CYBERSECURITY TREND – INCREASED NEED FOR CHIEF SECURITY OFFICERS

While the need for strengthened security systems across industries is well known, only 11% of companies report a high degree of confidence in managing or responding to a cyber attack. Security risk management as a discipline is still maturing, so while this data isn’t all that surprising, it should be an area of utmost importance for companies for the new emerging times. One increasingly common barrier is a lack of alignment between the company’s security operations and its business strategy.

The disconnect between security and business reduces the effectiveness of cybersecurity initiatives, as the baseline for what’s considered adequate risk management is disjointed across departments. To combat this, Chief Security Officers will need to become more vigilant in identifying risks in the context of business objectives and be able to explain why they matter to business leaders. By pinpointing these risks and articulating how they plan to lower them and at what cost, CSO’s can create a shared understanding between business and security leaders that strengthens cybersecurity initiatives across the board.

Key takeaway: CSO’s should prioritise creating alignment among corporate leaders and organisational security initiatives and goals.