Business leaders are speculating about the potential impact of a looming recession. The concerns about how an economic downturn could impact cybersecurity programs are real. Without the benefit of a crystal ball, experienced CISOs and security leaders must remember there have been challenging times before. CISOs and security leaders are not new to budget cuts or the need to justify investments without tangible top/bottom line returns.
The difference this time is that most security professionals are facing increasing scrutiny from regulators, lawyers, customers and shareholders. Stakeholders want assurance that we have the right levels of visibility, protection and response capabilities – regardless of the economic challenges being faced. Here are a few considerations for navigating challenging times and budget pressures under the spotlight of stakeholder scrutiny.