CISO & CIO Think Tank

CIOs play a crucial role in driving their organization's digital transformation efforts. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital technologies, and CIOs must continue to lead the way to stay competitive and meet the evolving needs of customers and employees. This requires a deep understanding of the organization's goals, processes, and IT infrastructure, as well as collaboration with other business leaders. By successfully leading digital transformation, CIOs can position their company for long-term success in a digital world.

Bridging the gap between business and technology is not easy and requires discipline and balance between technology, people, and the business. For so many organizations today, technology is the business. Technology needs to be understood as a critical enabler in every part of the organization from the front line to the back office. It creates new value by crunching data to deliver new insights, it spurs innovation, and it disrupts traditional business models.

For business and technology leaders alike, new actions and behavioral changes can help their organizations make this shift. CIOs must take responsibility for problems, they should convey that when technology fails, many people typically share responsibility.

This session explores the intricate relationship of the UK and EU regulatory compliance in data protection, privacy concerns, artificial intelligence (AI), and ethical considerations in the contemporary digital landscape. It delves into how organizations and their partners must adhere to UK and EU regulations while leveraging AI-driven data insights and upholding ethical standards and individual privacy rights. The discussion will encompass the challenges, strategies, and emerging trends in this complex domain within the context of the UK and the European Union's regulatory landscape.

In the digital age, practicing good cyber hygiene is essential to maintaining the security and integrity of personal and business data. However, in 2023, the lack of basic cyber hygiene practices will continue to be a major cause of cyber incidents. Cybercriminals exploit these vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, steal data, and launch damaging cyber attacks. It's crucial for individuals and businesses to prioritize basic cyber hygiene practices, such as using strong passwords, regularly updating software, and backing up data. Additionally, individuals and businesses must educate themselves and their employees on cybersecurity best practices and the latest threats to stay ahead of the evolving threat landscape. By taking these proactive steps, individuals and businesses can protect themselves from cybercriminals who prey on poor cyber hygiene practices.

In today's digital landscape, social engineering attacks like phishing, Business Email Compromise (BEC), and Ransomware are increasingly prevalent. These cunning tactics rely on manipulating humans to gain unauthorized access to protected systems and sensitive data. As the frequency of such cyber-attacks rises, it is crucial to fortify your organization's last line of defense: the human firewall.

In this session we will look into case studies around:

• Regular, tailored security awareness training to educate employees about social engineering threats.
• Foster a reporting culture for prompt identification of suspicious activities.
• Strengthen password policies and use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce risks.

Threat intelligence is vital for Cloud detection and response, particularly in modern threat-hunting. To address the business need for robust security, the CISO must focus on obtaining actionable intelligence. This entails gathering real-time information on emerging threats, vulnerabilities, and attack methods specific to the Cloud. Such intelligence can be acquired from various sources, including security vendors, threat feeds, and incident response teams. By leveraging actionable intelligence, the CISO can enhance their organization's defense strategies, enabling proactive identification and mitigation of threats in Cloud environments

Cloud computing services have revolutionized business operations, but the threat of cloud vulnerabilities is increasing. To mitigate risks, businesses must implement robust security measures like multi-factor authentication and encryption. Automated detection systems like Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) are crucial for real-time monitoring. Regular training and adaptable defences are necessary due to the rapidly changing cloud landscape. Comprehensive incident response plans tailored to cloud environments are essential. By embracing these measures, organizations can protect themselves and their customers, ensuring a secure cloud environment and leveraging the benefits of cloud computing.

Many organizations struggle with how and where to introduce automation and integrations efficiently. Conventional approaches to application security can’t keep pace with cloud-native environments that use agile methodologies and API-driven architectures, microservices, containers, and serverless functions. Application security testing is evolving to meet the speed at which DevOps teams operate. DevSecOps teams are challenged with how to make sense of the noise their AppSec tools generate once they’ve been automated into DevOps pipelines.

Processes and tools are more fast-paced and rely on integration and automation to maintain efficiency throughout the software development life cycle. A new approach to DevSecOps is required addressing a change in the security mindset. How do CISOs achieve this without the buy-in from stakeholders?

The biggest fear is not the technology, it is the potential of human error that could expose your organization to a cyberattack. The majority of CISOs agree that an employee carelessly falling victim to a phishing scam is the most likely cause of a security breach. Most also agree that they will not be able to reduce the level of employee disregard for information security. How do we guard against human error without limiting employee efficiency and productivity?

Despite advancements in technology, human error remains one of the most significant causes of data breaches. Whether it's due to a bad day or intentional misconduct, a single vulnerability can lead to the theft of millions of pieces of sensitive information and even jeopardize an entire organization. According to a report by Verizon on data breaches, approximately 34 percent of all attacks can be directly or indirectly attributed to employees. Therefore, it is crucial to create a culture of awareness within the organization to safeguard data in every way possible. This involves educating employees on data security best practices and implementing stringent measures to prevent insider threats. By taking a proactive approach to data protection, organizations can mitigate risks and safeguard their reputation while maintaining the trust of their stakeholders.