Proofpoint released a report that surveyed 1,600 CISOs worldwide in order to shed light on their experiences, insights and predictions. The report found that 70% of CISOs feel vulnerable to a material cyberattack; however, only 43% feel unprepared to manage a cyberattack. 

A notable finding from the report is that a majority of CISOs are concerned about human error. 74% of CISOs view their own people as their organization’s largest vulnerability, and 87% are planning to utilize AI-driven solutions to defend against human-centered threats. Furthermore, out of the security leaders that reported dealing with the loss of sensitive data (46%), 73% of those losses were attributed to employees leaving the organization. 

Key CISO sentiments revealed in the report include: 

• 59% believe their abilities to make critical investments for their businesses are impeded by the current economic downturn
• 62% state that their organization would pay ransom to prevent data exposure and restore systems in the event of a ransomware incident. 
• 66% express concern about personal liability for cyber incidents. 
• 79% are relying on cyber insurance claims to rebound from potential losses. 
• 84% are confident that their board members agree with them on cybersecurity issues.