Cyber heroes in your company may only be on the clock from 9 to 5, but cybercrime never sleeps.
There are several possible hazards in the cyber realm, necessitating round-the-clock surveillance and the employment of security operations specialists to identify and possibly counteract emerging dangers.
The stress levels of people who work in cyber security have skyrocketed alongside the exponential rise in the number of cyber attacks around the world.
Job vacancies for cyber security specialists are at an all-time high due to the increasing demand for their services and the widespread problem of burnout in the field. The BLS predicts a 33% increase in demand for information security analysts by the year 2030.
But there is also a severe shortage of skilled workers. Cybersecurity Ventures predicted a 350% growth, from 1 million unfilled positions in 2013 to 3.5 million in 2021.
Burnout among cyber security professionals as a result of their demanding jobs is a big contributor to the industry’s talent gap. According to a poll conducted by Forrester in 2021, 73% of workers had quit from their positions as a result of stress, while 51% of cyber security experts have experienced acute stress or burnout.
This post will help you establish a healthy work environment for your cyber heroes by discussing cyber security burnout, its causes, and how to prevent it.
How does one experience Cyber Security Burnout?
Overexertion and continuous exposure to the stresses of working in cyber security can lead to cyber security burnout, a state of mental, physical, and emotional tiredness.
It can cause you to become jaded, detached, and apathetic. This is another form of cyber security danger because it might lead to total disinterest in one’s work.
Some signs of cyber security fatigue are:
- Struggling to keep up with the latest cyber dangers and security developments
- Being on alert and fearful of attacks all the time
- Declining morale and enthusiasm for work Disillusionment with efforts to prevent or stop cyber attacks
- Disconnection from team members and/or the group as a
- Workers in this sector are vulnerable to burnout due to the ongoing stress of thwarting cyber attacks and learning of yet another huge data breach.
How then does this occur? How can someone who cares so deeply about cyber security and helping people stay safe online be so drained all the time?
Reasons why cyber security professionals become burned out
Some of the most common causes of burnout in the cyber security industry include:
The rise of cybercrime
You can’t afford to relax for even a second if you work in the field of cyber security. Knowing that your systems may not be completely secure implies that you must be on the lookout for new threats and vulnerabilities frequently.
Control issues
In the realm of cyber security, there is a great deal outside your control. The activities taken by hackers, as well as their motivations for doing so, fall under this category.
Isolation
The field of cyber security can be very lonely at times. It’s possible that no one else in your office cares as much about cyber security as you do since no one else can relate to the technical components of your profession.
Unrealistic goals and a lack of gratitude
Some people working in cyber security don’t get credit or recognition for the important contributions they make every day.
Long hours at work
Tessian found that nearly all CISOs (chief information security officers) put in overtime hours each week, averaging over 10 hours a day. One in thirteen CISOs put in extra hours averaging 20-24 per week, or about 12 hours per day.
The Dangers of Cybersecurity Overwork
51% of information security professionals report feeling burned out, per a recent survey. Junior personnel and students are just as vulnerable as higher-ups.
That being said, why should businesses be concerned about cyber security fatigue? It poses a very significant risk to businesses today. Here are four major dangers posed by this worsening issue:
- Compromised security: Overworked workers are more prone to making errors that compromise the safety of your networks. A recent study found that human error is a major factor in the occurrence of data breaches.
- Cyber security burnout can cause employees to become less productive as they strive to meet the demands of their jobs.
- Staff turnover is high because personnel suffering from cyber security fatigue often leave their positions in search of easier ones.
- Accountability in the law A data breach or other security event could expose your firm to legal liability if an employee is at fault.
Preventing Cybersecurity Fatigue
The good news is that you can protect your emotional and physical health by taking measures to avoid burnout. Here are some suggestions for keeping your cyber security staff from getting burned out.
Assist human security analysts with automated processes.
The people working within an organisation are always going to be its weakest security link. No matter how many layers of security you have in place, all it takes is for a single employee to make a mistake and click on a bad link or open a harmful attachment.
Because of this, security automation is becoming an increasingly popular choice for improving organisational defences. Security analysts can devote more time to higher-level, human-expertise jobs if routine, mundane ones are automated.
Delegate certain security responsibilities
By using an outside provider, firms can free up their own staff from the responsibility of maintaining data and system security. This plan will help workers avoid burnout while freeing them up to concentrate on other, equally important responsibilities for the company.
The ability to tap into a wider talent pool is just another way in which outsourcing might help your business. By partnering with a security provider, organisations gain access to a group of professionals who diligently monitor emerging security risks. In this way, businesses can rest easy knowing their information and infrastructure are safe against modern risks.
Make a detailed strategy for safety.
It can be difficult to know how to protect oneself from cyber attacks because there are so many and new ones are always developing. Burnout is a common result of this state of continual vigilance.
Making a thorough security plan that lays out all the measures you’ll take to protect your data and systems might relieve some of the pressure. Planning beforehand allows you to cover all your bases and lessens the likelihood of feeling overwhelmed or burning out.
Reduce your high hopes for cyber security experts.
Beliefs of inadequacy and worry might result from being informed they must always be “on the lookout” for new dangers. Keep in mind that no one is flawless and no one can possibly foresee every possible danger.
People working in cyber security are no different from everyone else: they have families, sleep, and function at their best when they are healthy and rested. Employers should prioritise employee health and well-being and establish reasonable expectations for workloads rather than continue to celebrate excessive hours at the office.
Reduce stress by teaching workers to recognise cyber threats.
Even the most seasoned IT professionals may feel overwhelmed by the ongoing danger of cyber assaults and the have to regularly upgrade security measures.
Help your IT department out by raising awareness of cyber security throughout the company. By doing so, you’ll free up your IT team’s time and energy to concentrate on more strategic endeavours.
Staff cyber security awareness training can be delivered in a number of different methods. Using phishing simulations and exercises is an excellent strategy. These can aid in educating staff on the value of cyber security and the dangers of a breach.
Training on updated security procedures should also be provided often. Staff members will be aware of current risks and better able to defend your business.
Burnout in the cyber security workforce is not an intractable issue. You need just improve your efforts to foster a more relaxed and secure work environment for your staff.
