As October’s Mental Health Month and Cybersecurity Awareness Month both draw to a close, a new study from CAUDIT Strategic Partner, not-for-profit cyber mental health support initiative Cybermindz.org, is showing early evidence of burnout in cyber professionals, signalling a potential loss of skills to a critical part of the economy.
Read the full press release on the cybermindz website here.
Cybermindz.org is quick to acknowledge that stress and burnout are not unique to cyber, but points out that systemic weaknesses in our human cyber defences would tend to impact society at mass levels, especially if essential services like water, energy, telecommunications, health, financial services, food distribution and transportation are affected.
As the nation digests the continuing fallout of the Optus, Medibank and MyDeal breaches and others that are coming to light, Cybermindz.org has warned that unless policy makers recognise the mental health impacts on Australia’s embattled cyber workforce, a deterioration in the mental health of core defenders may accelerate, creating a cascading effect of reduced effectiveness and increased risk.
While the research is ongoing and will run until year’s end, Cybermindz founder and veteran internet industry leader, Peter Coroneos explained the importance of signalling the emerging trend as he compared it to ‘the canary in the cybersecurity coal mine’.
Organisations who are concerned about the mental wellbeing of their cyber teams are invited to participate in the study. There is no cost to participate. Inquiries to researchdirector@cybermindz.org
CAUDIT members have access to discounted rates for Cybermindz’s well-being courses which are delivered to the cyber industry, and supporting industries, using the Integrative Restoration (iRest) protocol.
iRest is an effective, safe, trauma-aware, evidence-based program which effectively builds mental and emotional resilience, and alleviates anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, depression, post-traumatic- stress (PTSD), and chemical dependency (25 studies).
Visit Cybermindz.org for more information
