In 2020, after the pandemic locked in, the volume of cyber-attacks increased by 63%, and there were 3,932 publicly reported breaches, resulting in the exfiltration of 37 billion records, a 141% increase over 2019. 2021 was worse.

The number of breaches through the end of September 2021 had already exceeded the total 2020 number by 17%, and the average global cost of a breach had increased to $4.35 million in 2022, up from $4.24 million in 2021, yet for 2022, the average cost of a breach has doubled to $9.4 million.

Cymulate, which crunched data on 1 million pen tests, including 1.7 million hours of offensive cybersecurity testing within its production environments, has determined that effective data-exfiltration risk increased to 44 out of 100 (with 100 indicating having the riskiest posture) from an average score of 30 in the previous year, indicating that the overall risk of data being compromised has increased by 47%.

Yet, absurdly during that same period, cybersecurity spending in the US alone increased by 11.7% to US$79.5 billion.

Let’s see. That means although we are spending almost 12% more on cybersecurity, our breach risk has increased by 47%. Does that also mean that if we spend 24% on cybersecurity, our breach risk will zoom to 94%?

While we’re spending our way to increased risk, our spending is not on skilled employees.

The “2022 Cybersecurity Skills Gap” report from Fortinet found that 60% of firms struggle to recruit cybersecurity talent while 52% find it hard to retain them. They’re hard to find, hard to hire, hard to retain and hard to manage. Especially remotely. If the Lone Ranger calls and says he wants to work for you – from Laramie – you gratefully welcome him aboard.

The most in-demand jobs in cyber now are Engineer, SOC Analyst, Software Developer, and Penetration Tester/Ethical Hacker.

That is why we spent an excessive amount of time and calories creating our three stage Cyber-Warrior 15 learning path training program at https://cybered.io/. Our CISO advisors counseled us at the very beginning that if we are going to build something unique that can be trusted by CISOs, we need to build a Seal Team 6 level curriculum that would train folks to think like hackers and to penetrate the most hardened defenses. So, we did.

67 courses, 30 certifications, and 796.75 hours of hard work that will qualify a student to become a Cyber-Seal, with one or more specialties within 15 learning paths. In addition, upon graduation, our students receive the coveted badge of badges, the CyberEd.io Certified Warrior attested through the same organization that verifies all other industry and vendor certifications.

Now would be a good time to start your security team on the path to smarter.