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ANALYSIS
FORTINET ANNUAL REPORT INDICATES AI SKILLSETS CRITICAL TO CYBERSECURITY SKILLS GAP SOLUTION
Eighty-seven percent of cybersecurity professionals expect AI to enhance their roles, offering efficiency and relief amid skills shortages, but they require upskilling to unlock its full potential.
Fortinet, the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, released its 2025 Global Cybersecurity Skills Gap Report, shedding light on the new and persistent challenges organisations face due to the cybersecurity skills gap. The global survey’ s key findings include:
• As organisations are turning increasingly to AI to strengthen their security postures and fill gaps, they also acknowledge that AI may be used against them as an engine of new or improved cyberattacks, especially given the lack of AI skillsets across teams.
• Lack of cybersecurity awareness and training remains the top cause of breaches.
• Boards lack cyber knowledge, despite it being a priority.
• Organisations want cybersecurity personnel with certifications.
“ This year’ s survey further underscores the urgent need to invest in cybersecurity talent,” said Carl Windsor, CISO at Fortinet.“ Without closing the skills gap, organisations will continue to face rising breach rates and escalating costs. The findings highlight an inflection point for both public and private sectors: without bold action to build and retain cybersecurity expertise, the risks and costs will only continue to grow for our society.”
Report links cyberskills gap to escalating security and financial risks
As cyberthreats continue to escalate, organisations face the reality that attacks are not just a possibility but a certainty. At the same time, an estimated global shortfall of more than 4.7 million skilled professionals leads to critical security roles being unfilled at a time when they are needed most.
Key findings about the impact of the skills gap on organisations globally include:
• The volume of breaches organisations experience is increasing year over year. According to the 2025 Fortinet Global Skills Gap Report, 86 % of organisations experienced at least one cyber breach in 2024, with nearly onethird( 28 %) reporting five or more. These figures mark a significant increase from 2021, when 80 % of organisations reported breaches and only 19 % faced five or more.
• The cybersecurity skills shortage is a key contributor to increased breaches. More than half( 54 %) of those surveyed indicated a lack of IT security skills and training as one of the leading causes of breaches in their organisations.
• Financial ramifications remain significant. More than half( 52 %) of surveyed organisations say cyber incidents cost them over US $ 1 million in
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