Burnout Is Threatening The Protection of OT

In the cybersecurity industry, one’s digital protection is only as strong as its weakest link. Unfortunately, for most businesses, its weakest link is often its employees. Corporate users who are untrained in the ways of cybersecurity can put their employer or organization in serious jeopardy. Employees are a particularly exploitable entry point for cyber criminals because of the amount of high-quality access that employees have to company assets, networks, and endpoints. If these risks aren’t addressed, systems like operational technology (OT) can be vulnerable to devastating cyber attacks. One of the best ways to mitigate the security risks of employees is to build and develop a human firewall.

A human firewall is a cybersecurity term that describes the methods and tools used to improve the digital security strategies, techniques, and response times of employees and users. A strong human firewall, for instance, can raise the entire floor of one’s security protocols by mitigating the risk of phishing attacks. The strength of this firewall, however, depends on the health, skill, and motivation of the employees themselves. This also applies to the IT leaders who help to better and sustain all cybersecurity measures, including the human firewall.

The Threat of Burnout

Workplace stressors can have a significant impact on the strength and quality of an enterprise’s digital security efforts. Sleeping, eating, and exercise habits all contribute to the mental and physical health of employees and IT leaders. Organizations that are disconnected from their employees run the risk of not being able to support these essential habits. When stressors begin to force team members to compromise their well-being for work-related tasks, companies run the risk of mass burnout.

Burnt-out employees lack the energy and focus to perform activities at a high level. Sophisticated processes, like cybersecurity, that require advanced problem-solving and detailed analysis are often those that suffer the most. For organizations that support public OT, such as hydroelectric plants, the damage is that much greater.

Why IT Leaders Should Be Concerned

The reason why burnout can be so devastating is that it affects so many different aspects of a business. From cybersecurity to employee retention to organizational income, burnout can have serious consequences on the bottom line of a firm, regardless of its size. Below is a breakdown of a couple of the reasons why IT leaders should be particularly concerned about burnout as it relates to the protection of OT and other technologies.

Remote Work Environments are Extremely Vulnerable

One of the most stressful activities for modern IT professionals is the protection of digital assets and networks. Constantly having to monitor, contain, and respond to cybersecurity threats is an exhausting task, especially when one’s IT staff is unprepared. These workplace stressors have only been exacerbated by the recent spike in cyber attacks and data breaches. A huge reason for this spike is the global transition to remote operations and work environments.

Companies that have been forced to adopt work-from-home business models have had to incur a higher frequency of cyber incidents due to the model’s inherent security vulnerabilities. Deloitte, in a recent article, reported that about 47% of individuals fall for phishing scams while working from home. Similarly, between February and May of 2020, more than 500,000 people have had their personal video conferencing data stolen or sold on the dark web. Part of what makes remote work so vulnerable is the lack of visibility and the reliance on remotely-accessible, business-critical technologies. Both of these factors dramatically increase the attack surface of an organization because its assets, credentials, and accounts are monitored remotely. This means that IT leaders have less control over employee activities, and cyber criminals have more access to information through additional remote channels. Combined, these two consequences increase the vulnerability of one’s digital security.

Burnout Rates Are Getting Higher and Higher

What makes burnout particularly frightening is that it can lead to critical security failures when left unaddressed. As IT leaders and staffers lose focus due to stress and exhaustion, significant security breaches may get through undetected. The risk of critical security failure becomes worse as the rate of burnout begins to increase.

In an article published by Infosecurity Magazine, 86% of IT decision-makers in the UK working in CNI and OT security admitted to feeling a heightened pressure to improve the country’s cybersecurity controls. These workers are burdened with the responsibility of having to protect some of Britain’s most important infrastructure. And with the rise in successful cyber attacks, especially those involving OT security breaches, the pressure to protect these services becomes greater. This stress is made worse, unfortunately, by the shortage of critical cybersecurity skills. According to the same report, 84% of respondents believed that a massive talent shortage would occur in the CNI sector within the next five years. Fewer skill professionals and more threats of cyber crime are a dangerous combination and two of the reasons for the rise in burnouts.

Infosecurity Magazine, in this staff burnout piece, cites how 47% of those UK-based IT leaders have suffered unsustainable stress in their job. Similarly, 41% expressed that they have been absent from work because of burnout. And finally, 32% are looking for a new job as a result. These statistics are incredibly concerning, especially for the public sector officials who desperately need talented IT decision-makers to protect their digital infrastructure. If governments and organizations do not address the burnout issue quickly, they will have to face a myriad of challenges involving job turnover, labour shortages, and cyber attack spikes.

Overcoming Burnout in the Long-Run

While the job itself is stressful, it doesn’t have to be debilitating. The majority of stress placed on IT decision-makers comes from those above them. The corporate pressure placed on IT leaders to prevent any and all cyber attacks is both daunting and overwhelming. But with the assistance, expertise, guidance, support, and tools of an established and proven cybersecurity consulting firm, the pressure becomes much less significant. Contact our team at AGT today to learn more about how you can reduce workplace stressors while also improving your cybersecurity.

Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.