Skills Gap in Cyber Security in UK – Half of firms would hire hackers and ex-convicts

Increasingly worried about the state of their cyber security, and unable to hire or retain specialist staff, U.K. firms are looking to hire hackers and ex-convicts in a desperate bid to secure their networks.

In a report released Monday, KPMG said that over the past two years it has become increasingly difficult to find and retain IT professionals with specific cyber-security — AKA hacking — skills.

Any professionals that are in the field are targets of aggressive headhunting, KPMG said.

The report said the skills gap is forcing many companies to consider turning to ‘poachers turned game-keepers’ to keep up to speed.

The demand is being driven by an increase in threats and heightened awareness among senior management of the need to defend against attacks. The U.K. government puts the annual cost of cybercrime to the economy at some £27 billion per year ($42 billion).

KPMG surveyed 300 senior IT and HR professionals in organizations employing 500-plus staff in the U.K.

53 percent of respondents say they would consider using a hacker to bring “inside information” to their security teams.

Just over half, 52 percent, would also consider recruiting an expert even if they had a previous criminal record.

“They wouldn’t hire pickpockets to be security guards, so the fact that companies are considering former hackers as recruits clearly shows how desperate they are,” said Serena Gonsalves-Fersch, head of KPMG’s Cyber Security Academy.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at Half Of U.K. Firms Would Hire Hackers, Ex-Convicts To Secure Their Networks – Digits – WSJ.