The number of organizations experiencing five or more security incidents has increased significantly in 2022. A major reason for this is the lack of suitable staff.

By 2022, the number of organizations with five or more security incidents will increase by 53 percent. Fortinet says this based on a survey of companies worldwide as part of its 2023 Global Security Skills Gap Report. As the name of this report suggests, the availability of staff with the right skills plays a major role.

Fortinet reached out to 1,855 IT and security decision makers from 29 countries, mostly from large companies and corporations. All neighboring countries of our country are represented in the survey, but Belgium itself, unfortunately, ignored Fortinet. Fortunately, the report coincides with a local Beltug investigation, which uncovers similar findings.

Too little talent

In particular, it is about the role of talent for the security of organizations. In short: we don’t like it enough. Crucial vacancies are not filled, so that important security positions remain vacant with all the consequences. Fortinet notes this on a global scale, and Beltug concludes that IT projects are indeed delayed locally.

However, cyber security is a priority for most businesses. 93 percent of respondents say the board is actively asking about cybersecurity, compared to 88 percent in 2021. They can’t accept who doesn’t exist. Fortinet speaks of a global shortage of 3.4 million people with relevant security experience. 68 percent of respondents say they are unable to recruit the right people.

security issue

The results are noticeable. The number of security breaches is increasing. Nearly half of respondents experienced an incident in 2022 that cost more than $1 million to resolve. A year earlier it was only 38 percent. 29 percent experienced five or more incidents.

The solution is to attract more qualified staff. Companies report en masse that they are looking for skilled workers and are willing to pay money themselves to help employees acquire the right skills. Automation also plays a big role: by automating what is possible, scarce talent is given more breathing room.