Senior Executives ‘Finally Becoming Aware’ of Cybersecurity Risks, Says Gartner

Senior executives are “finally becoming aware that cybersecurity has a significant impact on the ability to achieve business goals and protect corporate reputation,” and that’s a top “security and risk management trends” to watch, said Gartner Tuesday. Cybersecurity “is a board-level topic and an essential part of any solid digital business strategy,” it said. Business leaders “have not always been receptive to this message,” but a recent string of “high-profile incidents,” including the Equifax data breach, changed all that, it said. “Business leaders and senior stakeholders at last appreciate security as much more than just tactical, technical stuff done by overly serious, unsmiling types in the company basement," said Gartner. “Security organizations must capitalize on this trend by working closer with business leadership and clearly linking security issues with business initiatives that could be affected.”