The cybersecurity job market is undergoing significant shifts in 2024, with certain roles seeing explosive growth while others face declining demand. These changes reflect evolving threat landscapes, regulatory pressures, and technological advancements reshaping how organizations approach digital security.
Security Engineer Remains the Most In-Demand Role
Security engineers continue to be the most sought-after cybersecurity professionals in 2024. According to recent data from CyberSeek, there were over 64,000 job postings for security engineers in the past year. This high demand stems from the critical role these professionals play in designing, implementing, and maintaining an organization’s security infrastructure.
Security engineers are responsible for:
- Developing and enforcing security policies and procedures
- Implementing firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and other security tools
- Conducting vulnerability assessments and penetration testing
- Responding to and mitigating security incidents
The persistent demand for security engineers highlights the ongoing need for skilled professionals who can build robust defenses against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Rising Stars: Cybersecurity Attorneys and Red Team Specialists
While security engineers top the list, two roles are seeing particularly rapid growth in 2024:
Cybersecurity/Privacy Attorneys
Legal expertise in cybersecurity is becoming increasingly valuable as organizations navigate complex regulatory landscapes. Job postings for cybersecurity and privacy attorneys grew by 40% from 2023 to 2024, the largest year-over-year increase of any role.
This surge in demand is driven by:
- Stricter data protection regulations worldwide
- Increased focus on privacy rights and compliance
- The need to manage legal risks associated with data breaches
- Growing complexity of cyber-related litigation
Red Team Specialists
Red team specialists, who simulate real-world attacks to test an organization’s defenses, are also seeing significant growth in job postings. This trend reflects a shift towards more proactive and adversarial approaches to security testing.
Red team exercises help organizations:
- Identify vulnerabilities that automated scans might miss
- Test incident response procedures under realistic conditions
- Improve overall security posture by thinking like an attacker
Declining Demand: Software Engineering and IAM Roles
Not all cybersecurity roles are experiencing growth. Some positions are seeing a decline in job postings, potentially due to market saturation or shifts in organizational priorities:
Cybersecurity Software Engineers
Job listings for cybersecurity software engineers saw the largest decrease from 2023 to 2024. This could be due to:
- Increased adoption of off-the-shelf security solutions
- Shift towards cloud-based security services
- Integration of security into general software development practices (DevSecOps)
Identity and Access Management (IAM) Engineers
IAM engineer job postings also declined significantly. Possible reasons include:
- Maturation of IAM technologies and processes in many organizations
- Increased automation of IAM tasks
- Consolidation of IAM responsibilities into broader IT or security roles
The Impact of AI on Cybersecurity Workforce Trends
Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role in shaping cybersecurity job trends. AI and machine learning technologies are being integrated into various security tools and processes, potentially reducing the need for certain types of manual work.
Key impacts of AI on the cybersecurity workforce include:
- Automation of routine security tasks, potentially reducing demand for entry-level positions
- Increased need for professionals who can develop, implement, and manage AI-powered security solutions
- Growing importance of data analysis skills to interpret outputs from AI security tools
- Shift in focus towards higher-level strategic and decision-making roles that AI cannot easily replace
Skills in High Demand Across Cybersecurity Roles
Regardless of specific job titles, certain skills remain highly sought-after in the cybersecurity field:
- Cloud security expertise
- Knowledge of compliance frameworks (GDPR, CCPA, etc.)
- Threat intelligence and analysis
- Incident response and forensics
- Risk assessment and management
- Communication and stakeholder management
Professionals who combine technical proficiency with these in-demand skills are well-positioned to thrive in the evolving cybersecurity job market.
The cybersecurity job landscape is dynamic, with new challenges and technologies constantly reshaping workforce needs. While some traditional roles may see declining demand, opportunities are expanding in emerging areas like AI-powered security and specialized legal expertise. Staying adaptable and continuously updating skills remains crucial for cybersecurity professionals navigating this shifting terrain.