The CISO Role Has Changed, And CISOs Need To Change With It
Technative, Monday, July 10,2023
We don't have to go too far back to a time when they were part of the IT team, directing IT staff and planning cybersecurity defences. Though vital work, CISOs previously were not part of upper management and left little impact on the core business. The ever-increasing risk of a cybersecurity breach, and the spiralling cost of cleaning up afterwards, has changed this.
Today, many CISOs sit on the board of directors, the C in their title reflected in a new C-suite status. As no modern business can operate without computing infrastructure, their contributions are as key as the CFO or COO.
The CISO may have more power, but this comes with greater responsibility. Every piece of research into the current threat landscape seems to paint a grimmer picture than the last. The CrowdStrike 2022 Global Threat Report shows an 82% increase in both data leaks and ransomware attacks compared with last year. The IBM/Ponemon Cost of a Data Breach Report estimates that the cleanup costs of a cybersecurity breach is, on average, $3.8 million. Cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated, more common, more destructive-and the CISO is ultimately held accountable for any defensive missteps against current and emerging risks.