Here’s the latest evidence that security burnout is very real

As businesses scramble to avoid data breaches and reconsider where the chief information security officer fits into the corporate structure, the uncertainty is having a measurable effect on the mental health of the people who protect the networks. The pressure is real, according to a survey published Thursday by Osterman Research and the domain name vendor Nominet. Thirty-two percent of security practitioners say they believe they would either lose their job or receive an official warning in the event of a data breach. Ninety-one percent reported moderate or high stress, with a quarter saying the job has affected their mental or physical health. Burnout is so common among security professionals that some executives are considering ways to ease the pressure on their teams. Chris Betz, the chief security officer at telecommunications company CenturyLink, told CyberScoop this week he tries to avoid contacting staffers after they’ve left the office. If Betz notices a task that […]

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System restore: How stressed security bosses unwind from the daily grind

Nothing will take your mind off work like reading about humanity’s possible extinction. Just ask Jim Motes. As the chief information security officer for video game retailer GameStop, Motes spends most of his daylight hours thinking about new security training techniques, which emerging technologies offer the best return on investment and how to automate as many tasks as possible. When it’s time to decompress after a long day, though, Motes chills out by reading books like “Our Final Invention.” The nonfiction book by James Barrat examines quantum computing, artificial intelligence and the possible implications for mankind should the singularity become a reality. “The assessment is that if a quantum computer becomes sentient, it would take about 30 days before it decided it didn’t need humans anymore,” Motes said. “It’s interesting, but maybe I’m weird.” Not weird at all. Cybersecurity professionals are saddled with stress, thanks to a desperate shortage of […]

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