The security industry is booming - but its workers are struggling with a number of major issues

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By Sead Fadilpašić
published

Being stressed and overworked are some of the biggest challenges facing security workers

A computer being guarded by cybersecurity.
(Image credit: iStock)

The global cybersecurity industry is booming, but it’s still plagued by the same old problems, a new report has found. 

Research by the Chartered Institute of Information Security based on a survey of some 300 cybersecurity pros found four in five (80%) said they have either “good”, or “excellent” career prospects.

Furthermore, 84% described the cybersecurity industry as “growing” or “booming”. But being overwhelmed with work, constant overtime, and the stress that comes with it (as well as with the responsibility) are issues that can’t seem to go away. 

Many opportunities

However, almost a quarter (22%) of respondents reported working more than 48 hours (which is, by law, the absolute upper limit), while 8% worked more than 55 hours (borderline unhealthy, as per the WHO).

Then there’s the stress. Half (50%) admitted staying up at night due to day-to-day stress and workload, while a third (32%) lost sleep over cyberattack woes. Furthermore, some pros are worried the current economic situation will increase cyber-risk, namely fraud (78%) and insider threats (58%).

Smaller organizations seem to be more exposed, as they have fewer resources to tackle the ever-increasing number of threats. 

For Amanda Finch, CEO of CIISec, the cybersecurity industry, “has many opportunities for people from almost any background, and the need for cyber security is greater than ever as threats continue to rise – making a critical function essentially recession-proof.” 

“However, the industry cannot rest on its laurels: it must do more to ensure talent is properly supported and not burnt out. Key to this will be equipping them with the right skills, and attracting fresh blood into the industry to ensure teams aren’t put under undue pressure.”

One way to keep cybersecurity pros happy is to increase their salaries. The report found that remuneration is the number one factor causing people to leave security jobs, followed by opportunity and scope for progression. Other major factors include poor working environments, issues with teams and colleagues, and a lack of variety in everyday tasks.

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Sead Fadilpašić

Sead is a seasoned freelance journalist based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He writes about IT (cloud, IoT, 5G, VPN) and cybersecurity (ransomware, data breaches, laws and regulations). In his career, spanning more than a decade, he’s written for numerous media outlets, including Al Jazeera Balkans. He’s also held several modules on content writing for Represent Communications.