High-profile security attacks leads to record demand for cyber pros

Cyber security professionals are enjoying the magic of Christmas thanks to being in demand following the high-profile hacking incidents at TalkTalk, Sony and Ashley Madison.

The demand has increased by four times, which means a new high in the past 12 months following the breaches.

The increase in business and finance service jobs will result in a positive start for the jobs market in 2016, with employers taking a more positive stance than throughout the whole of 2015.

With a potential risk for businesses so great and with the demand expected to remain high, Christmas is proving to be a time for giving for cyber experts.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey quizzed more than 2,000 UK bosses on whether they plan to cut or increase their number of staff. The news was positive for cyber pros, with more bosses showing intent to take on new staff rather than dismiss them.

However, in spite of an expected positive start to 2016, the prediction for the remainder of the year is less predictable thanks to uncertainty regarding the UK’s relationship with the EU, as well as the National Living Wage, which is to be introduced in April.

The news is not only positive for cyber security pros but also UK customers. Customer data has been fragile in recent years thanks to the string of high-profile breaches mentioned earlier. There was really only one way for businesses to respond and that was to shore up their defences by opening and filling cyber security jobs with the most trained and talented personnel they could find.