Lack of IT security skills will lead to increased risk of cyber threats in the next few years
Shortage of IT security talent will lead to more cyber security attacks in the next five years, according to a new report by IT recruitment consultancy Robert Half Technology.
Demand for IT security specialists is rising, with companies and businesses in fear of data theft and hacking.
The report found the majority of UK IT bosses (77 per cent) believe they will experience an increase in security threats, with data abuse being the most expected risk (60 per cent), followed respectively by cyber crime (54 per cent) and spyware (39 per cent).
Read more: European Commission approves new cyber security initiative and funding
According to Gov.UK, two thirds of large businesses have faced a cyber attack in the past year across the UK.
In response, around a third of UK IT chiefs are planning to hire more security experts over the next year.
But the positions most in demand are also the most challenging to find.
Candidates with knowledge in cloud security, IT security technology and data analytics are increasingly difficult to hire, leaving companies with gaps in their defence against data theft and fraud.
Read more: This UK cyber security startup just landed $65m
“The prominence of cyber breaches has lifted the demand for cyber security experts as cyber risk becomes a company-wide point of discussion,” said Neil Owen, director at Robert Half Technology.