Nearly a quarter (24%)  of CISOs or IT security decision makers (ITSDM) are looking to leave their jobs, according to new research commissioned by cybersecurity firm BlackFog.  

The research, based on a survey of over 500 cybersecurity and IT leaders, explored the causes and impact of stress on cyber-leaders, also shows that a further 54%, while not actively looking to quit, are open to new opportunities.

Of those cybersecurity leaders quitting, 93% said that job stress and demands are impacting their decision to leave, with 98% reporting that they work more than their contracted hours. 

On average, most are clocking in an extra nine hours, or more than one working day, every week, with 15% of all respondents typically working more than 16 hours over their contracted time each week.

As cyber-threats continue to evolve, security leaders are feeling the pressure. More than two thirds of respondents (37%) said that malware and ransomware attacks are the biggest source of their stress, while 42% said they are most worried about attackers using AI to launch their assaults.

Worryingly, almost half (45%) of cybersecurity leaders said they had used drugs or alcohol to manage stress levels, and 69% said they had withdrawn from social activities after being burnt-out, even though 75% said they got enough sleep.

Thankfully, the research highlights the positive support organisations are offering their cybersecurity teams, but also suggests that Boards and managers could improve the level of help they provide.

While almost two thirds of security leaders have been offered practical support to manage the stress of their role, including flexible hours (64%) and hybrid or remote working (62%), most respondents felt more could be done, such as increasing budgets for security tools (41%), to having more time to focus on problems they prioritise (40%).

“These findings validate the turnover we witness in the market every day, compounded by the lack of resources and tools to combat new AI based threats” said Dr. Darren Williams, CEO and Founder, BlackFog.

“The cost and time involved in replacing senior level security leaders is considerable so it’s absolutely essential that organisations address the root cause of stress to reverse the cycle of churn.” 

BlackFog’s research backs up findings from other studies, which show that the constantly evolving threat landscape, alongside the growing fears of AI-enable cyber-attack, are causing security and IT leaders to be overworked and under pressure.

Last month, a report from Corelight found that the growing fear of cyber-attacks was keeping 54% of European IT leaders up at night, with 86% of IT decision makers feeling increased pressure from executive leadership since 2020.

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Adding to the pressure, a recent survey from Infosecurity Europe concluded that nearly half of cybersecurity professionals are struggling with regulatory compliance due to its painstaking complexity, and over a third said they struggled to have constructive conversations about cybersecurity at a board level, with most saying it would take a serious cyber incident for board members to make more effort.

To help IT and cyber-leaders fight these battles on multiple fronts, the UK government’s cybersecurity arm, the NCSC, published new guidance earlier this month to help cybersecurity leaders communicate more effectively with Boards in an attempt to mitigate growing risks.