39% of CISOs say they often feel blamed, even when incidents fall outside their direct control.

17% of CISOs say they always feel personally blamed for security incidents, regardless of the root cause.

74% of US-based IT and security professionals said their data recovery tools are too complex to be used without security expertise, which adds to their workplace stress.

78% of US-based IT and security professionals fear they will be personally blamed for security incidents.

84% of US-based IT and security professionals report feeling uncomfortably stressed at work due to IT security risks.

59% of US-based IT and security professionals have considered or actively begun looking for new jobs due to work stress.

Nearly one in five (18%) of US-based IT and security professionals feel “hopeless and overwhelmed” during and after a security incident.

50% of US-based IT and security professionals feel their companies don’t consistently prioritize employee wellbeing and mental health.

55% of US-based IT and security professionals identified heavy workloads and understaffed teams as the leading sources of stress in their roles. (This was followed by concerns about cyberattacks and the pressure to maintain uptime and service availability).

47% of US-based IT and security professionals report feeling pressure from leadership to “fix everything” in the aftermath of a security incident.

66% of respondents indicate that their cybersecurity roles are significantly or slightly more stressful now than five years ago.

High work-stress levels, limited promotion and development opportunities, and recruitment by other enterprises are the top reasons cybersecurity professionals leave their current roles.

The complex cyber threat landscape is cited as the main reason for stress by 63% of respondents in 2025, down from 81% in 2024.

52% of respondents say stress on the job has prompted them to think about leaving cybersecurity altogether.

59% said resource shortages made their privacy role more stressful.

61% said compliance challenges made their privacy role more stressful.