A new survey of 501 UK CIOs, security analysts and IT professionals highlights the intense pressure facing senior cyber teams, with fear of personal consequences remaining a constant presence in their day-to-day roles.
The study from Kocho, with research carried out by Censuswide, finds 84 percent of UK IT and cyber professionals fear a serious breach or incident could cost them their job at any moment. In addition 59 percent of respondents say their teams suffer from high levels of stress, and 53 percent say they struggle to switch off after work. More than a third (34 percent) constantly worry about losing their job because one of their team makes a mistake.
It’s clear that these fears are rooted in the reality of the job, 64 percent have had to deal with a significant breach or data incident, with 20 percent experiencing such attacks on multiple occasions. The personal toll this takes is very evident, with 27 percent having to spend time away from work because of burnout or anxiety. 10 percent have either been demoted, passed over for promotion, fired, or saw colleagues suffer the same fate, while 14 percent found they were held culpable internally for the breach.
“Cyber incidents are often discussed in terms of financial and operational impact, but the human cost is frequently overlooked”, says Hannah Birch, CEO at Kocho. “The constant fear of a serious incident — and the personal consequences that can follow — creates an environment where anxiety and burnout are never far away, even when incidents are outside an individual’s direct control.”
The blame, sense of guilt or responsibility felt has caused 17 percent of professionals to think again about whether to pursue a career in cyber protection. While 12 percent have experienced a profound sense of isolation.
“Organizations need to think about how they support these critically important professionals and help alleviate the burdens technically and psychologically. Many are likely to have gone through very bad experiences, leading to absences from work and prolonged under-performance. Without support, severe depression can be one of the consequences,” adds Birch.
You can get the full report on the Kocho site.
Image credit: AndreyPopov/depositphotos.com
