IT managers are stressed? How about security managers?

No one should be surprised to find out that IT managers are stressed out.  After all, uptime requirements, hardware and software upgrades, patching and all of the other things that happen on a daily basis, always with less resources than you really need, are enough to make almost anyone lose sleep.  So it's no wonder approximately 75% of all IT managers are losing sleep.  I'm just amazed the number isn't higher; are the other 25% of the IT managers taking sleeping pills to compensate.

I'd like to see a similar survey done of security managers, CSO's and front line technicians.  After all the role of a security professional not only includes most of the responsibilities of an IT manager, it also includes policies, regulations and worrying about all the threats facing the corporation on a daily basis.  Not only that, we're paid paranoids, hired to provide our professional opinions about the worst things that could happen to the business; to make matters worse, when we do provide those opinions, we're scoffed at for ... being paranoid.  Go figure.

While not quite a thankless job, advocating security is definitely an uphill battle in most organizations.  There are a few that recognize that security is important and can even be an edge in a tight marketplace.  Having to fight for every project that's so obvious to us can really wear a security manager down, especially when we see our compatriots in IT get there projects approved.  If you are the type to look for stress in your life, a career as a security professional can definitely supply that for you.

But I think things are getting better.  Businesses are recognizing the cost of a security breach and some are even realizing that they can use security as sales point.  But more importantly, I think we, the security professionals are beginning to understand how to work better inside of businesses; we're evolving from technical guru's to business partners.  It's no longer about a tech trying to communicate a solution to a technical problem to upper management; increasingly it's becoming a member of management explaining solutions to business problems and risks to other managers.  The stress will still be there, but at least with better communication we can reduce one stressor.