(ISC)² Global Research Program to Track Cybersecurity Skills Gap and Landscape Now Open

In our digitally-driven world, it’s crucial to have a current understanding of the evolving risks and responsibilities that information security professionals face. The (ISC)² Global Information Security Workforce Study (GISWS) is the only research available that truly offers a detailed picture of how the global cybersecurity professional is changing and driving other business factors. A respected industry benchmark referenced by governments, employers, professionals, and industry stakeholders around the world for more than 10 years, this ongoing research provides much needed insight into current cybersecurity opportunities and trends experienced first-hand.

The study covers pay scales, skills and training requirements, hiring practices, budgets, career progression, corporate attitudes, current technology development within businesses, top security concerns, and more. The big change for this year is that we will be digging deeper into exactly which skill sets are most in demand in the industry now, and in the near future. The industry is no longer a monolith; it truly takes a village to secure an enterprise. Managed by the (ISC)² Foundation, the research is conducted by analyst firm Frost & Sullivan and offered to the industry and the public as a free resource. The Foundation is a non-profit charitable trust for (ISC)² that aims to empower students, teachers, and the general public to secure their online lives with community cybersecurity education and awareness, with the support of its sponsors.

During the last GISWS conducted in 2012, more than 12,000 information security professionals participated worldwide. We hope to increase that number for the 2015 GISWS, and are making a concerted effort to garner more participation from those outside of the (ISC)² membership base. We believe that the higher the number of participants, the higher the quality and impact of the results.

Your participation in the 2015 GISWS helps to share the story of both the challenges and benefits you face daily in your career with the world. We understand that it’s a commitment of your valuable time (approximately 25 minutes), however, gathering and sharing this information is important. In the end, the reward is a 360° view of our industry.

If you are a member of (ISC)², you should have received an email from isc2-at-frost.com with a link to a member-specific survey that you can take at your leisure. If you are not a member of (ISC)², you can complete the survey here. The 2015 GISWS is open until early December 2014, with results to be analyzed by Frost & Sullivan and released as a free resource to the industry and the general public in April 2015.

-Julie Peeler, Director, (ISC)² Foundation

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