Sophos report warns of rising cybersecurity burnout and shadow AI risks in APJ

Sophos has released the 5th edition of The Future of Cybersecurity in Asia Pacific and Japan, conducted with Tech Research Asia (now part of Omdia), revealing persistent cybersecurity burnout. Some 86 per cent of organisations reported issues in 2025, up from 85 per cent in 2024, driven by escalating threats, regulatory demands, and limited resources. Burnout cost an average of 4.6 hours per employee weekly, a 12 per cent rise year-on-year, with 31 per cent of firms admitting it contributed to breaches.

The report highlights a dual role of AI: while AI-powered tools improve response and efficiency, shadow AI is creating new risks.