Advancements in science and technology are shaping our lives every day. GAO helps Congress to understand and make critical decisions about those advancements, decisions that will affect policy for years to come.The Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics Team (STAA) plays a critical role in shaping that assistance.

In todays WatchBlog post, we explore our work on science and technology, and hear from some of our scientists leading that work.

Explaining complex problems

While scientists in a lab study a particular topic or problem, scientists at GAO look at a broad range of science and technology issues, as well as the policies governing them. For example, our scientistsmany of whom hold a PhD in their fieldstudy the literature, interview industry leaders, and review how science and technology are being utilized. They then provide reports for Congress about the effects of these topics, as well as key policy questions lawmakers should consider.

For instance, Nacole King, a chemist here at GAO, recently examined how technologies are being used to identify chemical warfare agents, critical work given that foreign governments are suspected of using chemical weapons despite international prohibitions.

It was a fun challenge to try and condense such a complex topic into a two-pager Spotlight, Nacole says. As a subject matter expert, I love thatjust explaining how things work.

Charlotte Hinkle, a physical scientist, echoes this in a description of her work on quantum technologies, tools that could revolutionize sensors, computation, and communication.

As a theoretical chemist, you look at the principles of quantum mechanics, Charlotte said. Here you get to see how those principles are appliedIts exciting to make these concepts tangible for readers.

Image caption: Clockwise starting from the top left corner: Charlotte Hinkle, Chi Mai, Andrew Kurtzman, Elise Beisecker, and Nacole King.

Discovering new solutions

At the same time, our Innovation Lab is exploring new and advanced technology such as natural language processing, cloud services, and more. The lab is made up of data scientists and technologists like Elise Beisecker. Elise, a senior data scientist on the team, helped build our Operation Warp Speed dashboard, which pulled in the latest clinical trials data to help people make sense of COVID-19 vaccine development.

It was a challenge to develop these prototypes so quickly, but thats what I like about the work, she said. Im not doing the same type of coding every day. I feel like Im always thinking and applying techniques differently.

Andrew Kurtzman, another senior data scientist in the Innovation Lab, takes a similar tack. In his work, Andrew is using data analysis tools to help his colleagues across the agency review federal programs at a larger scale and a lower cost.

Theres an entrepreneurial spirit about the Innovation Lab, Andrew said. Were always asking what isnt being done already and how we can do things differently.

Making an impact

Our scientists arent just studying advancements in science and technology, they are also informing Congress about the impact of those advancements and what options they should consider in light of them.

For instance, one of our reports looked at U.S. government efforts to develop hypersonic weapons and what steps agencies can take to better coordinate those efforts. In this, Chi Mai, a senior aerospace engineer, was able to apply his background in science and engineering to ensure that we both collected the necessary background information on the topic and presented the technologies accurately.

Most researchers are working on a specific problem, Chi said. Here you are affecting public policy. You are helping Congress understand how these technologies work and what opportunities and challenges they might present.

This policy mindedness extends to Eliot Fletchers work as a senior biological scientist on the team, specifically his early work on coronaviruses. In Eliots work, he explored not only what coronaviruses are, but what effect they might have on the wider public, what steps are being taken to assess vaccine safety, and what the social and economic implications of pandemics can be.

If you publish a report at GAO, you can get that research on a congressional desk and, potentially, affect what bills get passed, Eliot said. Your work has a real impact.

Our Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics team is making an impact with their work, exploring new topics every day. Want to join our team? Were hiring specialists with a background in biology, chemistry, computer science, and more. See all our openings here.

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Studying Science Today and Impacting Policy Tomorrow - Government Accountability Office

Five UCF researchers have been awarded more than $450,000 in SEED funding thanks to a new collaboration between the UCF Office of Research and the international nano and digital technology research and development company imec.

Researchers from the College of Engineering and Computer Science, College of Optics and Photonics, College of Sciences, and College of Medicine are expected to commence their work by the beginning of the fall semester.

To be considered, projects had to engage in research and/or development activities in the areas of high performance integrated electro-optical devices, novel device concepts for integrated optical coherent transceivers, integrated radio-frequency transceiver architectures and devices for operation above 100GHz, and/or lens free imaging and microfluidic devices to study bone cell activity in microgravity.

The projects are:

Assistant Professor Melanie Coathup

College of Medicine, Biionix Cluster

Awarded $98,344 to study the use of computational fluidic dynamics, microfluidic fluid-flow and a hind limb suspension model to investigate mass transport and in osteoporosis

As humans prepare to return to the moon and travel to Mars and beyond, more knowledge is needed to better prepare for such journeys in space where gravity doesnt work the same way it does on Earth. Coathup will use imecs new LFI microscope to studyhow human cells respond to changes in fluid flow, like that encountered in space. Coathup anticipates the changes will elicit either a protective cellular response or a destructive one which would result in them secreting factors that cause bone loss. Understanding the impact will help better protect astronauts health during long-term space travel.

Assistant Professor Michael Kinzel

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Awarded $51,898 to study LFI-based measurements of microfluidic fluid-flow to augment bone cell activity in altered gravity.

Kinzels project, which will use a microscope newly developed by imec, complements Coathups work. Kinzelwill use the automated, wide-field-of-view microscope to study fluid dynamics impact on growth in altered gravity zones and create computer models to better understand the impact of how fluids such as liquids found in the human body work in these environments.

Professor Guifang Li

College of Optics and Photonics

Awarded $100,000 to study a few-mode/quasi single-mode platform for next-generation silicon photonic integration

Li is investigating a silicon photonic integration platform based on waveguides that are more tolerant to fabrication errors. This platform is expected to not only improve the performance of integrated photonic devices and systems, but also increase yield in production. As a first demonstration, this platform will be employed to build a transceiver for free-space optical communication.

Professor Sasan Fathpour

College of Optics and Photonics

Awarded $100,000 to study ultra-broadband silicon photonics isolators and circulators for coherent transceivers

Optical isolators are essential components for signal routing and blocking in several applications, such as laser protection and stabilization, optical networks, and coherent communication systems. Commercially available isolators, based on magnetic garnets, are bulky and their integrated forms have been elusive. This program aims at developing fully integrated optical isolators based on a novel approach that relies on altering the wavelength of optical signals and filtering techniques.

Assistant Professor Kaitlyn Crawford

College of Engineering and Computer Science, NanoScience Technology Center, Biionix Cluster

Awarded $99,999 to study electro optic polymer development and performance measures for telecommunication and quantum applications

Increasing network demands in healthcare and consumer industries are creating a surge in worldwide internet traffic and data storage needs. This demand stems from advancements and use of emerging technologies, such as telemedicine, the Internet of Things, and streaming online media. However, our current network technology is unable to support our growing, global network needs; thus, new solutions are urgently needed. Crawfords research team is using the synergy found in engineering, chemistry, and polymer science to develop advanced materials for future use in telecommunication and quantum communication applications. This project paves the way for industry collaborations in Floridas high-tech corridor while also providing an opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students at UCF to participate in high impact research and career development.

Read more here:

UCF Researchers Awarded SEED Funding to Investigate Nano and Digital Technologies - UCF

Cody Dix, Extensions new 4-H STEAM coordinator in Clark County, aims to make science, technology, engineering, art and math education more accessible to youth by using 4-H programs to introduce them to subjects and activities that may spark further interest in the fields.

Dix is responsible for STEAM programming as part of the 4-H Youth Development Program in Clark County. His goal is to ensure youth are exposed to STEAM fields in an educational but fun way so they might develop an interest or passion for the subject and learn skills that will help them be successful in school, careers and life. Through 4-H STEAM programs, youth are learning critical life skills, such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, critical thinking and leadership.

As part of this programming, Dix recently conducted a week-long day camp for youth ages 9 12. With the help of community based instructors, volunteers from the Clark County AmeriCorps 4-H Grows Here Project and youth volunteers, the camp hosted activities based on natural science, computer science, engineering and natural history. The youth were able to participate in hands-on activities to work on projects such as coding and creating paper rockets.

It was great to introduce these kids to science using fun projects, Dix said. While theyre participating in these activities, were able to explain whats going on and how were using math or engineering concepts to do it.

Previously, Dix worked as an interpretive naturalist for Southern Nevada Conservancy, where he conducted environmental education programs with families at the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. As a naturalist, he was able to present in schools and career fairs, educating youth about the local ecosystem. Since he enjoyed the teaching aspect of this position so much, Dix decided to apply that experience to teaching kids about all the STEAM fields, as part of University of Nevada Reno, Extensions 4-H Program.

Codys background in the natural sciences has helped us expand 4-H program areas and involve more youth who are interested in the outdoors, Nora Luna, 4-H Youth Development Program coordinator, said. Cody has been a great asset to the 4-H team.

Going forward, Dix is hosting STEAM week activities at the A.D. Guy Knowledge Center, where youth will participate in hands-on activities based around STEAM themes. As health restrictions ease up, he is also excited about reinstating in-person afterschool programs at local libraries, community centers and housing developments, with the goal of bringing STEAM education into neighborhoods directly.

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New coordinator aims to make STEAM education fun and accessible for youth - Nevada Today

Utah Governor Spencer Cox has appointedand the Utah Senate has approvedMaria J. Garciaz and Bassam T. Salem to the University of Utahs Board of Trustees.

Garciaz and Salem began their terms on July 1, 2021. They filled seats vacated by H. David Burton and Anne-Marie Lampropoulos. Burton leaves the board after eight years of service, including three years as board chairman. Lampropoulos leaves after four years of service.

Garciaz is the CEO of NeighborWorks Salt Lake, a nonprofit community development corporation that has worked since 1977 to revitalize neighborhoods experiencing blight and decline. She oversees 19 staff members and an operating budget of $3.2 million and a development budget of $8 million, with $32 million in assets.

NeighborWorks lines of businesses include mortgage and commercial lending, real estate development, economic development and community engagement focused on generating products, strategic plans and reinvestment approaches to help meet needs of low- and moderate-income communities.

She was an early supporter and community partner of University Neighborhood Partners and brings a fresh and important perspective on the needs of Salt Lake Citys westside communities.

Over the past 30 years, Garciaz also has been involved in high risk youth intervention strategies and supporting fine arts and cultural events.

Garciaz received a bachelors degree in political science from the University of Utah and a masters degree in education from Utah State University. She is also a national internship graduate of the Development Training Institute and completed executive education in community development at Harvard Universitys Kennedy School of Government.

She serves as an independent director for American Express Centurion Bank and on advisory boards for US Bank, Morgan Stanley Bank, Select Health, the Legal Defenders Association and the Utah Multicultural Commission. She is a consultant for NeighborWorks America. Garciazs past experience includes service on the State Judicial Performance Evaluation Board, the San Francisco Federal Reserve Banks Salt Lake Branch, the Utah Board of Juvenile Justice, the Utah State History Board, and the Salt Lake Winter 2002 Olympic Organizing Committee.

She has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Leonardos Womens Award for Human Services, the MLK Humanitarian Award from Salt Lake Community College, the Utah Hispanic Chamber Community Trailblazer Award, the Gov. Scott M. Matheson Leadership Award, the National NeighborWorks America Lifetime Achievement Award and the Cesar Chavez Peace & Justice Award. Garciaz was born and raised in Salt Lake City.

Salem is the CEO and founder of Mindshare Venture, a management consulting and venture firm that helps technology startups and entrepreneurs succeed, and of AtlasRTX, a platform for artificial intelligence-based customer software engagement used in a variety of industries.

He is the former chief operation officer of MaritzCX, the worlds largest customer experience technology company, where he was responsible for global operations and a $125 million budget and retention of $200 million in revenue. Salem also worked as the chief business officer at inContact, where he oversaw more than 300 employees and revenue growth of $175 million.

Salem received four degrees from the U: a bachelor, master and master of philosophy in computer science and an MBA in management of technology. While at the U, he led a five-member team that developed the Marriott Librarys first workstation-based reporting system and a then-first suite of digital library automation systems; he also developed the College of Sciences first database-driven inventory management system.

He served on the boards of the Utah Technology Council, the Park City Education Foundation and the University of Utahs Business Alumni Board. Salem is also the former chairman of the Summit County Planning Commission. He has supported scholarships in the Us David Eccles School of Business.

Salem was born in Egypt, spent his childhood in France and England and immigrated to the U.S. when he was a teenager. He entered high school at age 12, university at age 15 and began professionally programming at age 16; he completed his first masters degree at age 21.

Read the rest here:

Meet the new members of the University of Utah's Board of Trustees | @theU - @theU

A slew of disruptive ransomware attacks have rattled the U.S., including the recent massive breach of software company Kaseya, and a reported attempted hack on the Republican National Committee. In the aftermath, both the corporate sector and U.S. government officials are scrambling to address how Congress and individual businesses should handle the growing threat.

Weve got a moment in time where you cant ignore it anymore, said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., at a June 17 press conference to unveil legislation that would target cybercrime. Graham said cyber threats should be considered part of the nations core infrastructure.

On July 2, the Miami-based software company Kaseya announced it was investigating a possible cyber attack on its VSA software, an IT management tool. According to Kaseya, many customers who use the compromised software provide third-party IT service to between 800,000 and 1 million other companies, intensely magnifying the possible impact of the breach, which used a technique called a supply-chain attack.

Kaseya said Monday that the breach compromised just 800 to 1,500 of those companies, still making it one of the largest ransomware attacks to date. Hackers thought to be associated with the group REvil requested a $70 million payment in Bitcoin to unlock the compromised data. The attack is not thought to have damaged any U.S. critical infrastructure.

WATCH: Why ransomware attacks target local governments like Atlanta

But earlier attacks have made it clear that U.S. critical infrastructure is not safe from cybercrime. In May, a ransomware attack left Colonial Pipeline stalling its operations, prompting consumers to flood gas stations amid fears of a gas shortage The company paid upwards of $5 million to the hackers in Bitcoin the currency of their choosing before the governmentrecovered about half back. And just weeks later, cybercriminals ransomed meat-packer JBS, forcing some of its facilities to temporarily close before they paid $11 million in ransom.

These attacks along with news of several high-profile data breaches linked to the Russian government-backed hack of American software company SolarWinds, including at tech titans like Microsoft have prompted questions about how these attacks have occured, and how to better guard against them.

State and local leaders testified June 17 before the Senate about how cyber threats they face have grown. And along with the increased penalties for cybercriminials included in a bipartisan Senate infrastructure package, a second bipartisan Senate bill would require public and private entities to report cybersecurity breaches to the government within 24 hours, as well as add liability protections to help encourage businesses to come forward.

Heres what you should know as debate over cybersecurity and how to fight ransomware continues.

Traditionally, ransomware is a kind of malicious software that encrypts a users files, making them impossible to access without a key. In exchange for that key, a user must pay a ransom to the attackers withholding the data.

This model has existed for more than two decades, emerging in the late 1980s and rising in popularity and complexity in the early 2010s. But experts say the attacks that have recently embroiled companies in the U.S. are more complex. Not only have the keys for unlocking files become much harder to crack without paying the ransom, the stakes for victims have also grown.

Weve seen ransomware grow to a point where now its not just about locking up data and just collecting a ransom to release that data, said Steve Morgan, CEO of market research firm and publisher Cybersecurity Ventures. Its about extortion.

Hackers now threaten to leak or sell sensitive information accessed through a process called dwelling, in which they spend weeks or months embedded in an organizations computer system undetected. Spending time inside the network of an organization allows cybercriminals to find the most valuable data to encrypt and exploit, said cyber defense specialist Roger Grimes.

An encryption is the least of your worries, said Grimes, a so-called Data-driven Defense Evangelist with the cybersecurity training company KnowBe4. If youre checking your bank account, 401(k), medical stuff, the bad guys are getting all that information.

And the damage doesnt end there. News of data breaches and cyber attacks can hurt a companys reputation on several fronts: it generates bad press, it can turn employees or customers against the victimized organization and it proves further to cybercriminals that the organization is vulnerable to these types of attacks. These many factors, which Grimes calls quintuple extortion, push companies to pay hackers the ransom.

Ransomware attacks have garnered increasing attention as more and larger attacks continue to plague U.S. entities. A recent report from the Institute for Security and Technology found that the amount of victims paying the ransom increased more than 300 percent from 2019 to 2020. Experts say the attacks act in a vicious cycle: a company is hit and pays the ransom, the attack is widely publicized, more hackers see the attacks success and want to do it themselves, with increasing stakes for steeper payouts.

The answer is yes to both, experts say. Not only has the sheer number of attacks increased, the price of ransoms has, too.

Without question, were seeing an explosion of ransomware attacks, said Steve Morgan, who is also the editor-in-chief of Cybercrime Magazine.

Between 2019 and 2020, ransomware attacks rose by 62 percent worldwide, and by 158 percent in North America alone, according to cybersecurity firm SonicWalls 2021 report. The FBI received nearly 2,500 ransomware complaints in 2020, up about 20 percent from 2019, according to its annual Internet Crime Report. The collective cost of the ransomware attacks reported to the bureau in 2020 amounted to roughly $29.1 million, up more than 200 percent from just $8.9 million the year before.

The largest reason for the increase in these attacks, Morgan argues, is that more companies are choosing to pay the ransom to get their data back, and cybercriminals are taking note.

Its the proverbial get rich quick scheme for a lot of criminals, he said.

Other cybersecurity professionals, including Luta Security founder & CEO Katie Moussouriss, cite the rise of cryptocurrency like Bitcoin as a major reason for the increase in ransomware attacks. The value of Bitcoin, now down from a peak of around $60,000 earlier this year, rose more than 800 percent between April 2020 and April 2021, according to data from CoinDesk. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are less regulated and harder to trace than other forms of payment, making them attractive to hackers.

The cryptocurrency exchanges, outside the U.S. especially, allow for a lot more anonymity in these transactions that are criminal in nature, Moussouriss said.

A third reason for the uptick in attacks is simply the growing number of people online, said Morgan. Though internet use has risen steadily since the webs inception, the pandemic prompted a spike in internet usage across the world, especially as many shifted to working and learning remotely. Like a populous city, Morgan said, more humans online means more crime.

As the rate of crime grows, so do the payouts. Global ransomware costs are expected to reach $20 billion in 2021, according to the latest report from Cybersecurity Ventures. Thats up from an estimate of $325 million in 2015, a 57-fold increase over the last six years. And cybercrime costs in general, now estimated at around $6 trillion for 2021, are expected to continue their rise at a rate of 15 percent each year for the next five years, the firm predicts.

In a vicious cycle, the many factors that push a company to pay the ransom incentivize cybercriminals to continue ransomware attacks and ask for higher sums of money.

Imagine if people were able to rob banks, walk away with money and never get caught, said Grimes. Would we have more or less bank robberies?

The first step to dealing with any kind of cybercrime is to be proactive rather than reactive, experts say.

Be prepared, Morgan advised. Engage expertise you dont have before youre hit with ransomware.

He counsels companies to reach out to the FBIs cybercrime arm, cybersecurity firms and other law enforcement to help stop attacks before they start. Organizations should be backing up every piece of data they have and investing in insurance policies that cover cyberattacks, he said.

Many organizations are taking heed: the proportion of companies with a cyber policy in addition to their existing coverage rose from about a quarter in 2016 to nearly half in 2020, according to a May report from the Government Accountability Office. But with the risk and cost of cybercrime on the rise, insurance agencies are faced with the question of how to continue coverage without losing money.

In the event of a ransomware attack, the FBI and many cybersecurity experts have been firm in urging victims not to pay up.

Ideally youre dealing with your security hygiene number one, Moussouriss said.But if its already too late and youve been hit, try and determine what options you have that do not include paying the ransom.

Still, thats not always a practical solution for especially vulnerable industries like healthcare, which saw a 123 percent increase in attacks per customer last year, according to SonicWalls report. In those cases, although paying the ransom may seem the only option, Morgan says preparation is even more important.

Every hospital in the country should ask themselves, What do we do if the oncology equipment goes down? he said. Otherwise theyll pay the ransom.

READ MORE: How ransomware attacks are roiling the cyber insurance industry

Individuals can also take fairly simple steps to make their own information more secure, said KnowBe4s Roger Grimes. First, be wary of social engineering, or attackers pretending to be someone theyre not. That alone accounts for between 70 percent and 90 percent of cyberattacks, according to Grimes research.

Dont get tricked into doing something you shouldnt do, he said. Thats how most people are compromised.

Phishing emails are a classic example of social engineering, Grimes said. Thats when a hacker poses as someone else in an email maybe pretending to be a colleague or a trusted company in an attempt to make the user click a link containing malicious software that would compromise their computer.

He also recommends regularly updating software, which often includes fixes to patch vulnerabilities developers may have noticed, and using a different password for each of your log-ins. Password manager programs like 1Password or BitWarden can make that task less daunting.

As for the array of cybersecurity bills currently working their way through Congress, Cybersecurity Ventures Steve Morgan believes theyre a step in the right direction. Still, he cautioned that companies should be able to exercise their judgement, in tandem with the FBI, on determining whether reporting cyberattacks within 24 hours would actually further compromise security, as a reported bipartisan Senate bill would mandate.

In contrast, Roger Grimes sees any nationally focused legislation as limited, because cybercrime is international.

I dont think a lack of laws or regulations is our problem, he told the PBS NewsHour. [Cybercriminals] are mostly untouchable already. You could threaten them with the death penalty and they would laugh.

Instead, he said, governments should focus on bettering communication and cooperation across borders to prosecute cybercriminals worldwide. But those efforts are largely thwarted by countries like Russia, which he and other experts point to as one of the safe havens for cyber criminals, so long as they do not attack entities within that country. All four of the recent high-profile cyber attacks in the U.S., on SolarWinds, JBS, Colonial Pipeline and Kaseya are thought to have originated in Russia.

The demand for cybersecurity professionals to tackle these threats is increasing. Morgan, whose market research firm tracks the demand for jobs, says there are 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs worldwide enough to fill approximately 50 NFL stadiums, he says.

In the U.S., data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that between 2019 and 2029, employment for information security analysts will grow 31 percent, a rate the BLS considers much faster than average. That translates to adding 40,900 jobs and is the 10th fastest-growing occupation out of the nearly 800 occupations the bureau projects, according to BLS economist Lindsey Ice.

Businesses are expanding their digital presence, digitizing their operations, adopting cloud services all of these factors are going to continue to increase demand for [information technology] services in general, as well as cybersecurity, Ice said.

The jobs are well-paying, too. The median pay for information security analysts was $103,590 annually, according to BLS 2020 data, compared to a $41,950 median for all other occupations BLS tracks.

But Bryson Payne, professor of computer science and director of the University of North Georgias Center for Cyber Operations Education, says that if there are not enough young people in the pipeline for cybersecurity jobs in the next decade, existing tech staff should also be retrained.

Payne teaches college and high school students how to reverse engineer ransomware and also about ethical hacking, so that it gives students a chance to think like an adversary, but to behave ethically.

They look for weaknesses in their systems, so they can strengthen, so they can harden those computer systems against attacks, he said.

Payne says his students are very easily getting jobs in cybersecurity and often graduating with multiple offers from both private sector employers and public sector agencies in the military, the defense department and the National Security Agency (NSA).

The demand has been very high for the cybersecurity programs at the Community College of Denver, according to program chair and associate professor, Jesse Brannen.

Weve had a massive influx of students, Brannen said. They definitely see the correlation between the demand for cybersecurity, what it has the potential to pay, and how fast they can get into the field.

But Brannen cautions that the quality of training is most important. Candidates that go through haphazard training with inexperience could potentially leave companies vulnerable. Brannen isnt so much worried about the quantity of candidates that enter the market but the quality, since some go through quick certification or expedited bootcamp programs. Thats why Payne, whose program has the seal of approval from the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency, says educators need to recruit students into cybersecurity and IT support early. We really need students thinking about careers [in cybersecurity] in middle and high school, Payne said.

There are hurdles still in the way: About half (52 percent) of American adults say more people dont pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields because they believe the subjects are too difficult, according to a Pew Research Center study released in 2018. But the cybersecurity sector actually needs people from a variety of backgrounds, says Payne, because he believes it takes a diverse team of problem solvers and ethical hackers to tackle cyberthreats.

From May 2020 to May 2021, the share of job searches for cybersecurity roles on jobs site Indeed increased by almost 14 percent. But in that same time period, the share of Indeed job postings for cybersecurity roles decreased by almost 20 percent.

Between 2020 and in 2021, there was a 30 percent increase in cybersecurity job counts on LinkedIn. But year over year, there has been only a 2 percent increase in the number of members who have a cybersecurity-related job title.

This means the share of members with a cybersecurity title is down when expressed as a percentage of total membership across LinkedIn, suggesting that the cybersecurity field is not growing as rapidly as the overall talent market, the company said in an analysis for the PBS NewsHour

Its a chicken-and-egg problem, Luta Securitys Moussouriss said. Everyones fighting for the same slice of the cybersecurity workforce.

Despite the industrys apparent skills-to-need mismatch, Morgan believes theres cause for hope as more people enter the field.

Im definitely seeing momentum, Morgan added. I think were gonna be in a much better place in four to five years.

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Why ransomware attacks are on the rise and what can be done to stop them - PBS NewsHour