The C-suite has a cybersecurity communication gap

With security breaches on the rise and customers valuing trustworthiness, CEOs need closer contact with their information security chiefs.

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CISOs ranking positions in the organisation by degree of contact, %

10% of CISOs

name the CEO as the position with whom they have the least contact

21% of CISOs

name the CEO among the three positions with whom they have the least contact

CISOs ranking CEO among their three positions of least contact, by region

Eastern Europe
28%
Western Europe
27%
Asia-Pacific
21%
North America
19%

With cyberattacks on the rise and security breaches increasingly being regarded as a violation of trust, CEOs have to work closely with chief information security officers to develop and communicate effective cybersecurity strategies. But data from PwC’s 2022 Global Digital Trust Insights Survey shows that close collaboration doesn’t seem to be happening. When CISOs were asked to name which position in the organization they had the least contact with, 10% said CEOs. And about one-fifth of CISOs cited CEOs as being among the three leaders with which they had the least contact. To close this gap, CEOs have to take the time to build relationships and act as trusted partners to CISOs. By doing so, they can empower the CISO and security teams to equip employees with the necessary skills and mindset to keep the company and its assets secure. 

Learn how to pass the cybersecurity leadership test

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Richard  Horne

Richard Horne

Partner, Cyber Security Chair, PwC United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 777 555 3373

Sean Joyce

Sean Joyce

Partner, Global Cybersecurity and Privacy Leader, PwC United States

Naren Kalyanaraman

Naren Kalyanaraman

Partner, Cybersecurity, Privacy and Financial Crime National Leader, PwC Canada, PwC Canada

Alvin Madar

Alvin Madar

Partner, Cybersecurity, Privacy and Financial Crime and National Cybersecurity Leader, PwC Canada

Tel: +1 604 806 7603

​Jordan Prokopy

​Jordan Prokopy

National Privacy Practice Leader, PwC Canada

Tel: +1 416 869 2384

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