That's among the findings of a San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp. study examining the region's cluster of cybersecurity companies — particularly those using artificial intelligence techniques to help stifle attacks and return networks to normal after an intrusion.
"We have 874 cyber firms and the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, whose presence in the region spurs company creation and billions in research and development spending annually to secure our critical Navy systems," said Lisa Easterly, chief executive of the San Diego Cyber Center of Excellence.
"The cluster accounts for more than 24,000 jobs," she continued. "This includes 12,400 cyber-specific roles, and a total economic impact of $3.5 billion annually."
The economic jolt from the region's cyber cluster is the equivalent of 23 Comic-Con conventions, said Easterly in a conference call.
The study comes on the heels of high-profile ransomware attacks, including at Colonial Pipeline Co. which shut down a major fuel line on the East Coast, and at Scripps Health, which crippled the San Diego hospital systems' computer network and medical records database for several weeks.
Those attacks underscore the need for strong cybersecurity, particularly as more industries undergo digital transformation and move data to the Internet cloud.
"It is clear that 5G, artificial intelligence, machine learning and cyber warfare will define our future battlefields — digital and physical," said Jennie Brooks, a senior vice president at technology consultant/government contractor Booz Allen Hamilton, which funded the study. "While we are encouraged by the report findings, we must all be ready to meet this new mission by fostering cyber-ready tech talent."
Demand for cybersecurity workers has exceeded supply for years, according to the report. While local cyber employment increased 7.4 percent since 2018, more than 80 percent of San Diego cyber companies reported difficultly finding qualified workers.
"Talent shortages present a key challenge for the cyber industry," said Nate Kelley, senior research manager with the EDC. "Just because cyber companies want to hire more workers, it doesn't mean they'll be able to, at least not as many as they would like."
There are still about three open positions for every qualified cyber worker across the San Diego region, according to the study. It recommends taking steps to attract more college students to cyber-specific degree programs at local universities.
In a bid to sidestep worker shortage, some companies are advertising for remote positions. The study found that remote job postings made up 9.3 percent of all local cyber job openings in April, up from 3.3 percent in September 2019.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies have deep roots within cybersecurity, according to the report. That could help attract more skilled workers into the profession. Ninety percent of local cyber firms engaged with artificial intelligence are using it to develop new products and services.
"If you get one takeaway from this presentation, it's this: AI is creating jobs, not eliminating them," said Kelley. "Three in five cyber firms plan to hire additional workers, including AI specialists, in the next 12 months."
© 2021 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
