{"id":4001,"date":"2024-06-12T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-12T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.darkreading.com\/cybersecurity-operations\/cio-ciso-collaboration-is-key-to-organizational-resilience"},"modified":"2024-06-12T09:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-06-12T14:00:00","slug":"why-cio-ciso-collaboration-is-key-to-organizational-resilience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2024\/06\/12\/why-cio-ciso-collaboration-is-key-to-organizational-resilience\/","title":{"rendered":"Why CIO & CISO Collaboration Is Key to Organizational Resilience"},"content":{"rendered":"
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COMMENTARY<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

With an increasingly complex threat landscape and the progression of threat-actor tactics, effective cybersecurity is non-negotiable. At the same time, staffing challenges and an uncertain economy have made it increasingly challenging to manage your attack surface and keep would-be threat actors at bay.<\/span><\/p>\n

That’s not for lack of effort \u2014 or<\/span> <\/span><\/span>expenditure. <\/span>Gartner forecasts<\/a><\/span> that the world will spend $215 billion on risk management and cybersecurity in 2024. That’s a 14% increase over 2023. Gartner expects that expenditures for IT will reach a whopping $5.1 trillion<\/span> <\/span><\/span>in 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amid all this, companies are striving for disruptive innovation and progress <\/span>while keeping a close eye on budgets<\/a><\/span>. Many workers are feeling spread thin, with more data and endpoints than ever and not enough qualified talent to be found. As a chief information officer (CIO), I can attest that I’ve seen this crunch particularly within the global IT space. This is not<\/span> <\/span><\/span>a good moment for IT to be stressed out and overworked. The stakes are simply too high.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, how can organizations mitigate threats while maintaining momentum?<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s time to finally break down the silos between IT and security. <\/span>That starts by fostering alignment<\/a><\/span> between the CIO and chief information security officer (CISO).<\/span><\/p>\n

Streamlined, Secure \u2014 or Both?<\/h2>\n

Individually, CISOs and CIOs are powerful forces with a lot on their plates \u2014 and a lot on the line. Together, they could be unstoppable. However, historically, organizational structures have relegated CISOs and CIOs to separate domains with distinct \u2014 and occasionally contradictory \u2014 objectives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Access, Please: The CIO Imperative<\/h2>\n

For many CIOs, it’s common to be focused on streamlining and efficiency, especially given staffing challenges. Additionally, CIOs and IT teams work to ensure continuous access to optimized tools that help employees get their jobs done. <\/span>Sixty-one percent of IT professionals<\/a><\/span> admit that negative technology experiences directly impact their morale, underscoring the palpable connection between tech efficiency and employee engagement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lack of access to the right tools can contribute to “shadow IT.” Conversely, streamlined, efficient operations enhance speed and elevate the digital employee experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

Standing Guard: The CISO Imperative<\/h2>\n

Meanwhile, my peers in the CISO role dial in to ensure organizations are as secure as possible. This is a critical and constantly moving target, as threat actors continue to find new avenues of attack. Effective cybersecurity prevents all manner of problems, ranging from the inconvenient (unexpected downtime) to the catastrophic (a major breach).<\/span><\/p>\n

I have an enormous amount of respect for the CISO role, as should everyone impacted by security. (And that’s all of us.) In 2022, the <\/span>average cost of a single data breach was $4.5 million<\/a><\/span> \u2014 not counting ransomware costs. Meanwhile, <\/span>nearly 87% of businesses<\/a><\/span> grapple with a shortfall in IT security staff. This talent crunch severely threatens organizations\u2019 defenses against evolving cyber threats.<\/span><\/p>\n

Exploring the Overlap<\/h2>\n

Both CIO and CISO roles seek to optimize business outcomes, though we often take differing approaches. “Streamlined” and “secure” are frequently mutually exclusive, particularly if your organization lacks the right tools.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are several areas impacting <\/span>both <\/span><\/span>IT and security. Just two include:<\/span><\/p>\n

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