Cyber Fatigue: How to Keep on High Alert Without Burning Out
Since the Easter weekend in April, the retail sector has faced two major waves of alarming cyber-attacks: the first targeting M&S, the Co-op, and Harrods, while the ongoing second wave has struck fashion giants Dior, The North Face, and Cartier. With the attacks occurring in swift succession, it’s natural that the ensuing saturation of news reports on the subject may leave us feeling on high alert, albeit simultaneously fatigued. Without managing burn out, we run a serious risk that our ability to remain informed and vigilant on adversary attacks will wear thin while the high threat level persists.
In the current threat landscape, cyber fatigue has become a subset of a broader issue of media fatigue.

What Is Media Fatigue?
Media fatigue is exactly what it sounds like: exhaustion brought on by a relentless stream of information – especially when that information is emotionally charged or negative. Whether it’s coverage of ongoing wars, climate disasters, political instability, or conversely, the seemingly endless supply of trivial TikTok and Instagram Reels – the brain reaches a saturation point of information.
This fatigue isn’t inherently bad. In fact, it’s often your brain’s way of saying: “Pause. Take a step back. Do something else.” It’s a natural self-preservation mechanism.

However, media fatigue becomes maladaptive when it manifests in two ways:

– Long-Term Avoidance: when we begin to deliberately disengage from the news altogether for extended periods of time, there is a risk of missing critical information. In the context of cyber, this could cause you to miss out on an essential software patch, or a new exploit used by cyber criminals hoping to catch out the unaware.

– Desensitisation: when we choose to stay engaged – but our response to the threat level is dulled. Major threats no longer feel urgent because we’ve grown numb to the volume, and inadvertently, become complacent without external support. When everything feels like a crisis, nothing gets treated as one.

Cyber Fatigue
The battle between defenders and adversaries in the cyber arena will never cease, and as such, it’s almost guaranteed that the news will report on a cyber threat or attack in some form – like warnings of state-sponsored attacks, attacks on local authorities, and other vital public services – on a weekly basis. With that, it can feel demoralising, like no matter what you do, the adversaries always find a way to cause damage.
Over time, this persistent pressure can lead to cyber fatigue, affecting not just individuals but entire teams and organisations who must remain on perpetual high alert. In such a high-stakes environment, defenders are inundated with alerts – many of which turn out to be false positives. At worse, this overload can dull vigilance, increasing the risk of genuine threats being overlooked or missed entirely.

How Can I Avoid Cyber Fatigue?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a single solution. Rather, there are many small actions you can take to best defend yourself and your organisation.
The best way to avoid burnout from constant cyber news is to find balance. Set aside a short, focused window each day or week to review key updates, rather than constantly monitoring headlines. This will help you stay informed without becoming overwhelmed.
Similarly, to combat alert fatigue, it’s crucial to filter alerts based on relevance and severity. As part of our Digital Risk Protection (DRP) service, we provide customised alerting for vulnerability scanning, categorised by low, medium, and high risk. This allows your team to prioritise responses effectively – focusing on real threats without draining resources or morale.
If you would like further information on our DRP service, please do not hesitate to contact us – we’ve got your back.