The Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) and Omdia today released Volume VIII of the Life and Times of Cybersecurity Professionals, the longest-running annual study of the cybersecurity workforce. As attackers leverage AI to scale attacks and organizations invest in AI-powered security tools, the professionals using them are burning out, being left out of decisions, and thinking about leaving the field.
83% of organizations are currently using or planning to adopt AI for cybersecurity, but the data reveals a critical gap between technology investment and workforce reality:
- Top AI use cases include automating scanning and testing (50%), predictive risk analysis (48%), and threat detection (38%).
- 68% say the job has become harder over the past two years, even as AI adoption has accelerated.
- 25% have increased AI spending without a defined strategy connecting it to their people or security program.
- Beyond AI, the study examines job satisfaction, the skills shortage, organizational culture, and the evolving CISO role.
The numbers behind that verdict are consistent across every edition of the study. Close to half of respondents have thought about leaving their role in the past 18 months, and among those, 57% have considered leaving cybersecurity entirely. 71% say technology decisions get made without the security team at the table. CISO appointments fell from 76% to 63% in a single year.
39% cite leadership commitment as the top driver of job satisfaction, above compensation and technology investment. 54% say seeking an apprenticeship, internship, or mentor is among the most valuable steps for anyone entering the field.
The full ebook is available at https://issa.org/life-and-times-of-cybersecurity-professionals-volume-viii/
Related
This entry was posted on June 16, 2026 at 9:00 am and is filed under Commentary with tags ISSA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
New Study Shows 83% of Organizations Are Adopting AI for Cybersecurity, But Cyber Pros Say the Job Has Become Harder
The Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) and Omdia today released Volume VIII of the Life and Times of Cybersecurity Professionals, the longest-running annual study of the cybersecurity workforce. As attackers leverage AI to scale attacks and organizations invest in AI-powered security tools, the professionals using them are burning out, being left out of decisions, and thinking about leaving the field.
83% of organizations are currently using or planning to adopt AI for cybersecurity, but the data reveals a critical gap between technology investment and workforce reality:
The numbers behind that verdict are consistent across every edition of the study. Close to half of respondents have thought about leaving their role in the past 18 months, and among those, 57% have considered leaving cybersecurity entirely. 71% say technology decisions get made without the security team at the table. CISO appointments fell from 76% to 63% in a single year.
39% cite leadership commitment as the top driver of job satisfaction, above compensation and technology investment. 54% say seeking an apprenticeship, internship, or mentor is among the most valuable steps for anyone entering the field.
The full ebook is available at https://issa.org/life-and-times-of-cybersecurity-professionals-volume-viii/
Share this:
Like this:
Related
This entry was posted on June 16, 2026 at 9:00 am and is filed under Commentary with tags ISSA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.