A significant pay gap between private sector and UK government cybersecurity roles is jeopardising national security by hindering the public sector’s ability to attract and retain top talent, warns cybersecurity firm Naoris Protocol.

Its analysis shows pay for key roles in cybersecurity can be nearly double in the private sector compared to the public sector and warns this has to change if government is to tackle the cyber-threats that will arise from nascent technologies such as AI, quantum and the metaverse.

Recent analysis shows mid-level roles in the private sector such as Cyber Security Analysts and Penetration Testers in London offer between £50,000 and £70,000 annually. Senior positions, including Security Managers and Cyber Security Architects, see salaries ranging from £80,000 to over £120,000.

In the public sector, a recent posting for a Cyber Security Adviser at the Ministry of Defence listed a salary of £36,530 per year. More senior roles, such as the Head of Cyber Governance, Risk, and Compliance, are advertised with salaries starting at £67,820, the analysis by Naoris Protocol found.

This pay gap can have serious consequences, the Naoris Protocol study indicates. It cites a recent report by Spotlight on corruption which found the National Crime Agency is struggling to recruit and retain staff with jobs in cybercrime units being left vacant.

The report blames the loss of staff on low pay and poor morale, noting that NCA employees earn less than their counterparts in both the police force and private sector.

Beyond this, a press release from UK Government spending watchdog the National Audit Office (NAO) says independent assessments of 58 Government IT systems show “significant gaps” in cyber resilience and that the Government does not know how vulnerable at least 228 legacy IT systems are to cyber-attack. It warns that one in three cybersecurity roles were vacant or filled by temporary staff in 2023/24.

David Carvalho, CEO & Founder of Naoris Protocol says: “The risks to UK national security from cyber crime are real and the potential costs and damage to critical national infrastructure are staggering.

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“It is vital that the Government can attract top talent for key cyber security roles and worrying that so many roles are left vacant. It is, however, not that surprising when skilled people can earn so much more in the private sector.

“The UK Government needs to address the pay gap in order to safeguard the country’s digital infrastructure and competitive pay is essential to attract and retain the skilled people needed to combat evolving cyber threats.”