Proof of Concept: What's Broken in Cybersecurity Hiring?

Experts Dissect the Widening Gap Between Talent Supply and Employer Demand Anna Delaney (annamadeline) • January 7, 2026

In the latest "Proof of Concept," Chase Cunningham, CSO at Demo-Force.com, and Brandy Harris, director at CyberEd.io, joined editors at Information Security Media Group to examine why cybersecurity hiring continues to fail. Despite a growing talent pipeline, outdated frameworks and unrealistic expectations block progress.

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Cunningham challenged the logic behind industry claims of unfillable roles. "You have certified, available, educated, useful people, and they're not getting hired. Something ain't right,” he said. “It can't be both - millions of people looking for work and millions of jobs no one's filling.”

Harris pointed to the mismatch between marketed opportunity and the lived experience of job seekers. “What we read out there every day is just not ...