A survey from Gartner reveals only 14% of security leaders can balance data security with business objectives for said data. The survey was conducted from June through August in 2024, gathering responses from 318 senior security leaders across the globe, featuring organizations of various industries and sizes. 

“With only 14% of SRM leaders able to secure their data while supporting business goals, many organizations can face increased vulnerability to cyber threats, regulatory penalties, and operational inefficiencies, ultimately risking their competitive edge and stakeholder trust,” says Nathan Parks, Sr Specialist, Research at Gartner.

Additionally, while 35% of security leaders can secure data assets and 21% can leverage data to achieve business goals, only one in seven can do both effectively.

The report offers five key actions that security leaders can take to protect data while enabling business goals. 

1. Establish processes to co-create data security polices with end users, inviting feedback and reducing governance-related obstacles. 
2. Partner with internal functions to identify overlaps and align data security governance efforts. 
3. Detail security requirements for when the business is managing previously unknown data security risks. 
4. Develop guardrails around generative AI decision making (such as when to use an AI tool). 
5. Work with data and analytics teams on data security initiatives.