The cybersecurity landscape is evolving rapidly, leaving security teams understaffed and overburdened as organizations race to adopt new technologies. To stay ahead of attackers, cybersecurity professionals must continuously upskill. However, the vast array of skills and their varying relevance make it challenging to decide which to prioritize.

A recent global survey by ISC2, involving 7,698 hiring managers and 8,154 non-hiring managers in cybersecurity sheds light on the most sought-after skills today. Hiring managers highlight capabilities that provide immediate value, while non-hiring managers identify critical skills influencing hiring and promotions.

In this article, you will learn about seven cybersecurity skills that are in high demand right now.

7 Cybersecurity Skills That Are in High Demand Right Now

Here are the top seven cybersecurity skills, ranked in ascending order of demand.

1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML)

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are rapidly gaining prominence but their full potential in cybersecurity remains unrealized. While these skills offer long-term benefits, hiring managers often prioritize expertise with immediate applicability. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are essential for both offensive and defensive strategies.

Cybercriminals increasingly exploit artificial intelligence to enhance social engineering attacks like spear phishing, while enterprises use artificial intelligence to detect anomalies, isolate threats and automate security processes such as securing dedicated server hosting. These technologies help reduce reliance on manual processes, minimize human error and enable security teams to focus on strategic tasks.

2. Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC)

Governance, Risk and Compliance professionals ensure that cybersecurity strategies align with organizational objectives and regulatory requirements. This broad domain combines technical, operational and business skills.

• Governance involves creating and enforcing IT policies, such as incident response and access control policies.

• Risk Management focuses on identifying and mitigating risks proactively.

• Compliance ensures adherence to regulations like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which may vary by region and industry.

With emerging technologies like artificial intelligence introducing new threats and regulations, Governance, Risk and Compliance expertise is increasingly valuable.

3. Security Analysis

Security analysts evaluate vulnerabilities, conduct penetration testing and perform log analysis to identify threats. These professionals play a crucial role in spotting weaknesses from a hacker’s perspective and recommending improvements.

Their work often intersects with risk analysts, assessing the business impact of vulnerabilities and prioritizing remediation efforts. Without robust security analysis capabilities, organizations risk exposing critical vulnerabilities in their systems and products.

4. Application Security

With organizations increasingly relying on complex software ecosystems, application security has become critical. It involves securing third-party and in-house applications throughout their lifecycle—from procurement to deployment and beyond.

Application security professionals focus on protecting databases, application programming interfaces and application code from exploitation. Let’s say, you buy a VPS server, they implement best practices like vulnerability testing and code reviews, ensuring robust defenses against evolving threats.

5. Risk Assessment, Analysis and Management

While closely related to governance, risk and compliance, risk assessment professionals delve deeper into identifying and mitigating cybersecurity risks at a granular level. They must understand preventive tools like encryption and zero-trust architecture and develop strategies for addressing vulnerabilities. By combining technical expertise with strategic oversight, these professionals are pivotal in creating resilient cybersecurity frameworks.

6. Security Engineering

Security engineers design and implement technical solutions to protect organizations against threats. They may specialize in specific areas such as network security, threat modeling or incident response planning.

Demand for security engineers remains high due to their immediate impact on organizational defenses. They prevent costly breaches and enable companies to focus on strategic goals rather than addressing frequent security incidents. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field is projected to grow by 33% by 2033, with average salaries exceeding $127,000 annually.

7. Cloud Computing Security

As businesses increasingly adopt cloud technologies, cloud security has emerged as the most in-demand cybersecurity skill. It encompasses three key areas:

• Cloud Platform and Infrastructure Security

• Cloud Data Security

• Cloud Architecture and Design

Organizations share security responsibilities with cloud providers like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. While providers secure data centers and virtualization layers, customers must safeguard applications, data and access controls. Cloud resources are now top targets for cyberattacks.

According to Thales, cloud management infrastructure, storage and software as a service applications accounted for 26%, 30% and 31% of attacks in 2024 respectively. Strong cloud security skills are essential to protect these assets.

Relevant Certifications

To excel in these high-demand areas, professionals should pursue certifications tailored to their chosen skillset:

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Focus on AI-related security certifications and training programs.

• Governance, Risk and Compliance: Look into certifications such as Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC).

• Security Analysis: Consider certifications like the GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH).

• Application Security: Obtain the Certified Application Security Engineer (CASE).

• Risk Assessment: Pursue certifications such as Certified Information Systems Risk Manager (CISRM).

• Security Engineering: Explore certifications like the Information Systems Security Engineering Professional (ISSEP).

• Cloud Security: Consider specialized certifications like Amazon Web Services Certified Security – Specialty and Microsoft Azure Security Engineer Associate.

Final Thoughts

In the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity, staying relevant means focusing on skills that align with organizational priorities and emerging threats. Cloud computing security, security engineering and risk assessment remain top priorities, while governance, risk and compliance and artificial intelligence and machine learning are gaining prominence as technologies and regulations evolve.

By identifying and developing these high-demand skills, cybersecurity professionals can not only meet current challenges but also position themselves for long-term career success. Did this article help you in acquiring the right cybersecurity skills? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.