Stress, cyber threats and overload are causing cybersecurity professionals to want to quit en masse, new research shows.
The findings out Black Frog shows that almost a quarter (24%) of security heads are actively looking for a job change, with more than half (54%) not yet ready to quit, but open to new opportunities.
Overwhelmingly, stress and demands are the top considerations for security professionals looking to quit. 93% cite this as the main reason for their decision to possibly leave.
Burnout reaches new heights
The report also shows that CISOs and IT security decision makers are also working overtime in an effort to keep their businesses secure. Almost every respondent (98%) indicates that they work more than their contractual hours.
Of those who exceed their hours, 15% are working more than 16 hours of extra time per week in an effort to defend against near-constant ransomware and malware attacks. The average security professional was found to work just over an extra day (9 hours) per week.
The reasons given for the increased stress reflect the changing threat landscape facing security professionals: 42% of respondents express concern about the potential for threat actors to integrate AI tools into their attack vectors, with a quarter of respondents reporting data -exfiltration is also mentioned as a threat. biggest concern. 37% say the threat of ransomware and malware attacks is a major source of stress.
When it comes to dealing with stress, there are some positives. Sports and physical activity are recognized as a way to cope with stress and replenish overall health; 86% indicate that they spend time on activities. On the other hand, sleep is harder to come by: only three-quarters (75%) report getting enough shut-eye.
Despite working significant amounts of overtime, 82% of respondents say they draw a clear line between work and home life. The downside, however, is that just under half (45%) have used drugs or alcohol as a way to cope with the pressures of work, and 69% said they were less sociable.
Help is being offered by companies’ senior management, with many receiving practical support to deal with the stresses of work, including flexible hours (64%) and hybrid or remote working for their role (62%).
But security heads still believe more needs to be done to manage their stress and prevent them from quitting, with bigger budgets for security tools (41%) and time priority for the things that really matter (40% ), mentioned as additional measures to alleviate the problems. stress and burden.