The role of CISOs has highly evolved and become significant over the past couple of years. CISOs face widespread challenges today as the cybersecurity battlefield grows in complexity and connectivity. According to Statista, 58% CISOs believe that human error is the most significant cybersecurity vulnerability in 2021.
Most companies fall short of realising that CISOs can take initiatives in reducing human-centred vulnerabilities and take adequate initiatives. As businesses gear up for another bumpy cybersecurity year, here are six priorities that CISOs in 2022 must consider:
Top 6 Priorities For CISOs In 2022
Identifying Risk
Identifying the new vulnerabilities within the system is a challenging task. While exploits emerge every day, the modern CISOs are at the edge of responsibility carve a way towards security. They have to proactively identify and respond to attacks on a daily basis. In this era of hyperconnectivity as thousands of devices get connected, cybersecurity leaders must know the importance of being equipped at identifying and protecting sensitive and confidential data in 2022.
Embracing and Leveraging Technology
Evolving technology is the solution to all future problems. CISOs should be discovering new ways every day to automate functions to better utilize resources and talent. In 2022, they should be looking at an active automation strategy for their IT teams. This will not only strengthen their security efforts but also help enterprises adapt to customer needs and meet increasing business expectations.
Bridging The Skill Gap
The scarcity of talent in cybersecurity is a major roadblock for security today. Additionally, the existing staff seems to be burnout after engaging with non-stop attacks and the remote working conditions in the pandemic. CISOs are moving towards outsourcing as an IDG study found that 62% of organizations have already outsourced (or are planning to outsource) over the next 12 months. While this can be an alternative for some, many security leaders still have a huge role in bridging the gap amid the arising hybrid work environments.
Securing Supply Chain And Third-party Integrations
Post the Colonial Pipeline attack, supply chains are under the radar of hackers. The cloud integration makes it more complicated and difficult for the leaders to safeguard the network. CIOs should be on the front line evaluating and integrating new cloud technologies and directing new guidelines for supply chains. It is the responsibility of CISOs to build security-centric integrations for third-party vendors and boost their internal strategies too.
Adopting Cyber Resilience
Cyber resilience has been on the agenda for CISOs in the last couple of years. Every organisation is moving towards a strategy based on the framework of resilience and protection. In 2022, what’s needed beyond a bulletproof strategy on paper is the tangible execution of those security resilience measures within the organisation. In the post-Covid-19 security world, CISOs have heightened accountability to not only propose relevant amendments to existing security processes and policies but to pursue them too.
Building A Security Culture
Each employee in an organisation, from an intern to the CISO has an active role in protecting the system. As the responsibility lies on each one, strategies alone cannot provide security. There is an acute need for a significant shift in culture and mindset to be initiated by the C-level leaders by reframing the perception of IT within their organizations. Training and educating the staff with adequate security etiquette is of paramount importance. So, it becomes crucial for CISOs to partner with the engineering teams and builds a communication channel. A platform where the teams can collaborate and be actively involved in the training programs.
The threat landscape in 2022 is expected to be much larger and more complex. Risk managers and security leaders need to take creative approaches and actions that can mitigate the risks. Zero trust cybersecurity framework and cybersecurity automation can be the first step for them. Only after gaining a holistic view of the security stance, CISOs must comprehensively understand and strive to better position themselves as cybersecurity pioneers.
