Trends Report

CISOs Reporting To CEOs Solves Most Cybersecurity Problems

Enterprise IT Has Held Cybersecurity Back Long Enough

February 21st, 2023
Jeff Pollard, VP, Principal Analyst
Jeff Pollard VP, Principal Analyst
With contributors:
Joseph Blankenship , Jess Burn , Allie Mellen , Zachary Dallas , Jen Barton

Summary

Until recently, most security leaders were C-level in title only, proxied away from the executive leadership team and board of directors by reporting to IT leaders: CIOs, vice presidents, or IT directors. This report segments security leader reporting structures into three groups: IT, CEO-aligned, and risk-aligned using Forrester’s Security Survey, 2022. Reporting to the CEO unlocks security’s ability to contribute meaningfully to the company’s strategic objectives and leads to a better culture on security teams. Security leaders can use this report to compare how reporting structures impact security programs to make the argument that they should report directly to the CEO.

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