While the projected 1.8 million cybersecurity workforce gap is a staggering number, the Global Information Security Workforce Study did reveal which sectors are most aggressively looking to address this talent shortfall.

Healthcare, retail and manufacturing top the list of industries looking to increase their cybersecurity workforce by more than 20% over the next year. Healthcare, in particular, is aiming for a 39% increase.

It’s not surprising that they’re leading the charge to staff up, as Privacy Rights Clearninghouse reports that there were 223 known breaches to healthcare organizations in the United States in 2016 – and another 46 disclosed so far this year.  

Hospitals and clinics face the unique challenge of securing paper files, as well as digital, and providing access to those files to an extremely high number of employees who may not be familiar with cybersecurity best practices. The 2017 Verizon Data Breach Report (check out healthcare details on page 22) found that 57 breaches were the result of “misdelivery” aka lost laptops and x-rays in the trash. If only they had a few more security experts on staff guiding the way!

The depth and breadth of health records makes institutions an irresistible target for cybercriminals, so even without errors, the industry is in a tough spot. 

Ransomware accounted for 72% of malware incidents in the healthcare industry last year, according to the Verizon DBR. GISWS respondents working in healthcare backed that up, listing malware as the most common threat they face, with 84% citing ransomware as a “top” or “high” concern.

So 60% of healthcare hiring managers expecting an increase in the number of infosec pros at their organization? That’s a step in the right direction.

With all that hiring on its way, learn how you can gain an edge with the HCISPP certification, for healthcare infosec pros.