Cybersecurity professional getting more work and less pay

Cybersecurity professionals are the most underpaid IT workers in 2025, with 71% globally and 77% in the UK seeing no salary increase, despite facing growing workloads driven by AI-expanded threat surfaces and rising attack volumes. Harvey Nash data shows security staff rank in the bottom three for workplace satisfaction, even though cybersecurity remains a top-three most in-demand tech role. The cause is attributed to boardroom complacency bred by effective security teams, combined with an employer-controlled job market. Experts warn this mismatch between responsibility and reward is fueling burnout and attrition, urging organizations to treat cyber talent as a strategic asset.