Number of cybersecurity professionals worldwide 2024, by region

The number of professionals working in the cybersecurity industry was estimated to be over 1.3 million in Europe in 2024. The number of cybersecurity professionals globally stood at 5.46 million that year. Cybersecurity protects computer information systems, hardware, networks, and data from cyberattacks. As awareness of cyber threats is rising, so is the size of the global cybersecurity market.

The cybersecurity workforce is growing fast, but demand is growing faster

Cybersecurity workers have become some of the most in-demand members of today’s labor force with some specific roles being particularly difficult to fill, such as cloud security, security operations, or network security experts. In 2023, China was the country with the largest cybersecurity workforce gap, with a shortage of just over 1.7 million cybersecurity professionals. 

The wider context of tech layoffs

The struggle faced by employers worldwide to recruit qualified and skilled professionals to fill cybersecurity roles runs counter to the recent mass layoffs in the technology sector. Although COVID-19 restrictions, which triggered the layoffs in 2020, loosened up in 2021, factors such as the Russia-Ukraine war, rising inflation, and concerns about an economic recession continue to have a significant impact on the tech industry.