2023 Voice of the CISO

CISOs are stressed out and concerned about their personal liability. The Uber case has upped the ante. CISOs are considering moving away from the high pressure, burnout prone environment towards jobs at cyber vendors and venture-capital firms. A new survey sheds light on the emotional toll their job has on them. 

• Seventy-three percent of CISOs in the U.S. said they experienced burnout in the past 12 months. The global average of burnout among CISOs is 60%, with the UK, the US, and Singapore facing the highest burnout rates.

• Sixty-two percent of cyber leaders polled in 16 countries said they are concerned about personal liability. Only 15% said it isn’t a pressing concern. 
• Most CISOs across industries would not join an organisation that doesn’t offer them personal liability insurance cover to mitigate their personal liability (at least partly).

Why does this matter for businesses? 

• The average tenure of CISOs is 18 months. Excessive pressure, the burden of personal liability and burnout contribute to the churn. 
• Acknowledging that cybersecurity is a high pressure environment is the first step to addressing the problem. 
• With more CISOs feeling more aligned with board members, they have a solid foundation upon which to build and deliver change.

Access the full report