The CISO Carousel’s Effect While Struggling to Get Budgets and Feel Free to Disagree – BSW #322

New Securities and Exchange Commission cyber incident reporting rules don't kick in until December, but experts say they highlight the need for greater collaboration between CISOs and the C-suite

CISO churn is a hidden cybersecurity threat. Major security initiatives or implementations can take longer than the residency of a single CISO, and constant churn can leave cracks or gaps in security.

After years of rapid growth, cybersecurity spending is starting to taper among enterprises, with a 65% fall in budget growth in the 2022-2023 budget cycle as global instability and inflationary pressures start to pinch, according to a study by IANS Research.

Organizations who pay a ransom to cyber-criminals following a cyber-attack are highly likely to suffer a subsequent attack. It is against this backdrop that one leading CISO has developed a new method to help business leaders decide whether to pay.

During the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit, Lorraine Dryland, CISO at First Sentier Investors presented her quantitative decision-aid. The model has been developed by Dryland and her colleagues to enable executives to make informed choices during time-critical ransomware incident scenarios.

More than three decades ago, the U.S. Army War College developed a framework for understanding how leaders succeed during times of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. The framework, known as VUCA, has been widely discussed and adopted since, but it turns out to be better at describing what successful leaders do than teaching all leaders how to succeed. The authors present an updated approach that has generated positive outcomes in military, business, and sports contexts.

These 4 methods make your communication more effective. Most are instant, some take more time.

• Practice active listening.
• Be clear and concise.
• Cultivate empathy.
• Reflect and improve.

Speaking up shouldn't equate to conflict; it's an opportunity for dialogue. However, there's an art to doing it effectively.

1. Know Your Stuff: If you're going to disagree, make sure you have facts, data, or clear reasoning to back up your viewpoint.

2. Be Respectful: Diplomacy wins the day. Being able to voice your opinion without attacking someone else's is a skill worth mastering.

3. Choose the Right Time: The middle of a presentation may not be the best moment. Gauge the room and decide when it's appropriate to interject.

4. Be Open to Dialogue: After you've voiced your opinion, be prepared for feedback and willing to engage in a constructive discussion.