70% of CISOs fear their org faces cyber attack risk

TLDR:

Chief information security officers (CISOs) worldwide are increasingly worried about the risk of material cyber attacks on their organizations, with 70% expressing concerns. The top threats identified include ransomware, malware, email fraud, and insider threats. A significant number of CISOs feel unprepared for an attack, and many are considering paying ransom to prevent data leaks. While there have been some encouraging trends, such as increased cybersecurity representation at the board level, CISOs are also facing unrealistic expectations and personal liability concerns. Overall, the survey highlights the growing challenges and pressures faced by CISOs in the digital age.

Full Article:

Chief information security officers around the globe are nervously looking over the horizon, as a survey of 1,600 CISOs revealed that more than two-thirds (70%) worry their organization is at risk of a material cyber attack over the next 12 months. This number has increased from 68% the previous year and 48% in 2022.

The survey, conducted by Proofpoint, targeted CISOs from organizations with at least 1,000 employees across 16 countries, highlighting concerns about cyber threats and the preparedness of organizations to handle them. Key findings from the survey include:

• Nearly a third of CISOs believe a significant attack is “very likely” in the next 12 months.
• 43% report that their organization is unprepared for an attack, despite some improvement from the previous year.
• The top threats identified by CISOs include ransomware, malware, email fraud, cloud account compromise, insider threats, and DDoS attacks.
• 62% of CISOs stated they would likely pay a ransom to restore systems and prevent data leaks in the case of a ransomware attack.
• Encouraging trends noted in the report include increased cybersecurity representation at the board level and a closer alignment between CISOs and board members.
• However, a growing number of CISOs feel there are excessive expectations placed on them, with 66% citing unrealistic expectations and 53% experiencing burnout in the past year.
• Concerns about personal, financial, and legal liability in their role have also increased, with 66% of global CISOs expressing such worries.

Overall, the survey paints a picture of the challenges faced by CISOs in an increasingly complex and risky digital landscape, where cyber threats continue to evolve, and the pressure on security leaders to protect their organizations intensifies.