The U.S. is facing a severe shortage of cybersecurity expertise, and agencies need to rethink their hiring methods if they want to keep up their digital defenses, according to the Homeland Security Department’s cyber chief.
“There’s not enough capability to go around,” said Chris Krebs, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. ”There’s no question there’s a security consolidation happening—particularly with some of the big tech companies, the rich are getting richer.”
As cyber talent gravitates toward higher paying, more flexible jobs in the private sector, the government must look beyond its traditional employee pools, Krebs said Thursday at the Forcepoint Cybersecurity Leadership Forum. And his agency is already broadening its sights.