A Critical Blind Spot: The U.S. Government Can’t Count Its Own Cybersecurity Workforce
In an era defined by persistent digital threats and sophisticated cyber warfare, the strength of a nation’s defense is increasingly measured by its cybersecurity personnel. Yet, a startling revelation has emerged: the U.S. federal government, the very entity responsible for national security, does not have a clear and accurate count of its own cybersecurity workforce.
This isn’t a minor clerical error; it’s a strategic blind spot with profound implications for national security. According to a recent government watchdog report, there is no standardized, government-wide method for identifying and tracking federal employees in critical cybersecurity roles. The simple but vital principle, “you can’t manage what you can’t measure,” is being dangerously overlooked.
The Alarming Reality: A System in Disarray
An in-depth review of 24 major federal agencies uncovered a fragmented and inconsistent approach to workforce data. While a framework exists to classify these roles—the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) framework—its application is sporadic at best. Agencies are using different, often incompatible, coding systems to identify their cyber staff.
The result is a data black hole. Without a unified system, leaders at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) are effectively flying blind. They are unable to answer the most fundamental questions:
- How many people are currently employed in cybersecurity roles?
- Where are the most critical skill gaps and shortages located?
- Are our recruitment and training programs effectively filling these gaps?
This lack of visibility makes it nearly impossible to build a cohesive and strategic national cyber defense.
The Dangerous Consequences of an Uncounted Workforce
This data deficiency creates a cascade of risks that directly impact the safety and security of the nation.
- Inability to Identify Critical Skill Shortages: If you don’t know what skills you have, you can’t know what skills you’re missing. Federal agencies may have severe deficits in crucial areas like threat intelligence, cloud security, or industrial control systems and be completely unaware until a crisis hits.
- Ineffective Recruitment and Retention: The federal government is in a fierce competition with the private sector for top cyber talent. Without precise data on its needs, the government cannot create targeted recruitment campaigns, develop relevant training programs, or offer competitive career paths to retain its most valuable experts.
- Wasted Taxpayer Dollars: Resources may be poured into training programs that don’t address the most urgent needs or hiring for positions that are already well-staffed in other departments. This inefficient allocation of funds weakens the overall cybersecurity posture.
- Increased National Security Risks: Ultimately, a workforce that isn’t properly managed, trained, and staffed leaves our critical infrastructure, sensitive data, and government operations vulnerable to attack. Every unidentified skills gap is a potential doorway for adversaries.
Actionable Lessons for Every Organization
While this issue is unfolding at the national level, it contains a critical lesson for businesses and organizations of all sizes. The government’s struggle highlights a common vulnerability: a lack of understanding of internal cybersecurity capabilities.
To avoid a similar blind spot, every organization should take immediate steps to:
- Conduct a Cybersecurity Skills Inventory: Don’t just count IT staff. Use a recognized framework (like the NICE framework) to identify, code, and map the specific cybersecurity skills and roles within your organization. Understand who is responsible for threat detection, incident response, data privacy, and compliance.
- Perform a Gap Analysis: Once you know what you have, you can identify what you lack. Are you prepared for a ransomware attack? Do you have expertise in cloud security architecture? A gap analysis is the foundation of a strategic cybersecurity hiring and training plan.
- Invest in Targeted Training: Instead of generic IT training, use your gap analysis to invest in specific upskilling programs. If your team is weak in network forensics, focus resources there. This ensures your training budget has a direct and measurable impact on your security posture.
The Path Forward: A Call for Clarity and Action
The solution is clear: a mandatory, government-wide standard for identifying and tracking the cybersecurity workforce is urgently needed. Only by creating a comprehensive and accurate inventory can the federal government begin to strategically build the cyber defense force required to protect the nation.
Securing our digital future is one of the defining challenges of our time. It begins not with advanced technology, but with a fundamental understanding of the people on the front lines. It’s time to count our defenders.
Source: https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/09/08/us_govt_lacks_clarity_infosec_workforce/
