US cybersecurity leaders are under increasing pressure to address process gaps and escalating threats, according to Seemplicity. The security vendor polled 300 CISOs and their equivalents to produce its State of the Cybersecurity Workforce Report, published on 3 March 2026. It found that 45% of respondents work 11+ extra hours per week, equivalent to an additional day, and 20% work an extra 16+ hours weekly.
As a result, 44% said their role feels emotionally exhausting more often than rewarding, rising to 56% of C-level respondents. A further two-fifths (43%) said they’re unable to take time off without creating a huge amount of stress upon their return. Yet the vast majority (94%) claimed they would still choose cybersecurity as a career. AI is also changing the nature of work, with 85% feeling more pressure to improve communication, interpersonal and business skills as a result of AI adoption.