Growing Demand for Cybersecurity Professionals

The training of experts in this field has become a priority due to the increasing number of internet-connected devices.

Enrique Soto

In a global context, there are around 5.45 billion people (about 67 percent of the world’s population) connected to the Internet and approximately 18 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices (physical objects with sensors and processing capabilities that exchange data), according to the publication Cybersecurity Economics for Emerging Markets by the editorial World Bank Group, reported Gina Gallegos García, head of the Cybersecurity Laboratory at the Centro de Investigación en Computación (CIC) of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN).

She commented that given this reality, the demand for cybersecurity professionals is increasing every day, not only in Mexico but throughout Latin America, which is why companies, governments, universities, and research centers must join forces to act resiliently, in order to address the lag and, at the same time, map out the path for Mexico in the coming years.

PRIORITY TO TRAIN SPECIALISTS IN CYBERSECURITY

The Politécnico scientist—Doctor of Science from the Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica (ESIME), Culhuacán Unit—explained that, given the deficit of specialized professionals, the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), and the growing number of internet-connected devices, it is essential to strengthen the training of personnel to meet the demand for services that will grow exponentially in both the public and private sectors in the coming years.

She emphasized that IPN is a pioneer in cybersecurity postgraduate programs, and in the laboratory she leads, specialists are trained in various topics such as critical infrastructure, cryptography, cyber-physical systems, secure artificial intelligence, and the secure development of web and mobile applications, among many others.

Dr. Gallegos acknowledged that ICTs have advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years, but the training of cybersecurity specialists has not kept pace, particularly in emerging countries.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, if we had not been connected to the internet, practically no progress would have been made. “We have to see both sides of the coin, the pros and cons. Among the advantages, we now have process automation and an easier, more comfortable life. However, these same advantages come with certain disadvantages: in cybersecurity, the range of opportunities for unwanted third parties or cyber attackers has expanded, allowing them to eavesdrop or modify information, to name just a few threats.”

European Union Invests 1.6 Billion Euros

As for cybersecurity investment, Dr. Gallegos stated that within the Digital Europe Programme for 2021-2027, the European Union committed to investing 1.6 billion euros in cybersecurity capabilities and the general implementation of cybersecurity infrastructure and tools, figures that are not even comparable with those in Latin America.

“At the Cybersecurity Laboratory, specialists are trained in critical infrastructure, cryptography, cyber-physical systems, and secure artificial intelligence, among others.”

She explained that, according to the Global Digital Trust Insights 2024 survey, eight out of ten Mexican companies plan to increase their cybersecurity budgets in the coming months.

Emphasizing the evident need for greater private investment in emerging countries, the IPN professor pointed out that resources must be complemented with those allocated by governments and academia for the training of specialized personnel.

Gina Gallegos—who holds a Level I designation in the National System of Researchers (SNII) of the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation (Secihti)—stated that since the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare and financial sectors have been the most targeted by cybercriminals worldwide. “The financial sector is one of the most important, because with the rise of decentralized services such as blockchain and cryptocurrencies, we have advantages, but these come hand in hand with their respective disadvantages,” she noted.

She mentioned that cyber attackers focus their efforts on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which drive the global economy. “Unfortunately, these are the ones that say, ‘Nothing will happen to me,’ and they are the most unprotected. By not feeling vulnerable, they do not allocate resources to cybersecurity, seeing it as an expense rather than an investment. Large organizations do have enough resources to invest in these areas, but even they are not immune.” She stressed the importance of raising awareness for the safe use of the internet at all stages of life, but especially in basic education. “I believe that awareness in those first interactions with ICTs must be combined with cybersecurity education,” she emphasized.

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare and financial sectors have been the most targeted by cybercriminals worldwide.”

CYBERSECURITY IS NOT JUST A TECHNICAL ISSUE

Gina Gallegos expressed her support for Latin America to move towards a regulatory framework similar to that of the European Union. She emphasized the importance of learning from countries that have already taken a step forward in this area and using that knowledge to build what works for our region.

In Mexico, she noted, there are various initiatives such as the Olimpia Law and the Cybersecurity and Digital Trust Law. “We are starting to see regulatory framework initiatives, but there is still a long way to go in this regard.”

“Cybersecurity should not be seen as merely a technical issue but rather as a field with multiple dimensions. Internet connections will continue to increase rapidly, with no foreseeable limit. Therefore, specialists will be needed to help protect the key institutions that interact with society,” concluded the IPN expert, who completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Yale University, United States.