The leading sources of stress for cybersecurity leaders? Regulation, threats, skills shortage

A perfect storm of regulation, increased threats and technological complexity is overwhelming cybersecurity decision makers, reveals new research from Symantec.
Four in five (82 percent) security leaders across France, Germany and the UK report feeling burned out, whilst just under two-thirds (63 percent) think about leaving the industry or quitting their job (64 percent).
Surveying 3,045 cybersecurity decision makers across the across France, Germany and the UK, the research – conducted by Symantec in collaboration with Dr Chris Brauer, Goldsmiths, University of London – reveals mounting pressure on the security profession.
The leading source of stress for cybersecurity leaders is government regulation. Four in five (86 percent total, 81 percent UK) reported that mounting regulation, such as GDPR and the NIS Directive, was increasing their stress. Two in five (40 percent total, 33 percent UK) reported concerns that they would be held personally liable for a data breach.
Just over half (55 percent total, 37 percent UK) feared dismissal if a breach happened on their watch. Insufficiently skilled staff (80 percent total, 70 percent UK), the size and complexity of the estate to be defended (82 percent total, 70 percent UK), and the increasing volume of threats (82 percent total, 69 percent UK) are also major contributors to stress.
“Stress dramatically impacts our ability to make good decisions,” said Dr Chris Brauer, Director of Innovation, Goldsmiths, University of London.
“It impairs your memory, disrupts rational thinking and negatively impacts every cognitive function you have. In an industry like cybersecurity, which requires focus, creative thinking, attention to detail and rational decisions in high pressure scenarios – stress can be crippling. Highly stressed workers are far more likely to be disengaged and ultimately quit. In an industry already suffering a skills shortage, this kind of stress can present a significant risk.”
On high alert
Ironically, efforts to protect the enterprise are also increasing stress:
- 79 percent (62 percent UK)) reported that managing ‘too many cyber defence products or vendors’ was increasing their stress levels
- Two-thirds (68 percent total, 54 percent UK) of cyber-security decision makers said they’d felt ‘paralysed’ by the overwhelming volume of threat alerts
- A third (33 percent total, 28 percent UK) reported that threat alerts, designed to help keep a business safe, are making the situation worse due to their sheer volume
- In the face of such huge workloads, the majority of security professionals (67 percent total, 54 percent UK) said their cybersecurity teams left work at the end of the day with threat alerts left unreviewed
This volume is impacting the security of enterprises:
- Already 41 percent (46 percent UK) agree a breach is inevitable
- A third (32 percent total, 28 percent UK) say their organisation is currently vulnerable to avoidable cybersecurity incidents
- A quarter (26 percent total, 22 percent UK) admitted they have already suffered an avoidable cybersecurity incident
“Feeling paralyzed by an overwhelming volume of threat alerts is a common problem for security professionals, and reason why legacy WAFs are typically bought for a compliance check box, and then, turned off. Not only do they flag an unmanageable volume of alerts, but they also block large amounts of legitimate traffic, creating false positives,” Hala Al-Adwan, VP of Technology at Signal Sciences told Help Net Security.
“In today’s environment, security teams need a modern solution that pulls out needles from the haystack. Signal Sciences next-gen WAF surfaces the most important real-time attacks and anomalies in one quick view and immediately alerts teams through integrated ChatOps and DevOps tools, like Slack, DataDog or PagerDuty. We give you alerts that actually matter and contain actionable data. Any team member can easily access this security event data and quickly understand what’s going on within their applications and how to resolve it. They can diagnose, triage, and solve security problems quickly. Any malicious attacks will be automatically detected and blocked—without producing false positives on legitimate traffic,” Al-Adwan concluded.
The challenge ahead
Two-thirds of security leaders (65 percent total, 54 percent UK) feel they are being ‘set up for failure’. However, the overwhelming workload and pressure doesn’t seem to deter them.
The vast majority of security leaders are adrenaline junkies, fully immersed in their work, even when it’s stressful (92 percent UK and total). Nine in ten are motivated by high pressure situations and 92 percent (UK and total) report that they find their work environment thrilling.
“This appetite for pressure is much needed, as the challenges cybersecurity professionals are facing is set to grow,” commented Darren Thomson, EMEA CTO, Symantec.
Many are already challenged by the pace of change and rapid growth of data. Four in five (82 percent total, 70 percent UK) report that having to secure too much data, in too many places, is making the job more stressful. Almost half (45 percent total, 37 percent UK) say technological change is occurring too quickly for their teams to adapt.
“Ever since the internet started connecting computers and systems, cyber defence has largely been a game of reactions,” continued Thomson.
“With new technology, came new threats. As each new exploit emerged, a new defence was created. Organisations and the cybersecurity industry got sucked into an ever-accelerating game of whack-a-mole. There are now too many moles and too many hammers. It’s time for organisations to take a step back, and approach cyber defence in a far more effective way.”

Latest Jobs
-
- Account Manager - IT Services
- Germany
- €90000 plus OTE and Car
-
Are you a deal closer with a hunter mindset? Do you know how to uncover business pain points, and turn them into long-term digital transformation partnerships? Our Client are growing their sales force across Germany and looking for an ambitious, straight-talking Account Manager to take the lead on new client acquisition. You’ll focus on mid-sized to large enterprises across Germany helping to shape their digital future with tailored IT solutions in Workplace, Cloud, and Security. • Drive Growth: Own the full sales cycle for new business across your region. • Solution Sell: Build bespoke offers in Security, Digital Workplace and Cloud solutions • Build Relationships: Establish a solid pipeline through smart prospecting, marketing-driven leads, and your own network. • Represent a brand known for trust, delivery, and tech excellence—with 4,000 employees globally and a growing team within Germany. What You Bring • Proven new logo sales experience in the IT services space (not hardware!) • Deep knowledge in one or more of: Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace, or Cloud • Confidence to lead enterprise deals and pitch directly to senior stakeholders • Fluent German and good English skills Sind Sie ein Abschlussprofi mit Hunter-Mentalität? Wissen Sie, wie man geschäftliche Pain Points identifiziert und in langfristige Partnerschaften zur digitalen Transformation verwandelt? Unser Kunde baut derzeit sein Vertriebsteam in ganz Deutschland aus und sucht eine ambitionierte, ehrliche Persönlichkeit als Account Manager, die den Lead bei der Neukundengewinnung übernimmt. Ihr Fokus liegt auf mittelständischen bis großen Unternehmen in Deutschland, denen Sie mit maßgeschneiderten IT-Lösungen in den Bereichen Workplace, Cloud und Security den Weg in die digitale Zukunft ebnen. Ihre Aufgaben • Wachstum vorantreiben: Verantwortung für den gesamten Vertriebszyklus im Neugeschäft Ihrer Region. • Lösungsorientierter Vertrieb: Entwicklung individueller Angebote in den Bereichen Security, Digital Workplace und Cloud-Lösungen. • Beziehungen aufbauen: Aufbau einer stabilen Pipeline durch gezielte Ansprache, marketinggenerierte Leads und Ihr eigenes Netzwerk. • Marke repräsentieren: Werden Sie Teil eines Unternehmens mit 4.000 Mitarbeitenden weltweit und einem stark wachsenden Team in Deutschland – bekannt für Vertrauen, Verlässlichkeit und technologische Exzellenz. Was Sie mitbringen • Nachgewiesene Erfahrung in der Neukundenakquise im Bereich IT-Services (kein Hardwarevertrieb!) • Fundiertes Wissen in mindestens einem der Bereiche: Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace oder Cloud • Selbstbewusstes Auftreten im Umgang mit Enterprise-Deals und Entscheidungsträgern auf Top-Level • Verhandlungssichere Deutschkenntnisse und gute Englischkenntnisse
-
- Senior SOC Analyst Level 3. Microsoft Security stack | Ability to achieve SC Clearance
- London
- To attract the right person
-
Job Title: Senior SOC Analyst Level 3. Microsoft Security stack | Ability to achieve SC Clearance Location: Hybrid remote | London / Berkshire Overview: Senior SOC Analyst Level 3 to join a specialist Managed Security Services business. You will be responsible for advanced threat hunting / triage, incident response etc with a strong focus on the Microsoft Security Stack. Key Responsibilities: Lead and resolve complex security incidents / escalations Conduct advanced threat hunting using the Microsoft Security Stack. Build, optimise and maintain workbooks, rules, analytics etc. Correlate data across Microsoft 365 Defender, Azure Defender and Sentinel. Perform root cause analysis and post-incident reporting. Aid in mentoring and upskilling Level 1 and 2 SOC analysts. Required Skills & Experience: The ability to achieve UK Security Clearance (SC) – existing clearance ideal. (Sorry no visa applications) Current experience working with a SOC environment Microsoft Sentinel: Development and tuning of custom analytic rules. Workbook creation and dashboarding. Automation using Playbooks and SOAR integration. Kusto Query Language (KQL): Writing complex, efficient queries for advanced threat hunting and detection. Correlating data across key tables (e.g., SignInLogs, SecurityEvent, OfficeActivity, DeviceEvents). Developing custom detection rules, optimising performance, and reducing false positives. Supporting Sentinel Workbooks, Alerts, and Playbooks through advanced KQL use. Deep understanding of incident response, threat intelligence and adversary techniques (MITRE ATT&CK framework). Strong knowledge of cloud and hybrid security, particularly within Azure. Additional Requirements: Must hold or be eligible to achieve a minimum of Security Clearance (SC) level. Nice to have certifications (e.g., SC-200, AZ-500, GIAC) are desirable. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills. Excellent communication for clear documentation and team collaboration. Please follow Wheaton’s Law.
-
- New Business Sales Hunter | Cyber Security (UK Based)
- London
- To attract the right person
-
New Business Sales Hunter needed | Cybersecurity (UK Based) Are you looking for uncapped commission, a fun and sociable team that drives success with no politics? If so...You must Be UK based - and able to achieve UK SC clearance. (sorry no visas) Have a demonstrable history of sales success in Cyber Security Follow Weatons law. The role: Seeking a proven New Business Sales Hunter to join an established, successful and expanding cyber security firm. New business focused - £1m GP year one target (ramped). Sell a blend of security services & professional services. Ideal experience selling some or all of the following Cyber strategy & risk management Managed detection & response (MDR) Penetration testing Compliance & audit support You: Strong cybersecurity/IT services sales track record. Confident selling into mid-market & enterprise. UK based - London commutable 1x per week. Hunter mindset, full sales cycle ownership. Don't just send an email to apply give me a call on 07884666351
-
- CyberArk Architect
- London
- Upto £110,000 plus bonus and benefits
-
Are you ready to lead from the front and drive innovation in the Identity & Access Management (IAM) space? We’re looking for a seasoned CyberArk Architect who has CDE-CPC ideally or experience with privilege Cloud, someone who can lead with vision, execute with precision, and inspire teams to deliver excellence. As a key leader in our organisation, you’ll bring your strong business acumen and a technology-focused, innovative mindset to the table. You’ll be driving strategic initiatives, shaping transformation programs, and empowering teams to think big and deliver even bigger. Acting as a subject matter expert in CyberArk Leading strategic transformations in: Identity Governance Privileged Access Management (PAM) Access Management Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) Building and maintaining strong, collaborative relationships within the team Communicating clearly and confidently — both written and verbal — to deliver updates, raise potential issues, and share insights If you are interested in the above position we are looking for people with: deep expertise and a successful track record in IAM strategy, delivery, or assurance with CyberArk Hold relevant certifications such as CDE in Privileged Cloud or Guardian Have experience in a client-facing role (preferred, but not essential) Thrive in a hybrid working environment and are available to work from our or client London office three days a week Lead with clarity, communicate with impact, and adapt quickly to changing priorities