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puts their organisation at significant risk , and over one-third of respondents cited AI as the biggest skills shortfall on their teams . Professionals believe that AI and automation will have the most significant impact on their ability to secure their organisation .

The study also measured cyber professional ’ s perspectives on the opportunities they see for growth . Study participants are optimistic about AI adoption and are focused on attaining the skills they need to be successful in an AI-driven workplace . 66 % of study participants say AI represents career growth opportunities , while 54 % say it will be helpful to their organisations ’ security operations . 51 % believe AI will result in certain cybersecurity skills becoming obsolete , but two-thirds are confident their expertise will complement the technology , with 80 % saying their cybersecurity skill set will be more important in an AI-driven world .

Cybersecurity job satisfaction declines amid tightening job market , on-going staffing and skills shortages , and challenging threat environment .

Cybersecurity Workforce Study .

The report finds that , despite the growing need for professionals , global workforce growth has slowed for the first time since ISC2 began estimating the workforce size six years ago , holding at 5.5 million people ( a 0.1 % year-on-year increase ).

This contrasts with last year when the workforce grew 8.7 % year-on-year despite declining economic conditions .

The study reveals that professionals are feeling the impact of declining investments in the cybersecurity workforce , including budget cutbacks and layoffs , affecting workforce satisfaction , the development of organisational security and the adoption of new technologies .

For the first time , participants cited ‘ lack of budget ’ as the top cause of their staffing shortages , replacing ‘ lack of qualified talent ’ as the top cause in the previous year ’ s research . Additionally , 74 % of respondents say the threat landscape is the most challenging they have experienced in the last five years , and job satisfaction has fallen from 74 % in 2022 to 66 % in 2024 .

Meanwhile , 67 % of respondents indicated they had a staffing shortage this year , while 90 % reported skills gaps on their cybersecurity teams . More than half of those surveyed ( 58 %) believe a shortage of skills

“ As economic conditions continue to impact workforce investment , this year ’ s Cybersecurity Workforce Study underscores that many organisations are putting their cyber teams under significant strain , risking burnout and attrition as job satisfaction rates fall ,” said ISC2 Acting CEO and CFO Debra Taylor , CC .

“ Despite these challenges , AI is viewed by professionals as a solution to strengthen their organisations ’ security and create new efficiencies for their teams . They also view effectively managing risk associated with AI adoption and its strategic importance to their organisation ’ s future success as career growth opportunities for themselves and their peers . Organisations and cybersecurity leaders must recognise how AI can contribute to creating more resilient security teams , especially while economic challenges persist .”

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