Patch sick day: 1 in 5 cyber security leaders avoids Patch Tuesday

For cyber security leaders, Patch Tuesday can be one of the most demanding days of the month.

Our latest research found that one in five cyber security leaders has deliberately called in sick or planned a holiday to avoid the stress and additional workload associated with it.

The finding is striking, particularly because the people we surveyed aren't junior members of security teams. They include senior leaders such as CSOs, CISOs and Heads of IT Security, with responsibility for their organisation's security and patching cycle.

So what is it about one day a month that creates this level of pressure?

It's not just the number of patches

The scale of recent releases gives some context.

Microsoft’s July 2026 Patch Tuesday was initially a record-breaking release with 663 CVEs addressed, followed by more than 400 in August. However, September set a new historical peak with over 900 vulnerabilities disclosed in a single month - nearly matching the 1,130 total released throughout all of 2025.

For the people responsible for deciding what needs attention first, that means more than simply keeping an eye on a list of vulnerabilities.

They need to understand which vulnerabilities matter to their own environment, assess the potential exposure, prioritise the work and make decisions about what needs to happen next. All while keeping the rest of the security operation moving.

For some security leaders, that means working overtime or through the night.

Our research found that Patch Tuesday can also affect how people feel outside of work, with cyber security leaders reporting increased anxiety ahead of the monthly release and greater irritability with colleagues and family.

That makes the decision by one in five respondents to avoid the day altogether rather more understandable.

The responsibility is the difficult part

There is an important distinction here.

Patch Tuesday isn't necessarily stressful because there is something inherently unusual about a Tuesday. It's stressful because of what can be riding on the decisions made that day.

Security leaders know that vulnerabilities need to be dealt with. They also know that not every vulnerability can receive the same level of attention at the same time.

That creates a difficult balance between urgency, risk and available resources.

As Andrew Kays, our CEO, puts it:

“You expect your accountant to be available for your tax return deadline, and your lawyer for your court date. It speaks volumes about the unhealthy levels of stress and burnout in our industry that cyber security leaders would deliberately avoid the office during their most consequential day of work.”

The expectation is clear. When something important happens, the security team needs to be there.

The question is whether organisations are giving those teams enough support to make that responsibility sustainable.

Taking some of the pressure off

Security leaders cannot be expected to personally monitor, assess and respond to every threat, every alert and every vulnerability around the clock.

That's where having additional specialist support can make a difference.

At Socura we provide 24/7 managed detection and response, giving organisations access to a dedicated security team that works alongside their own people to monitor threats, investigate suspicious activity and respond when it matters.

The aim isn't to replace the people responsible for security. It's to give them more support, more visibility and more time to focus on the decisions that need their attention.

AI is changing the picture too

The pressure around Patch Tuesday isn't happening in isolation.

The cyber security leaders surveyed were divided on the impact of artificial intelligence, with AI presenting both opportunities and concerns.

Governing the use of AI and emerging technologies was identified as the greatest strategic challenge in cyber security today. Meanwhile, 22% of respondents said that AI represented a threat to their job security.

But the technology is also helping security teams.

Forty per cent of respondents said AI allowed them to focus on more strategic tasks by automating mundane work, while 37% said it was helping them better protect their organisations against threats.

That balance is important.

AI isn't simply another problem for security teams to deal with. Used appropriately, it can also help teams work more efficiently and concentrate their expertise where it is most valuable.

At the same time, the pace at which vulnerabilities can be discovered is changing. Microsoft has previously highlighted how advances in AI can accelerate vulnerability discovery, potentially increasing the volume of issues that defenders need to assess and address.

For security leaders already dealing with limited time and resources, that's an important consideration.

Patch Tuesday is a reminder of the wider problem

The findings from this research follows our Sleepless in security report, which found that eight in ten cyber security leaders believe their career has negatively affected their physical health, mental health, or both. Our research also found that most respondents believed they could be fired following a serious data breach.

Patch Tuesday doesn't create all of that pressure.

It simply brings some of it into sharper focus.

There will always be vulnerabilities to investigate, patches to prioritise and difficult decisions for security leaders to make. That's part of the job.

But those responsibilities shouldn't have to rest on one person's shoulders.

“It's vital that security teams are properly resourced on Patch Tuesday, and that cyber security workers are properly supported emotionally, technically, and financially.

It's a tough job, and most people do it because they love it. That shouldn't be forgotten or exploited.”

For organisations, supporting security teams isn't just about having the right technology in place. It's about making sure the people responsible for using it have the time, expertise and support they need to do their jobs well.

Because Patch Tuesday shouldn't be something a security leader needs to escape from.

Looking for more support for your security team?

Patch Tuesday is just one part of the wider challenge facing modern security teams. Having the right people, expertise and support around you can make a significant difference.

At Socura we provide extensive 24/7 managed detection and response services, giving organisations access to specialist security expertise, continuous monitoring and support when it matters most.

Want to learn more about how Socura could support your security team?