CISO role expands in a changing business world

A new survey of the opinions of more than 7000 business leaders, employees and consumers from across the world shows the role of CISO has hugely expanded in its scope and responsibilities.

However, the study from BT Security also shows that fewer than half of executives and employees could put a name to their CISO. This is despite the fact that 84 percent of executives also say that their organization had suffered from data loss or a security incident in the last two years.

There are some worrying behaviors highlighted too, with with 45 percent of employees saying they'd suffered a security incident at work and not reported it, and perhaps even more concerning, 15 percent saying they had given their work log-in and password to others in the organization.

At the same time there is more awareness of cyber security among consumers, 64 percent would recommend an organization that makes a big effort to keep their data safe. In addition 67 percent of consumers say that security is more important than convenience when choosing who to buy from, while only 16 percent strongly trust large organizations to protect their personal data.

Kevin Brown, managing director of BT Security, says, "This report provides a number of clear examples of how CISOs are expected to provide leadership across an ever-growing number of areas. The huge increase in the pace of digital transformation during 2020 has not only further erased the traditional parameters of the role, but also intensified the scale and complexity of threats to protect against. As a result, CISOs must ensure that they have the visibility that not only makes them the first port of call for security incidents, but also ensures they're placed at the heart of strategic decision making and planning."

You can read more on the BT Security blog.

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