How Prioritising Cybersecurity Team Well-being Can Strengthen Your Organisation’s Defences

🔒💡 This one hack in cyber-security that will save you time and money: Human Well-being

There is no doubt that cybersecurity is of critical importance for most businesses.

Not only for data protection but also for daily operations and service availability.

Yet, amidst the race for robust digital defenses, there's a critical element that is being neglected – the well-being of cybersecurity professionals themselves.

A striking 91% of cybersecurity professionals are grappling with significant stress levels, according to a 2019 Nominet study.

📊According to Infosecurity Europe, there is a correlation between cyber security professionals' mental burnout and insider cyber security risks. Cyber security professionals who experience high levels of stress and burnout may be more prone to making mistakes or taking shortcuts in their work, which can increase the risk of insider cyber security incidents.

Not only is it a risk while they're at work, but it also has to be on your cyber risk register that the team is weaker if someone is absent for an extended period of time.

‍VMware reports that at least 65% of security professionals say they’ve considered leaving their job because of stress.

Is it a surprise? The pressure is immense, and the stakes are high. This is an industry where the good agents have to win 100% of the time and the bad agents only have to win once for absolute chaos to ensue. And this is within a wider tech industry that is already awash with imposter syndrome and other wellbeing related struggles.But what does this mean for our organisations?

👨💻💔 The Human Cost: Behind the sophisticated tools and encrypted walls are the real guardians of our digital world. Their well-being directly influences their ability to protect our businesses. Stress and burnout not only jeopardize their health but also open up vulnerabilities in our defenses.

🛡️🚨 A Direct Threat Vector: It's more than a matter of HR concern; it's a frontline security issue. An overtaxed mind is prone to overlook threats, leading to potentially catastrophic oversights.

👩🏫👨🔬 Leadership's Role: Cyber literacy isn't optional for the C-suite anymore. Understanding the challenges faced by your cybersecurity team is critical for informed decision-making and understanding how (and why) to protect their mental health.As we continue to battle an ever-evolving array of cyber threats, let's not forget the human element. Prioritising the wellbeing and resilience of our cybersecurity teams is not just an ethical imperative; it's a strategic necessity.

Security leaders should be asking themselves, what would happen if just 10% of their cyber team were absent for 6 months due to mental health related illness?