Information Security Training

Information security of the digital economy of Russia

Main article: Information security of the digital economy of Russia

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2024: The number of information security specialists in Russian universities increased by 15.6% to 5.2 thousand

In 2024, Russian universities trained 5.2 thousand middle-level information security specialists. For comparison, a year earlier the number of such graduates was 4.5 thousand. Thus, an increase of about 15.6% was recorded. The relevant data are given in the materials of the Institute of Statistical Research and Knowledge Economics of the Higher School of Economics (ISIEZ HSE), with which TAdviser got acquainted in early September 2025.

It is said that the number of middle-level information security specialists undergoing training at Russian universities is growing steadily. If in 2016 there were about 1.6 thousand such graduates, then in 2020 the figure increased to 2.5 thousand. In 2021, the number of graduates in the specialty of information security amounted to 3.1 thousand, and in 2022 - 3.6 thousand. In general, from 2016 to 2024, the number of such graduates has more than tripled.

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Фото: Freepik

At the same time, the graduation of bachelors, specialists and masters in the field of information security from Russian universities in 2024 reached 7.1 thousand people. A year earlier, the indicator was at the level of 6.1 thousand, which corresponds to an increase of 16.4%. In 2020, the number of such graduates was 4.6 thousand. In 2021, there was an increase to 4.9 thousand, in 2022 - to 5.6 thousand.

The published statistics indicate that the demand for specialists in the field of information security in Russia is steadily growing: this is due, among other things, to the deteriorating situation in the relevant area. ISIEZ HSE notes that the generation of large amounts of personal data in the context of digitalization of almost all spheres of life poses a task for society, the state and business to ensure their security. The increase in cyber risks increases the importance of digital security practices, which stimulates the demand for specialists in this area.^[1]

2023: Employee Cyber Literacy Market to Grow 4 Times by 2027

On July 19, 2023, MTS PJSC presented the MTS RED forecast for the growth of the Russian market for solutions to improve the cyber literacy of employees (Security Awareness). MTS RED expects annual growth of this segment from 2023 to 2027. by 40%. The market volume in 2023 will amount to 600 million rubles, and by 2027 will reach 2.4 billion rubles.

Security Awareness is a class of solutions designed to train and test company employees on key issues. MTS cyber security RED analysts call the growth of the number as the key driver of the Security Awareness market. phishing attacks Since 2020, by July 2023, the volume of phishing directed at companies has doubled, and the level of cyber literacy of employees has remained low. According to recent joint research by companies Phishman and MTS RED, about 80% of all cyber incidents are caused by the human factor, while in 2022 the number of phishing mailings increased by 65%. They are used by cybercriminals to infiltrate IT infrastructures companies, gain control over employee accounts, and infect organizations - malware there is a 45% annual increase in the volume of phishing emails received by users using. viruses encoders

Another incentive for increasing market size is that the effectiveness of Security Awareness solutions is easily measurable, making it easier to justify purchasing budgets. Employees are tested before learning the rules of cyber literacy, and then - a control test of practical skills.

According to MTS RED analysts, an additional factor in the development of the market is the tightening of regulatory requirements for protecting citizens' data from leaks - one of the most common consequences of successful phishing attacks.

The growth dynamics of the Russian Security Awareness solutions market correlates with the global one. According to research companies Gartner and Global Market Estimates, the global market is showing an annual increase of 45%: in 2023 its volume amounted to 3 billion, and by dollars USA 2027 it will reach 12 billion. dollars The development of the global market, as well as in, Russia is due to an increase in the volume of phishing, which annually leads to a 35% increase in the compromise of corporate correspondence. In addition, the growth of digitalization plays a significant role, as well as the fact that users actively use personal devices to work and access corporate IT resources.

The Russian Security Awareness market includes two main segments: developers (about 70% of the market) and third-party suppliers of their solutions - integrators, service providers and distributors (about 30% of the market). According to forecasts of MTS RED analysts, in the horizon of three years the balance of power between them will remain the same, but changes in the distribution of market shares between key developers can be expected.

Our observations allow us to conclude that the competition will unfold mainly in the vendor segment. Increasing the cyber literacy of users is a growing market, the demand for solutions of this class appears among customers from the level of corporations to medium-sized businesses, - said Savva Livchin, head of business analysis at MTS RED.

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