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UK Cybersecurity Professionals Overworked and Lacking Confidence to Stop Cyberattacks According to New Survey
June 2022 by Arctic Wolf®
The demands placed on cybersecurity professionals struggling to cope with the risks faced by their organisations from cyberattack were evaluated in a new survey of 300 cybersecurity and IT workers in mid-sized organizations in the UK. The survey was commissioned by Arctic Wolf®. Over a quarter (27%) of survey respondents stated that they do not feel knowledgeable enough as an individual to spot a cyber threat. This, coupled with the fact that 30% of surveyed cybersecurity workers said that they do not know how to use their organisation’s security tools effectively, suggests that UK organisations are in a precarious and unsecure cybersecurity position.
The survey also delved into the work-life balance of cybersecurity professionals and their career prospects. More than a quarter (26%) of respondents said that their job has a negative impact on their mental health and 56% of respondents said that they believe they would be blamed by management if their organisation experienced a breach. Despite the pressure faced by security experts, a quarter (25%) of surveyed security workers admitted they had been unable to use all of their holiday entitlement last year. The survey suggests that the mental health of the country’s cybersecurity professionals is inadequate, which may open up opportunities for threat actors to seize upon.
Ian McShane, Vice President of Strategy, Arctic Wolf, commented: "The survey illustrates what we in the industry have seen for some time. Fewer professionals available for hire means the ones in work are struggling with a significant workload, while the threat landscape continues to be more demanding day by day and year by year. Right at the time when organisations need their cybersecurity experts focused and motivated to protect their organisations from attack, they are clearly at risk of being demotivated and distracted."
"UK organisations have a challenge on their hands. It needs to become a priority of UK organisations to boost both the confidence of the cybersecurity individuals within their teams through regular training and the implementation of the correct tools, as well as team members’ mental health by encouraging breaks and creating a supportive and collaborative workspace."
With mental health worries at the fore and overworked teams a worry, many cybersecurity practitioners are actively looking for new opportunities. More than a third (34%) of survey respondents said that they are thinking about changing jobs in 2022. This is likely compounded by the fact that 79% of respondents said that they received a pay increase from their employer in the last year that was below the rate of inflation.
Organisations need to take heed, especially since 39% of survey respondents said that they believe they would be able to find a job in their field in under a month and 44% said that they have been contacted by recruiters multiple times per month about new job opportunities.
