Burnout In Cybersecurity: How CISOs Can Protect Their Teams (And Themselves)
HelpNet Security, Tuesday, March 11th, 2025
Cybersecurity is a high-stakes, high-pressure field in which CISOs and their teams constantly battle threats, compliance requirements, and business expectations. The demand for 24/7 vigilance, sophisticated attacks, and a shortage of skilled professionals have led to a burnout epidemic in the industry.
For CISOs, this isn't just a personal issue, it's a business risk. A burned-out team is less effective, more prone to errors, and more likely to leave, creating knowledge gaps that further strain security operations. So, what can CISOs do to protect their teams and themselves from burnout? Here's a structured approach.
'In addition to managing cyber threats and changing business challenges, today's CISO must also deal with the increasing burden to deal with regulations such as the EU GDPR, NIS2, and DORA. These challenges are placing immense pressure on CISOs, resulting in heightening stress and the risk of burnout on them and their teams,' Brian Honan, CEO at BH Consulting, told Help Net Security.