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By Mel Duvall
U.S. Federal agencies are facing a severe shortage of computer security specialists, even as president Obama has declared cybersecurity to be one of the most serious challenges facing the nation, a private study has found.
The study, titled "Cyber In-Security," says the federal government's cybersecurity workforce is essentially broken, facing a serious shortage of trained personnel, a fragmented and uncoordinated leadership structure, and a cumbersome hiring process that actually deters computer specialists from accepting federal positions.
The study was drafted by the Partnership for Public Service, a Washington-based advocacy group, in cooperation with technology consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. The research was conducted through focus groups and interviews with chief information officers, chief security officers and human resources officials at 18 federal agencies.
"The overriding finding of our analysis is that our federal government will be unable to combat these (security) threats without a more coordinated, sustained effort to increase cybersecurity expertise in the workforce," the report concludes.
The study was drafted at a time when the federal government is attempting to formulate a plan for cybersecurity. President Obama has made hiring a cybersecurity czar a top priority for his administration, but has so far been unable to fill the job.
The report notes that the size of the government's cyber workforce is largely unknown because agencies have different ways of classifying their employees. More troubling, says the report, is that the pipeline of future candidates to help fill the critical gap in security, is inadequate.
"According to our survey, only 40% of CIOs, CISOs and IT hiring managers are satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of applicants applying for federal cybersecurity jobs, and only 30% are satisfied or very satisfied with the number of quality candidates who are applying," the report states. And when qualified candidates do apply for jobs, they must navigate a tangled hiring process, "which deters talent of all types from entering government service."
The report offers a wide range of recommendations for the Obama administration and its yet-to-be-named security czar to consider. Included in those recommendations are the following:
- The new White House cybersecurity coordinator should develop a government-wide strategic blueprint for meeting current and future employment needs.
- Much like the government did in the space race, the White House should lead a nationwide effort to encourage Americans to develop technology, math and science skills and fund programs that provide graduate and undergraduate scholarships in computer science and cybersecurity fields.
- Key government officials in defense, intelligence, and civilian information security fields need to reach agreement on up-to-date job classifications for cybersecurity functions and establish certification requirements.
- Congress should approve significant funding to train federal cybersecurity workers to meet the current deficiencies.
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