A recent analysis by the Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) delved into the career challenges faced by security leaders. The findings revealed that pursuing a career in cybersecurity is growing more arduous in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Almost two-thirds (66%) of those surveyed opine that the profession of a cybersecurity expert has grown more demanding in the recent 2 years, with 27% claiming it to be significantly so. The intricate web of internal challenges such as escalating workloads, staffing shortfalls, and budgetary constraints, coupled with external challenges like an escalating threat landscape and compliance with regulations, have collectively heightened the demands of this profession. A significant 81% of participants attribute the rising complexity and workload in cybersecurity as the primary factors making their roles tougher.

A substantial 59% feel the surge in cyberattacks, owing to an enlarging vulnerable digital space, is a concern, while 46% feel they are operating with an understaffed cybersecurity unit. Approximately 43% recognize the amplifying pressures of both budget and compliance complexities as added impediments. A small percentage, 8%, of cybersecurity experts have faced disruptive security incidents in their organizations, adding to their job complexities.

The study indicates a pervasive sentiment of dissatisfaction among many cybersecurity professionals with their chosen vocation. Daily challenges such as managing overwhelming tasks, liaising with indifferent business managers, lagging behind in business initiatives, and staying abreast with security prerequisites for novel IT ventures, add to their stress.

A staggering 71% of enterprises acknowledge the repercussions of the deficit in cybersecurity talent, which manifests as increased responsibilities for their existing cybersecurity staff (61%), unfulfilled job openings (49%), and elevated burnout rates (43%), as per participant feedback. Additionally, 95% of those surveyed believe that the impact and implications of this talent shortfall have remained unchanged or intensified over recent times, with 54% (a jump of 10% since 2021) feeling the situation has deteriorated. On pinpointing the domains most affected by this expertise shortage, the respondents highlighted application security, cloud protection, and security analytics and investigations.

Over half of the participants (60%) feel that their enterprises could be doing substantially more to alleviate this talent crunch, with 36% firmly believing in the need for enhanced efforts. In the quest to understand the essential attributes of successful Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), a resounding 71% emphasized the importance of leadership and communication prowess.

Access the comprehensive report here.