Further exit of skills possible

Issue 1 2021 Information Security

While the lifting of international travel restrictions, put in place in early 2020 to curb the spread of COVID-19, would be great news for the travel industry and the wider economy, the move would likely further exacerbate the already critical shortage of cybersecurity skills in South Africa.

While the skills dearth in the local cybersecurity space is nothing new, the lockdown and the subsequent adoption of work-from-home (WFH), as well as the acceleration of digital transformation driven by the pandemic, are putting additional pressure on a very limited skills pool.

As international travel bans lift, it could well result in a mass exodus of cybersecurity skills as these professionals are likely to seek ‘greener pastures’ in more mature markets that also need to fill their own security skills gaps. Currently, the threat of a second wave of COVID-19 is the only thing that is preventing our cybersecurity skills from being further depleted.

South Africa’s chronic lack of cybersecurity skills is also as result of a lack of dedicated educational programmes at tertiary education level, where this type of specialisation is simply not offered. To become a cybersecurity specialist, graduates must complete generic courses offered by industry bodies, or similar organisations, but only after attaining a solid base of IT skills, for example in the areas of basic infrastructure, networking or operating systems.

No specific certification

This adversely affects the influx of cybersecurity skills within the IT industry, as it limits security specialisation to those who have built some knowledge and experience in another field of IT. The challenge here is that there isn’t a specific certification or educational programme or single skill that covers all aspects of cybersecurity. Hence, these skills need to be developed over time and with practical experience.

Another key consideration is that the cybersecurity landscape is extremely dynamic, with new technologies, exploits, techniques and trends coming to the fore every 12 to 18 months. Individuals entering this field are challenged to not only learn basics of cybersecurity, but to also keep up with the rapidly changing technologies and evolving threats. Thus it requires a significant investment to develop those skills and maintain them.

However, this isn’t solely a local trend. Internationally, the cybersecurity skills gap is such that organisations are poaching skills from less mature markets and developing countries, often with the lure of more money. We are at risk of bleeding skills to First World countries as people often seize these opportunities without giving due consideration to the cost of living or amount of work expected of them in their new role.


Simeon Tassev.

Hindering internships

From a local skills development perspective, the pandemic also scuppered many companies’ internship programmes, which saw junior resources being trained and mentored by experienced cybersecurity specialists. With the WFH trend, this has become too challenging and inefficient in many instances, and the current increased security demands mean that companies would rather hire a senior specialist who can deliver from day one.

All these factors have a severely compounded effect on an already critical skills shortage in cybersecurity, as demand for these expertise has increased fivefold overnight due to the ongoing pandemic. At the same time, financial pressure has seen many companies do away with annual bonuses, while increasing employees’ workloads, triggering the natural human response of wanting to seek greener pastures.

With a bigger shortage of cybersecurity skills, South African companies are likely to look to outsourcing or outsourced managed services to fill the gap. There are various geographies geared for this type of demand, with India being a primary country to supply cybersecurity skills. Alternatively, South African companies will look to the few skills in Africa and attract them to the local market.

To stave off an even greater challenge in future, the local IT industry should look at forming communities that will encourage the younger generation to enter the field. A greater understanding of cybersecurity must be fostered, as well as a culture that supports local employment opportunities to show that the grass is not always greener on the other side. This might not be enough to solve the problem, but it’s a step in the right direction.




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Highest increase in global cyberattacks in two years
Information Security News & Events
Check Point Global Research released new data on Q2 2024 cyber-attack trends, noting a 30% global increase in Q2 2024, with Africa experiencing the highest average weekly per organisation.

Read more...
Open source code can also be open risk
Information Security Infrastructure
Software development has changed significantly over the years, and today, open-source code increasingly forms the foundation of modern applications, with surveys indicating that 60 – 90% of the average application's code base consists of open-source components.

Read more...
DeepSneak deception
Information Security News & Events
Kaspersky Global Research & Analysis researchers have discovered a new malicious campaign which is distributing a Trojan through a fake DeepSeek-R1 Large Language Model (LLM) app for PCs.

Read more...
SA’s strained, loadshedding-prone grid faces cyberthreats
Power Management Information Security
South Africa’s energy sector, already battered by decades of underinvestment and loadshedding, faces another escalating crisis; a wave of cyberthreats that could turn disruptions into catastrophic failures. Attacks are already happening internationally.

Read more...
Almost 50% of companies choose to pay the ransom
News & Events Information Security
This year’s Sophos State of Ransomware 2025 report found that nearly 50% of companies paid the ransom to get their data back, the second-highest rate of ransom payment for ransom demands in six years.

Read more...
Survey highlights cost of cyberdamage to industrial companies
Kaspersky Information Security News & Events
The majority of industrial organisations estimate their financial losses caused by cyberattacks to be over $1 million, while almost one in four report losses exceeding $5 million, and for some, it surpasses $10 million.

Read more...
Digital economy needs an agile approach to cybersecurity
Information Security News & Events
South Africa is the most targeted country in Africa when it comes to infostealer and ransomware attacks. Being at the forefront of the continent’s digital transformation puts South Africa in the crosshairs for sophisticated cyberattacks

Read more...
SIEM rule threat coverage validation
Information Security News & Events
New AI-detection engineering assistant from Cymulate automates SIEM rule validation for SecOps and blue teams by streamlining threat detection engineering with automated testing, control integrations and enhanced detections.

Read more...
Cybersecurity a challenge in digitalising OT
Kaspersky Information Security Industrial (Industry)
According to a study by Kaspersky and VDC Research on securing operational technology environments, the primary risks are inadequate security measures, insufficient resources allocated to OT cybersecurity, challenges surrounding regulatory compliance, and the complexities of IT/OT integration.

Read more...
Are AI agents a game-changer?
Information Security
While AI-powered chatbots have been around for a while, AI agents go beyond simple assistants, functioning as self-learning digital operatives that plan, execute, and adapt in real time. These advancements do not just enhance cybercriminal tactics, they may fundamentally change the battlefield.

Read more...










While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.




© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd. | All Rights Reserved.