Press Release
While 40 percent of India-based cybersecurity teams are understaffed and 68 percent have unfilled cybersecurity positions, ISACA’s new State of Cybersecurity 2025 survey report, which explores insights into cybersecurity skills, hiring trends, budgets, cyber risk, and the role of AI, finds that fewer enterprises are training non-security staff to move into security roles.
These revealing statistics further highlight that just 34 percent of enterprises provide this training, compared with 50 percent the previous year. However, 39 percent of respondents indicate that more than half of their current cyber staff members transitioned from roles outside the field, according to the 11th annual global survey report.
Commenting on the survey, RV Raghu, ISACA India Ambassador, and director, Versatilist Consulting India Pvt Ltd, said, “India’s cybersecurity landscape is at a pivotal point, with rising demand for skilled experts to navigate a complex threat landscape, in the midst of persistent talent shortages and underinvestment in staff training, which leave enterprises vulnerable. To defend against today’s sophisticated threats, Indian organisations must invest not only in advanced technologies but also in developing adaptable, well-supported cybersecurity teams.”
Insights into staffing resources
Survey respondents indicate there is a high demand for technical cybersecurity professionals, but challenges with hiring and retention persist. Thirty-eight percent of Indian respondents say it takes three to six months to hire for entry-level roles, and 42 percent say the same for non-entry-level roles. More than half (55 percent) of the respondents in India admit their organisations struggle to retain cyber talent. However, 83 percent of Indian cybersecurity professionals expect demand for technical contributors to rise (compared to 70 percent globally).
Fewer Indian respondents are indicating their budgets are underfunded (42 percent compared with 57 percent last year), and 65 percent expect budget increases (up from 62 percent). This is compared to a more pessimistic view globally, with 53 percent of global respondents indicating their budgets are underfunded (compared to 59 percent last year), and only 41 percent expecting budget increases.
Adaptability, soft skills in demand
In an environment where technology and threats are constantly changing, the top qualifications in demand in India have adjusted as well— with prior cybersecurity experience now the top qualification factor (76 percent), closely followed by adaptability (73 percent).
Respondents in India noted that of the skills gaps witnessed in cybersecurity professionals, soft skills are at the top (56 percent)—specifying that the key soft skills needed include critical thinking (55 percent), problem-solving (52 percent) and communication (51 percent).
