Focus on future risks
A board of directors is expected to focus not only on current risks but also on future scenarios. These include, for example, regulating the ethical use of AI, understanding the impact of data misuse, and preparing for the effects of quantum computing. The board will be responsible and even held liable for the secure and regulated handling of data. These are no longer abstract issues. Therefore, they should already be on the CISO’s agenda as future technological challenges.
The use of AI has increased in companies, and executives are now responsible for data usage. While quantum computing is still in its early stages, the risks this future technology poses to today’s encryption methods already make it a necessary component of any long-term planning. Many CISOs are already seizing the opportunity to raise the issue with the board and explain what measures will be necessary to protect data in the foreseeable future.
The power of numbers
The financial structure is just as important as the strategic approach. As companies continue to move from hardware-intensive architectures to cloud-native SaaS models, the economics of security are changing. Costs are shifting from capital expenditures to operating expenses. While this may initially lead to a decrease in EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization), it also eliminates hardware replacement cycles, improves forecast accuracy, and reduces long-term total cost of ownership.