<div class="edu-card" data-widget-id="15" data-cy="edu-card"> <div class="edu-card-banner" data-cy="edu-card-banner"> Advertisement </div> <div class="edu-card-container" data-cy="edu-card-container"> <div class="edu-card-content" data-cy="edu-card-content"> <div class="edu-card-title" data-cy="edu-card-title"> <h1 class="edu-card-title-heading" data-cy="edu-card-title-heading"> Master’s in Cybersecurity Online From UC Berkeley </h1> <p class="edu-card-title-subheading" data-cy="edu-card-title-subheading"> Earn a Master’s in Cybersecurity Online in Just 20 Months </p> </div> <div class="edu-card-content-description" data-cy="edu-card-content-description"> <div class="edu-card-content-description-content"> <p>The UC Berkeley School of Information’s online Master of Information and Cybersecurity prepares students to become leaders in cybersecurity. No GRE/GMAT required.</p> </div> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore"> <input type="checkbox" id="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-15" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input" /> <label for="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-15" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label"> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label-arrow"></span> </label> </span> </div> <a class="edu-card-content-button" target="_blank" href="https://ischoolonline.berkeley.edu/requestinfo/cyber/">Learn More</a> <span class="edu-card-content-caption"> </span> </div> <div class="edu-card-action" data-cy="edu-card-action"> <picture class="edu-card-picture" data-cy="edu-card-picture"> <img src="https://fortune.com/img-assets/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/UCB-CYB_School-Secondary_Stacked_RGB_COLOR.png?w=250&amp;h=165" class=""> <span class="edu-card-picture-label"> </span> </picture> <div class="edu-card-action-cta" data-cy="edu-card-action-cta"> <a class="edu-card-action-button" target="_blank" href="https://ischoolonline.berkeley.edu/requestinfo/cyber/">Learn More</a> <span class="edu-card-action-caption"> </span> </div> </div> <table class="edu-card-table"> <tbody> <tr> <td>GRE Required</td> <td>No</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Part Time</td> <td>Yes</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div></div><script> function checkWidgets() { document.querySelectorAll('.edu-card-content-description-content').forEach((content) => { const readMoreBtn = content.nextElementSibling; if (!readMoreBtn) { return; } if (content && content.clientHeight === content.scrollHeight) { readMoreBtn.style.display = 'none'; } else { delete readMoreBtn.style.removeProperty('display'); } }) } window.removeEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); window.addEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); checkWidgets();</script>

<div class="edu-card" data-widget-id="55" data-cy="edu-card"> <div class="edu-card-banner" data-cy="edu-card-banner"> Advertisement </div> <div class="edu-card-container" data-cy="edu-card-container"> <div class="edu-card-content" data-cy="edu-card-content"> <div class="edu-card-title" data-cy="edu-card-title"> <h1 class="edu-card-title-heading" data-cy="edu-card-title-heading"> Hawai‘i Pacific University MS in Cybersecurity </h1> <p class="edu-card-title-subheading" data-cy="edu-card-title-subheading"> Certification prep available </p> </div> <div class="edu-card-content-description" data-cy="edu-card-content-description"> <div class="edu-card-content-description-content"> <p>The online MS in Cybersecurity program from Hawai‘i Pacific University prepares students to defend their organization from data breaches, strengthen their résumé by taking key certification exams, and advance their career as responsible leaders in cybersecurity.</p> </div> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore"> <input type="checkbox" id="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-55" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input" /> <label for="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-55" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label"> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label-arrow"></span> </label> </span> </div> <a class="edu-card-content-button" target="_blank" href="http://onlinedegrees.hpu.edu/requestinfo/mscyb/">Learn More</a> <span class="edu-card-content-caption"> </span> </div> <div class="edu-card-action" data-cy="edu-card-action"> <picture class="edu-card-picture" data-cy="edu-card-picture"> <img src="https://fortune.com/img-assets/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/HPU-UMT_logo-university_primary_cmyk_rev.jpg?w=250&amp;h=165" class=""> <span class="edu-card-picture-label"> </span> </picture> <div class="edu-card-action-cta" data-cy="edu-card-action-cta"> <a class="edu-card-action-button" target="_blank" href="http://onlinedegrees.hpu.edu/requestinfo/mscyb/">Learn More</a> <span class="edu-card-action-caption"> </span> </div> </div> </div></div><script> function checkWidgets() { document.querySelectorAll('.edu-card-content-description-content').forEach((content) => { const readMoreBtn = content.nextElementSibling; if (!readMoreBtn) { return; } if (content && content.clientHeight === content.scrollHeight) { readMoreBtn.style.display = 'none'; } else { delete readMoreBtn.style.removeProperty('display'); } }) } window.removeEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); window.addEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); checkWidgets();</script>

<div class="edu-card" data-widget-id="16" data-cy="edu-card"> <div class="edu-card-banner" data-cy="edu-card-banner"> Advertisement </div> <div class="edu-card-container" data-cy="edu-card-container"> <div class="edu-card-content" data-cy="edu-card-content"> <div class="edu-card-title" data-cy="edu-card-title"> <h1 class="edu-card-title-heading" data-cy="edu-card-title-heading"> Online Syracuse University M.S. in Cybersecurity </h1> <p class="edu-card-title-subheading" data-cy="edu-card-title-subheading"> Earn a Syracuse Univ. M.S. in Cybersecurity in 15 Months </p> </div> <div class="edu-card-content-description" data-cy="edu-card-content-description"> <div class="edu-card-content-description-content"> <p>Syracuse University’s online M.S. in Cybersecurity prepares students to effectively combat cybercrime. No GRE currently required, but a master’s degree is preferred. </p> </div> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore"> <input type="checkbox" id="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-16" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input" /> <label for="edu-card-content-description-readmore-input-16" class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label"> <span class="edu-card-content-description-readmore-label-arrow"></span> </label> </span> </div> <a class="edu-card-content-button" target="_blank" href="https://onlinegrad.syracuse.edu/requestinfo/mscy/">Learn More</a> <span class="edu-card-content-caption"> </span> </div> <div class="edu-card-action" data-cy="edu-card-action"> <picture class="edu-card-picture" data-cy="edu-card-picture"> <img src="https://fortune.com/img-assets/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/SYR-UMT_Lockup_Eng-Comp-Sci_Full-Configuration_RGB_COLOR_900px.png?w=250&amp;h=165" class=""> <span class="edu-card-picture-label"> </span> </picture> <div class="edu-card-action-cta" data-cy="edu-card-action-cta"> <a class="edu-card-action-button" target="_blank" href="https://onlinegrad.syracuse.edu/requestinfo/mscy/">Learn More</a> <span class="edu-card-action-caption"> </span> </div> </div> </div></div><script> function checkWidgets() { document.querySelectorAll('.edu-card-content-description-content').forEach((content) => { const readMoreBtn = content.nextElementSibling; if (!readMoreBtn) { return; } if (content && content.clientHeight === content.scrollHeight) { readMoreBtn.style.display = 'none'; } else { delete readMoreBtn.style.removeProperty('display'); } }) } window.removeEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); window.addEventListener('resize', checkWidgets); checkWidgets();</script>

ad_Cyber

cat_Other

Low Intent

ptype_Explainer

ptype_News

Preston Fore

<p>Millions of companies across the world are at risk of cyberattacks that could debilitate profit and brand reputation overnight. And with an increasingly connected digital world, something as simple as a smart thermostat could help hackers infiltrate systems.</p><div class="paywall-selector"></div><div class="paywall">



<p>But many companies are not taking these threats seriously, according to Clar Rosso, CEO of <a href="https://www.isc2.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ISC2</a>—one of the largest certification organizations as well as member associations for cybersecurity professionals.</p>



<p>The organization’s <a href="https://www.isc2.org/research" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">annual cybersecurity workforce study</a>, which was released on Oct. 31 and surveyed nearly 15,000 cyber professionals, found that the industry’s skills gap has hit a record high. Globally, roughly 4 million professionals are needed to adequately safeguard the digital world—an increase of about 13% compared to last year. This means the industry as a whole needs to basically double in size to meet growing demand.</p>



<p>Realistically, Rosso says, the gap should be higher because every company—no matter the size—needs people with cybersecurity expertise.</p>



<p>“There’s so many organizations that just don’t have any cybersecurity professionals at all,” she says. “So it’s not really representative of what in the nation or around the globe, we actually need. It’s just for those organizations that are clever enough to understand that they need cyber professionals.”</p>



<p>ISC2’s certifications are among the most popular and sought after in the industry, especially its Certified Information Systems Security Professional (<a href="https://www.isc2.org/certifications/cissp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CISSP</a>) certification. Rosso says the CISSP is to cybersecurity as a CPA is to accounting—essential. The organization not only works to help create a skilled and qualified workforce as well as ensure ISC2 members have latest information and resources especially with a growing threat landscape fueled in part by next technology like AI.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growing-threat-landscape">Growing threat landscape</h2>



<p>According to the report, 3 out of 4 cybersecurity professionals believe the current threat landscape is the most challenging it has been in the past half decade, and less than half think their organization has resources and personnel to respond to threats over the next two to three years.</p>



<p>So with this threat concern as well as a large skills gap, it would be assumed that most companies would be trying to beef up their cyber teams. Not necessarily.</p>



<p>Nearly half—47%—of cybersecurity professionals have experienced layoffs, budget cuts, or freezes on their teams, and almost a third expect additional cutbacks next year. Not only do these cuts affect productivity and morale, but it also affects cyber awareness and training. </p>



<p>Rosso says the findings are shocking and concerning because with AI looming on the horizon, threats will be even more fast and furious. </p>



<p>“I think what it does is it just shows that organizations are more driven by their revenue than they are or their profitability than concerns over their cyber risks, even though their cyber risks can damage them. financially and certainly reputationally,” she says.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach</a> report had similar findings. Despite data breaches increasing in cost, many companies are unwilling to increase their cyber defense expenditures—sometimes even after a breach.</p>



<p>Small businesses are especially at risk, Rosso adds, because 95% of organizations that have 100 or fewer employees have no cybersecurity professionals at all. </p>



<p>“Small businesses having no cyber professionals is a huge risk because it’s not if a breach happens in your organization, it’s all about when a breach will happen in your organization, because it’s misguided for anyone to think that they are too small for cyber criminals to bother with them,” Rosso says.</p>



<p>Overall, cybersecurity is a national defense and national economic security issue, she says. Last week, a leader at the Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency (<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CISA</a>) <a href="https://fortune.com/education/articles/cisa-cybersecurity-infrastructure-security-agency-talent-gap-alaina-clark/">echoed this to <em>Fortune</em></a>—adding that there needs to be increased awareness of the cybersecurity skills gap.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-educating-and-certifying-professionals">Educating—and certifying—professionals</h2>



<p>Rosso says it is great that there has been a proliferation of cybersecurity programs at universities across the country, but oftentimes the degrees do not necessarily align with what the market and employers want. (<em>Fortune</em> does have a ranking of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/information-technology/best-masters-in-cybersecurity/">best master’s degrees in cybersecurity</a>.)</p>



<p>“Employers prefer to hire based on certification. The certification—it’s a demonstration of knowledge, skills, ability and experience, so they know if I hire a CISSP, I know as CISSP knows, and can do,” she adds.</p>



<p>Some universities have also integrated certifications into their degree programs to provide students with the best preparation for their careers. And, many companies in the cybersecurity arena, such as <a href="https://fortune.com/education/articles/cisco-u-cybersecurity-skills-certification-training-program-cisco-networking-academy/">Cisco</a>, <a href="https://fortune.com/education/articles/consortium-of-cybersecurity-clinics-google-investment-cyber-learning-certificates/">Google</a>, and <a href="https://fortune.com/education/articles/reliaquest-cybersecurity-university-of-south-florida-lab-parternship/">ReliaQuest</a> have been working to address the cyber gap with their own skills-first, hands-on learning opportunities that often involve certifications.</p>



<p>To encourage people to consider careers in cyber, <a href="https://www.isc2.org/landing/1mcc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ISC2 is providing free access</a> to entry-level Certified in Cybersecurity courses and exams to 1 million people. After a year, Rosso says 345,000 people have enrolled and 36,000 have been certified.</p>



<p>She says it is important to realize that students do not necessarily need a tech background to get started in cybersecurity. Simply having effective communication, project management, or critical thinking skills can help individuals get ahead.</p>



<p>Plus, she says the industry is far away from being replaced.</p>



<p>“As much as automation is going to be introduced to help the profession, we are a long way from not needing more people in the profession,” she says. “So that’s what I think makes it so exciting. They’re going to be at the center of augmented intelligence, which is the intersection of the human intelligence and the artificial intelligence. There’s really no hotter topic around the globe as far as I think job roles go right now.”</p>



<div class="wp-block-group pro-tip-box-widget"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained">
<h3 class="wp-block-heading pro-tip-box-heading">Read more</h3>



<li>Looking into learning more about cybersecurity? Check out our ranking of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/information-technology/best-masters-in-cybersecurity/">best masters in cybersecurity programs</a>.</li>
<li>Our list of <a href="https://fortune.com/education/information-technology/most-affordable-online-masters-in-cybersecurity/">affordable online masters in cybersecurity programs</a> can help you find the school that best fits your budget.</li>
<li>Achieve your goal of becoming an expert in data science by choosing from our list of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/information-technology/best-masters-in-data-science/">best masters in data science</a> programs.</li>
<li>Interested in computer science? Here’s our ranking of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/information-technology/best-online-masters-in-computer-science/">best online computer science masters programs</a>.</li>
<li>Cybersecurity is essential in the modern workforce, and one of the <a href="https://fortune.com/education/bootcamps/best-cybersecurity-bootcamps/">best cybersecurity bootcamps</a> can help you hone that skill.</li>
</div></div>
</div>

ISC2’s annual cybersecurity workforce study found that cybersecurity professionals are worried about the skills gap, threat landscape, and even layoffs

A record high 4 million cybersecurity professionals are needed worldwide, according to ISC2. The cyber organization's CEO says that's still not enough

Four Cybercriminal experts on computers solving IT problems

F-Search

Education

Education Articles

Jasmine Suarez

Tech

A record high 4 million cybersecurity professionals are needed worldwide, according to ISC2. The cyber organization’s CEO says that’s still not enough

Fortune earns a commission for purchases made from affiliate partners via some links on our site; other links are not affiliate partner links. <a href='/affiliate-disclosure/'>Click here</a> to read the full Fortune advertiser disclosure and how we earn commissions.

We have independently evaluated the products and services below. We may earn affiliate revenue from links in the content.

Fortune Editors

Fortune Education is designed to be your guide to navigating this new, rich and somewhat overwhelming world of education. Our team of experienced editors is committed to scouring the universe of online offerings in order to rank, rate, provide comparisons and recommend the right solutions for you and your career.

Fortune Education

Uncategorized

homepage

articles

Articles Hub

By Region

By State

By Cost

Business

Career Hub

Health and Wellness

EDUCATION

EDUCATION ARTICLES

A RECORD HIGH 4 MILLION CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONALS ARE NEEDED WORLDWIDE, ACCORDING TO ISC2. THE CYBER ORGANIZATION'S CEO SAYS THAT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH

A record high 4 million cybersecurity professionals are needed worldwide, according to ISC2. The cyber organization's CEO says that's still not enough | Fortune Education

Rich Griset

10 free data analytics courses you can take online

https://fortune.com/education/articles/free-data-analytics-courses/?itm_source=parsely-api

2024 real estate school review: AceableAgent

https://fortune.com/education/articles/real-estate-school-review-aceableagent/?itm_source=parsely-api

Northwestern, Columbia, and UPenn have the best EMBA programs in the country. Here's why

https://fortune.com/education/articles/best-exec-mba-programs-news/?itm_source=parsely-api

Brit Morse

A law associate making $300,000 a year at Skadden Arps quit over the firm’s deal with Donald Trump

/article/rachel-cohen-making-300k-year-law-associate-skadden-arps-quit-protest-firms-deal-trump/

Get ready to pay more than $2,000 for a new iPhone: Experts say Trump’s 125% tariff on China is a ‘complete disaster for Apple’ akin to ‘Armageddon’

/2025/04/10/apple-iphone-16-price-complete-disaster-china-trump-tariffs/

It’s about to get a lot harder for job seekers as tariffs are set to make the hiring landscape even more daunting

/2025/04/07/trump-tariffs-labor-market-more-challenging-job-seekers-economists-say/

This company does peer performance reviews—And then lets everyone read each other’s evaluations

/2025/03/24/performance-review-process-company-allows-all-workers-read-garner-health-workplace-culture/

2024 health coach certification review: Catalyst Coaching Institute

/education/articles/health-coach-certification-review-catalyst-coaching-institute/

A guide to a nurse’s salary: Broken down by all 50 states and industry type

/education/careers/nurse-salary/

2024 health coach certification review: Institute for Integrative Nutrition

/education/articles/health-coach-certification-review-institute-for-integrative-nutrition/

10 high-paying public health jobs right now

/education/careers/public-health-jobs/

Jason Del Rey

Is eBay actually sexy again as the ecommerce old-timer’s stock surges to an all-time high?

/2025/07/31/ebay-earnings-live-sports-cards-trading-pokemon/

Erik German

Meet the CIA-backed venture fund behind Palantir, Anduril—and a spy tool that might be on your phone

/2025/07/29/in-q-tel-cia-venture-capital-palantir-anduril/

Dana Hull

Kiel Porter

Bloomberg

Tesla engineering VP Moravy says company in ‘big swing moment’

/2025/07/27/tesla-engineering-vp-lars-moravy-big-swing-moment-musk-robotaxi-optimus-semi/

Christiaan Hetzner

Volkswagen seeks audience with Trump, dangling more than $10 billion in U.S. investments in exchange for tariff exemptions

/2025/07/25/volkswagen-trump-tariffs-exemptions/

Whether you’ve just completed your undergraduate degree or you are a professional with years of experience, Fortune is here to guide you on the next step of your educational journey.

A record high 4 million cybersecurity professionals are needed worldwide, according to ISC2. The cyber organization’s CEO says that’s still not enough

About the Contributors

Top Articles

10 free data analytics courses you can take online

2024 real estate school review: AceableAgent

Northwestern, Columbia, and UPenn have the best EMBA programs in the country. Here's why

Online Syracuse University M.S. in Cybersecurity