Staffing Shortage in Cyber Roles Leaves Major Bank Exposed to Insider Threats
The Challenge
At the start of 2025, CamberBank, a leading national financial institution, faced mounting operational strain within its cybersecurity department. Only 60 percent of its approved cybersecurity positions were filled, leaving core defensive functions such as monitoring, access control, and threat response understaffed. Amid rising phishing activity and insider threat concerns, resource shortages created blind spots that went unnoticed until a near-miss incident brought the issue into sharp focus.
In February, a help desk employee fell victim to a phishing campaign impersonating a senior executive. The attacker gained limited access to internal systems, observing workflows and attempting to escalate privileges. While the incident was contained before data exfiltration occurred, it revealed that several standard procedures such as access reviews and simulation exercises, had been skipped due to staff burnout and lack of time. Exit interviews from former cybersecurity analysts confirmed an ongoing pattern of excessive workload, minimal training opportunities, and limited organizational recognition for cyber roles.
Executives initially assumed automation would offset the resource gap, but internal audits demonstrated that human oversight remained critical. Without sufficient staff to validate alerts or investigate anomalies, risk exposure continued to grow silently.
Our Solution
Our firm was engaged to help CamberBank rebuild its cybersecurity workforce and resilience strategy. We began by conducting a detailed staffing and capability audit to align headcount with the organization’s actual risk exposure. The findings informed a three-year workforce development plan that established clear recruitment targets, certification pathways, and retention incentives.
Working closely with HR and operations, we developed a cybersecurity career progression framework, ensuring that staff advancement was linked to skill acquisition and professional credentials. Mandatory training modules were refreshed and customized by role, covering phishing resilience, insider threat detection, and access control best practices. Executive bonuses were linked to measurable cyber readiness outcomes, including training completion rates and incident response improvements.
To support sustainability, CamberBank partnered with educational institutions to create internship pipelines and joined a national talent-sharing consortium to access temporary cybersecurity expertise during peak demand.
The Value
Within six months, CamberBank achieved full staffing levels across critical security functions. Internal morale improved, turnover rates decreased, and overall incident detection time dropped by 40 percent. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security commended the bank’s commitment to workforce development as a cornerstone of resilience.
More importantly, the initiative reframed cybersecurity as a people-driven capability rather than a purely technical cost center. By prioritizing investment in staff, CamberBank ensured that vigilance and expertise became its strongest defense against evolving threats.
Implementation Roadmap
1. Conduct a workforce capability and staffing gap analysis
2. Implement recruitment and retention programs for certified cybersecurity professionals
3. Establish role-based training and insider threat awareness modules
4. Tie executive incentives to cyber readiness performance metrics
5. Build partnerships with educational and national talent programs
