The biggest road block to any organization deciding to use managed security services is one of perceived threat. Many IT professionals view external help an admission of weakness. That can be doubly problematic if there are dedicated staff resources. Yet the effort and expense required to secure IT environments are creating mounting cybersecurity pressures.
A global survey of 1,600 IT professionals responsible for security finds the rise in cybersecurity fatigue can be attributed directly to:
- sophisticated malware,
- lack of affordable talent,
- and budget constraints
Why does this matter? Fatigue from cybersecurity pressure opens the door to vulnerability.
Sources of cybersecurity pressure and stress
The sources of stress can be primarily attributed to increases in both the volume and sophistication of attacks.
- Preventing malware infestations (22%)
- Identifying vulnerabilities (17%)
- Phishing attacks (13%)
These are all significant contributors to higher levels of stress. Interestingly, the source of the stress within those organizations is changing.
39% cite C-level executives, board members, and business owners are cited as the primary source of stress. Pressure is now also coming from direct managers too: jumping 8% since 2016. It appears that responsibility for maintaining cybersecurity is being pushed further into organizations to people who have not previously had this level of responsibility and training.
Interestingly, the survey also notes a growing awareness of the importance of security due diligence. While a large percentage of professionals still feel some pressure in that regard, real progress is being made in awareness. More than ever, proactive discussions about securing applications happen before they get deployed.
Gaining comfort with outside help
A third of respondents say they already partner with outside specialists. Another 45% say they plan to in the future. This suggests more IT professionals are seeing how collaborating with security specialists helps them, not hurts them. A Managed Security provider reduces vulnerabilities and helps them:
- Compensate for skill shortages (31%)
- Deploying and operating complex security technologies (30%)
- Drive security automation (28%)
Ready to learn more about ALI’s FLxSecure cyber security? Schedule your no-obligation discussion today.
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