The Cyber Talent Shortage? Job Postings Just Hit a Four-Year Low
Help Net Security, Friday, October 16th, 2026
CyberSN counts 235,786 US cybersecurity job postings in January to September 2026, the lowest in four years.
CyberSN tracked 235,786 US cybersecurity job postings from January through September 2026, the lowest for those months in four years of data.
Postings fell 26.4% from 2025, though the gap against 2024 is about 4%, since 2025 was unusually strong, and CISO listings fell 38.9% from 2025's record.
Demand has drifted toward governance, risk and compliance roles, while hands-on defense roles still lead but are shrinking in share.
The article notes that the data tracks postings rather than hires and has implications for CISOs planning 2027 headcount.