By Hannah Wang
Hong Kong needs more professionals focused on cybersecurity due to persistent threats and a limited talent pool, according to a recent report from the Hong Kong China Network Security Association.
The group said demand for cybersecurity professionals in Hong Kong was expected to grow steadily over the next three to five years, with a particular focus on skills related to cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) security.
The report said attackers, armed with AI, drove the number of security incidents handled by the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre in 2024 to 12,536, the highest in five years.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, it said, the adoption of multi-cloud strategies had increased significantly and as a result, demand for professionals with cloud security backgrounds had grown.
鈥淭here is growing demand for companies to hire security professionals with the experience of securing cloud environments and managing associated risks on multiple cloud platforms such as [Amazon Web Services], Azure and Alibaba,鈥 said Fiona Fung, senior manager of infrastructure and cyber at recruiter Robert Walters.
The report was put together in collaboration with Sia, a consulting firm. The study surveyed around a hundred cybersecurity professionals in Hong Kong. In addition, inquiries were made with a number of professional recruiters who possessed 鈥渁 broad understanding of the talent market and can provide valuable insights鈥. The report showed that companies needed to improve their communication and collaboration skills to combat cybersecurity risks.
Most of the surveyed organisations said they were increasing their use of automation, AI and machine learning because of the cybersecurity talent shortfall.
In March, the government passed new legislation, called the Protection of Critical Infrastructures (Computer Systems) Ordinance, which puts stricter controls on IT departments鈥 response times to cybersecurity incidents and requires emergency response plans. It will come into effect on January 1.
鈥淭he increasing regulatory requirements are putting considerable pressure on organisations to find the right resources and expand their teams to address these new demands,鈥 the report said.
Recruiters, the report said, have faced challenges in recruitment due to high hiring costs as well as visa and salary issues.
While research showed that salary offers needed to rise by 10 per cent, companies 鈥 especially smaller firms 鈥 struggled to meet those expectations.
鈥淩egarding the job market in Hong Kong, there is no easy fix,鈥 said Frankie Tam, a partner in law firm Eversheds Sutherland鈥檚 technology and data practice. 鈥淚n addition to nurturing and supporting the local professional community, Hong Kong needs to offer substantial opportunities for professionals from abroad to pursue and advance their careers.鈥
Some schools, including the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, were launching related programmes to address the shortage of cybersecurity talent, the report said.