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ANALYSIS
FORTINET ANNUAL SKILLS GAP REPORT REVEALS GROWING CONNECTION BETWEEN CYBERSECURITY BREACHES AND SKILLS SHORTAGES
Nearly 90 % of organisations experienced a breach in the last year that they can partially attribute to a lack of cyberskills and 70 % attribute increased cyber-risks to the skills gap
Fortinet , a global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security , has released its 2024 Global Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report , highlighting on-going challenges related to the cybersecurity skills shortage impacting organisations around the globe . The study also included large organisations from the UAE .
“ The findings from our 2024 Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report highlight a critical issue facing organisations in the United Arab Emirates ,” said Alain Penel , VP – Middle East , Turkey and CIS at Fortinet .
“ Close to 58 % of IT decision-makers cited the lack of training and upskilling opportunities as being their biggest challenge . This underscores the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity training and certification programs , as 94 % of our respondents said they were ready to pay to get their employees cybersecurity certified . It is also encouraging to see that 92 % of IT decision-makers actively recruit women into security roles , while 74 % had plans to introduce diversity goals over the next two to three years .
“ Fortinet is committed to supporting organisations to build a resilient cybersecurity posture by providing comprehensive training and certification programmes through our pledge to train one million people in cyber by 2026 . We aim to empower professionals with the necessary skills to protect against evolving cyberthreats and secure their organisations effectively .”
Key findings from the global report include :
• Organisations are increasingly attributing breaches to the cyberskills gap .
• Breaches continue to have significant repercussions for businesses and executive leaders are often penalised when they happen .
• Certifications continue to be highly regarded by employers as a validator of current cybersecurity skills and knowledge .
• Numerous opportunities remain for hiring from diverse talent pools to help address the skills shortage .
The cyber skills gap continues to impact companies worldwide
An estimated four million professionals are needed to fill the growing cybersecurity workforce gap . At the same time , Fortinet ’ s 2024 Global Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report found that 70 % of organisations indicated that the cybersecurity skills shortage creates additional risks for their organisations . Other findings that highlight the
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