Why CISOs Should Prioritize Continuous Controls Monitoring In 2026
Security Boulevard, Tuesday, February 24th, 2026
In a recent roundup of strategic initiatives for CISOs, I argued that continuous assurance is the 2026 operating model. Across all ten initiatives, the pattern was clear. Security is no longer being evaluated by effort, it's being evaluated by outcomes.
Boards, customers, and regulators are no longer asking what tools you deployed or how busy your security team is. They are asking a simpler, harder question: Can you prove that your controls are working right now?
Every security leader wants to confidently say 'yes.' However, if you want to attain continuous assurance and clearly demonstrate the outcomes of your security program, it will only be possible with a foundation of continuous controls monitoring. The two go hand-in-hand.