In 2024, CISOs continue to manage evolving and expanding threats as they help to drive business growth in a secure manner. Like their CIO counterparts, CISOs are facing high expectations when it comes to managing the risks of AI implementation and realizing efficiencies from it.
With the ongoing risk of cybersecurity attacks and other disruptions to the business, CISOs are also focusing on improving their organizations’ overall operational resilience. Their role continues to be highly visible as a key leader of a broad and holistic risk management strategy.
More than 1,000 CISOs across our communities shared their key priorities in our annual survey – here’s what they reported.
Focusing on User Access and AI
For the first time in two years, User Access, IAM & Zero Trust has replaced Cloud Security, Strategy, & Architecture as the number one functional priority for CISOs, bumping Cloud Strategy only to number two. Generative & Traditional AI – a new answer option in this year’s survey – moved into the top five priorities for 2024.
Improving Productivity Is Top Enterprise Priority
Creating operational efficiencies and improving productivity is the top priority for CISOs across the enterprise this year – edging out reducing risk for the number one spot. CISOs are also prioritizing growth, cost reductions and revenue more than last year, perhaps indicating how security leaders are trying to demonstrate the value of cybersecurity and create closer alignment with the business.
Security Spending Remains the Same
Forty-five percent of CISOs report that their budgets for technology and services are the same as last year, and 38% of security executives plan to spend more. This is a change from last year when a higher percentage of CISOs (50%) foresaw an increase in spending.
Investing in Identity Access Management
Forty-four percent of CISOs plan to spend on IAM, MFA and Zero Trust, which is aligned to their top priority for the year. Generative & Traditional AI is a new category on the list, and 37% of CISOs think they will spend on AI tools and solutions.
Each year, we survey our C-level community members on their top priorities, challenges and goals for the year ahead. Our proprietary Leadership Perspective Survey enables us to highlight trends and develop sessions and discussion topics based on the real-time needs of security leaders. Apply now to join a local CISO community, or if you are already a member, sign in to MyEvanta to see upcoming events in your community.
Based on 1,000+ CISO responses from Evanta’s proprietary Leadership Perspective Survey, March 2024.
by CISOs, for CISOs
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