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Considering a career pivot into cybersecurity but wondering if the hype will last? Concerns of a bubble bursting or demand flattening are understandable given the rapid rise of cyber roles. However, a deeper look at both external threat factors and internal talent drivers paints a clear picture – this rocketing cyber career trajectory shows no signs of slowing for decades to come.
The Threat Side Equation: Why Attacks Accelerate
Headlines reflect an increasingly digitized world plagued by sophisticated hacks and data breaches enabled by state-sponsored groups, cyber criminals, hacktivists, and internal actors. The weaponization of software supply chains, AI-powered attacks evading defenses, exponential growth of connected IoT devices, and hacking automation are accelerating.
Deloitte, an industry-leading audit, consulting, tax, and advisory service provider, anticipates hackers adopting quantum technologies as early as 2025, while 40% of “ethical hackers” in one survey said they’d likely turn to the dark side for enough money.
These swelling external threats will drive cybersecurity demand for decades.
Why The Internal Talent Gap Keeps Widening
While external threats rise exponentially, the internal talent gap continues to widen as security teams struggle to keep pace. The cybersecurity skills shortage is on track to hit 3.5 million unfilled positions by 2025 according to Cybersecurity Ventures.
Why does this deficit keep skyrocketing? A few reasons stand out:
- Technology Stacks Growing In Complexity: Modern enterprises built on layered cloud platforms, microservices, intricately connected systems, and expanding code require specialized talent.
- Digitally Transforming Industries Compete: As banking, healthcare, energy, transportation and more transform, infosec demand booms in every sector.
- Too Few Entrants & High Burnout: Only 8% of college grads pursue cyber degrees. Of practitioners, 50% report burnout risk from constant firefighting.
- Poaching Problem: Loyalty is scarce with 61% of cyber pros reporting changing jobs within the past year given competitive poaching.
Given these dueling talent trends, the gap is inevitable without major educational shifts.
How Long Will The Talent Gold Rush Last?
With hackers showing no signs of letting up and internal deficits becoming more engrained, the cybersecurity talent gold rush shows no signs of losing steam for at least the next two decades by even conservative estimates.
More optimistic predictors anticipate increasingly critical infrastructure like power grids and self-driving transport controlled by precarious software tipping the scales further. Some even foresee a majority of enterprise IT budgets dedicated just to cyber by 2030 to keep up with volume and complexity of threats.
So if you’re considering planting your flag in cybersecurity, no time may be better than now before demand further outpaces supply. The information age needs protecting for the long haul by deeply skilled cyber warriors ready to take on the challenge of a lifetime.