Not Your CISO, Metrics That Matter, and Talk Less (And Listen More!) – BSW #281

A study backed by researchers from MIT shows corporate boards are more focused on cyber risk, but are out of alignment with CISOs on key issues. - A wide gulf exists between perceptions of corporate board members and CISOs over the abilities of their companies to handle a cyberattack, according to a study by Proofpoint and Cybersecurity at MIT Sloan. - Almost two-thirds of board members said their organizations are at risk of a material cyberattack in the next 12 months, according to the research. By contrast, less than half of CISOs said their organizations were at risk of such an attack. - There are also mixed perceptions regarding how aligned the board is with CISOs. More than two-thirds of board members said they see eye-to-eye with CISOs in their organizations, while only half of CISOs feel the same way about their board members.

What if no one will be a CISO? If folks do not want to be a CISO, no one would care if organisations had a CISO role. It would be extinct pretty quickly...

The metrics that quantify cybersecurity’s contributions to a business’ resiliency and growth matter most. CISOs and their teams who own dashboards and present them to senior management must clearly define how cybersecurity contributes to business goals. Identifying which metrics best quantify what value security delivers to a business is a valuable skill every CISO must continually strengthen. Data, not stories or anecdotes, are table stakes for measuring security’s value to a business.

Deloitte and the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) today released their 2022 Cybersecurity Study, "State Cybersecurity in a Heightened Risk Environment." The survey captures responses from chief information security officers (CISOs) in all 50 states and three territories about current cybersecurity trends, challenges and opportunities. The survey found that state CISOs throughout the U.S. gained considerable strength and authority over the past few years, as they rapidly migrated government operations and services to a virtual environment and expedited digital transformations to meet the immediate needs of individuals and families. Due to the dedicated efforts of these CISOs, state agencies were able to continue providing high-quality service to their constituents, despite the challenges imposed by a global pandemic.

Growth in end-user cyber spending is being driven by the increase in remote and hybrid working models, the ongoing transition from virtual private networks (VPNs) to zero-trust network access (ZTNA) and the shift to cloud-based delivery models, according to statistics published by Gartner’s number-crunchers. The analyst said spending on security and risk management products and services will grow by 11.3% in 2023 to hit a new high of $188.336bn.

It’s easy to spend conversations mindlessly babbling and not really listening. Here’s how to stop talking so much for better social interactions: #1 Notice the signs that you’re talking too much #2 Add a roadblock #3 Avoid uptalking #4 Embrace the sound of silence #5 Ask more questions  #6 Be an active listener #7 Think of conversations like a tennis match #8 Check your ego #9 Speak more concisely  #10 Avoid filler words and phrases #11 Use a timer to excuse yourself #12 Overcome social awkwardness #13 Interrupt your impulses with this trick #14 Don’t overshare #15 Ask yourself this crucial question