Fortinet Skill Gap Report: Malaysian Organisations Race to Build AI-Ready Cybersecurity Teams

• The lack of cybersecurity skills stemming in part from insufficient investment in cybersecurity talent—remains a top cause of devastating security breaches.

• Although cyber defenders are effectively leveraging AI-powered tools, upskilling and reskilling are necessary to fully reap the benefits of these advanced technologies.
• Despite gaps in investment, intentional efforts are being made to attract and retain top-tier cybersecurity talent.

“Organisations in Malaysia are embracing AI to strengthen their cybersecurity capabilities, but technology alone cannot address today’s evolving threat landscape. As AI transforms both cyberattacks and cyber defence, organisations need professionals with the right skills to govern AI, automate security operations, and respond to increasingly sophisticated threats. Building cyber resilience will require continued investment in people, processes, and technology, supported by ongoing training, certification, and workforce development,” said Kevin Wong, Country Manager of Fortinet Malaysia.

Amid High Stakes, Cybersecurity Must Be Prioritised

A lack of cybersecurity skills remains a top cause of devastating security breaches in enterprises. The survey revealed:

• The stakes are high: 93% of organisations in Malaysia report one or more breaches in the past 12 months. 52% say breaches cost them more than $1 million, while 70% said it took longer than one month to recover from a cyberattack.

• Lack of cybersecurity skills remains a top concern: For the third consecutive year, IT leaders cited a lack of cybersecurity skills as a top cause of security breaches (71%). In Malaysia, 63% say that they need senior-level cybersecurity skills most of all, yet 55% struggle to get approval for additional cybersecurity talent. Adding to the pressure, 58% reported that executives and even board members have faced penalties following cyberattacks, highlighting the growing business and leadership risks associated with inadequate cybersecurity preparedness.

Employees’ Use of AI Creates New Cybersecurity Challenges That Boards Fail to Understand. The Report Showed:

• AI deployment in the enterprise creates risk: Employee use of AI poses a risk that people do not fully understand. In Malaysia, 65% of leaders believe their board members are “fully aware” of potential risks from AI use.

• A new gap may emerge: As AI adoption continues, 78% expect an increased need for AI oversight and governance roles on cybersecurity teams over the next three years.

Despite the Gaps in Investment, Investment in Certifications Is Up Year-Over-Year (YoY). Findings From the Report Demonstrated the Following:

• Willingness to pay for certifications is up: 96% revealed they would prefer an employee to get certified, up from 82% of respondents in the 2025 report.

• Dedicated initiatives to identify and nurture talent: To source talent from underrepresented groups, 97% use internships, apprenticeships, partnerships, and programmes. 88% are reported to have formal hiring targets from underutilised talent pools.

AI for Cybersecurity Creates Opportunities and Challenges

AI-Powered Cybersecurity Tool Adoption Is Widespread as Decision-Makers See Its Potential to Support Cybersecurity Teams With Their Operations. The Survey Findings Revealed:

• Broad adoption of AI-powered security tools: 94% of respondents in Malaysia are using or experimenting with AI-powered cybersecurity solutions. Skepticism or uncertainty about AI for cybersecurity is 36%, unchanged from last year’s report.

• AI supports today’s IT and security professionals: 91% say AI-enhanced security tools are helping IT and security teams be more effective and efficient. This is critical, as cyber defenders and cybercriminals are now equipped with the same technology; 49% of respondents cited defending against AI cybersecurity attacks as a top concern.

AI Is Widening the Cybersecurity Skills Gap. At the Same Time, There Are Multiple Efforts to Overcome It. Survey Respondents Shared the Following:

• Investment in skills development: 73% of respondents say their top recruiting challenge is finding cybersecurity talent with specific experience in AI. Today, 98% are likely to invest in AI-related cybersecurity training or certifications in the next 12 months.

• Implementing programmes for reskilling: Organisations say they require staff with new skill sets to support their adoption of AI, including AI model development (68%), security automation (61%), and AI tool oversight (56%). 73% of organisations are developing internal training or reskilling programmes to support AI adoption, while 65% are procuring training or reskilling from industry vendors.

Business Resilience Requires Investment in Closing the Cybersecurity Skills Gap

Board and executive-level investment in a layered approach to cybersecurity—one that blends people, processes, and technology—is essential. Organisations should continue tapping into underutilised talent pools, and investing in training and upskilling to build and retain the expertise they need. This requires a coordinated approach grounded in three key pillars: raising awareness and education, expanding access to targeted training and certification, and deploying advanced security technologies.

To help organisations address the challenges they face as a result of the cyber skills gap, the award-winning Fortinet Training Institute provides one of the largest and broadest training programmes in the industry to make cyber training and new career opportunities available to everyone, and includes a Security Awareness Training service for organisations to develop a cyber-aware workforce.

As part of Fortinet’s commitment to addressing this growing challenge, Fortinet is on track to train 1 million people in cybersecurity around the world this year, a pledge that began in 2022.