increase spending on information security in 2021, and 42% of organizations intend to increase the number of employees employed in this area.

For example, PwC estimates that more than 3.5 million new cybersecurity jobs will be opened worldwide in 2021.

The study was conducted based on the results of a survey of more than three thousand managers of companies, technology and information security departments in various industries.