Advens and the Club des Experts de la Sécurité de l’Information et du Numérique (CESIN) conducted a study with the help of specialists on the stress of Cybersecurity Managers. It reveals a challenging profession, subject to a high level of stress.
The results of this unprecedented survey cover a sample of 330 respondents, including 60% of CISOs (information systems security managers) and 20% of Cybersecurity Directors. Members of CESIN, they come from French companies (all sectors and sizes of companies) and public bodies.
Measuring the level of stress among the 330 respondents led to an average level of concern. For 61% the stress level is high, and particularly at risk for 28% of the total, with risks of burnout.
Among the most contributing factors to stress are the context of adversity, difficulty disconnecting, the relationship to responsibility and guilt, and the feeling of uncertainty and unforeseen circumstances on a daily basis. Added to this are the constant evolutions of the function and its context.
Those most affected by stress experience a sense of helplessness and discouragement in the face of the power of cyber attacks. Another notable element is that the majority of respondents believe that a major incident could cause them to lose their position. More specifically, 82% of respondents confirm the context of adversity, faced with often invisible enemies, 52% of respondents feel constantly on the alert, nearly a quarter of respondents do not get used to the vagaries and unforeseen events of the profession and 28% feel discouraged by the increase in the frequency and power of cyberattacks.
38% of respondents say that their profession “still” suffers from a rather negative a priori, 47% still feel misunderstood, or even considered sometimes excessive and 54% believe that a major crisis could cost them their job.
“This study confirms that it was urgent to look at the mental load of Cyber professionals, in order to identify ways to take care of those who ensure, every day, a complex and demanding defense work. The ambition is for Cyber Managers to feel fully in tune with the values and specificities of this unique profession. CESIN is fully committed to this approach. “
Mylène Jarossay • President of CESIN
“The issues identified by this study should allow us to make the Cyber sector more peaceful, and therefore more attractive. This is a key challenge to strengthen and diversify cybersecurity teams, which are currently in deep resource shortages. “
Benjamin Leroux • Marketing and Innovation, Advens
