Council Post: The New Boardroom Mandate: Data Security As A Strategic Priority

Ravi Ithal, GVP and CTO, Proofpoint DSPM Group. Ravi was also a cofounder of Netskope.

It will come as no surprise to anyone reading this article: data security isn’t just an IT issue anymore—it’s become one of the most critical priorities in boardrooms worldwide. If that is news to anyone, they are in for a few more surprises.

High-profile breaches and regulatory changes have made it clear that protecting data goes hand in hand with business survival. It’s not just about keeping the lights on; it’s about keeping your reputation intact and your operations resilient.

One major driving force behind this change is the understanding that a single breach could bring an entire organization to its knees. And it’s no longer the realm of just the IT department—the board is deeply involved, and the role of the chief information security officer (CISO) has never been more central to business success. Today’s CISOs are often asked to be as strategic as they are technical, balancing security risks with long-term business goals.

The CISO’s Evolving Role: More Than Just A Gatekeeper

CISOs are now key players in the boardroom. They must anticipate and manage various challenges, including keeping up with regulatory compliance, building customer trust and managing risk in increasingly complex IT environments. CISOs have become the bridge between security and business, ensuring that security measures aren’t just about reducing risk, but also about driving business value.

Adapting To New Threats: AI And Cloud Security

Businesses today are facing more complexity than ever, especially with the shift to hybrid and multicloud environments. Security teams need to manage data spread across different platforms, from on-premise servers to cloud services, all while ensuring they stay secure. Adding AI into the mix creates even more challenges. While AI can help organizations analyze vast amounts of data, it can also be a tool for more sophisticated cyberattacks, with AI-driven threats slipping through traditional security measures.

CISOs need to ensure security by design, making it a foundational part of everything the company does—from product development to customer interactions. The goal is to shift from reactive security to proactive measures that safeguard data in real time.

Looking Forward: Future-Proofing Your Business

Data security might feel like a moving target, but there are tangible steps leaders can take to prepare. Here are 10 best practices to help organizations stay ahead of the game:

Start With Visibility: You can’t protect what you don’t know exists. Conduct regular data inventories to map out what sensitive data you have, where it’s located and who has access. Blind spots are your biggest enemy—don’t let shadow IT or abandoned data catch you off guard.

Elevate Your Team: Security is only as strong as the people behind it. Invest in upskilling your team through specialized training and certifications to ensure they stay ahead of emerging threats. Incentivize cross-team collaboration between IT, security and business units to break down silos and create a more unified approach to data protection. After all, a team that understands both security risks and business priorities is a force multiplier for your organization.

Modernize Your Security Stack: Legacy security tools often work in isolation, lacking the intelligence needed to keep up with evolving threats. Modern tools powered by AI and advanced analytics can offer better insights, identify patterns and make real-time adjustments to enhance blocking and detection. For example, integrating predictive threat intelligence or anomaly detection can empower firewalls, endpoint protection systems and email gateways to block smarter, not harder. The result? A more dynamic and proactive approach to protecting your business.

Address Technical Debt: Outdated systems, patchwork solutions and neglected upgrades create vulnerabilities that attackers love to exploit. Addressing technical debt isn’t just an IT housekeeping issue; it’s a security imperative. Leaders must prioritize updating aging systems, decommissioning unsupported software and consolidating overlapping tools to reduce complexity. By proactively tackling technical debt, organizations can reduce risk, improve operational efficiency and create a more scalable foundation for future growth.

Embed Security In The Culture: Security shouldn’t just be the CISO’s job—it’s everyone’s job. Leaders can set the tone by treating security as a companywide responsibility. Provide regular training for employees, so they know how to spot phishing attacks or understand why good password hygiene matters. Security awareness isn’t a one-and-done checkbox; it’s an ongoing commitment.

Invest In Automation: The pace of cyber threats makes manual processes unsustainable. Leverage automated tools for data discovery, anomaly detection and incident response. Not only do they free up your team’s time, but they also reduce the chance of human error.

Plan For The Worst: Breaches happen, even with the best defenses in place. Having a robust incident response plan is nonnegotiable. Test it regularly, and make sure the entire leadership team knows what to do when things go south. Speed matters in a crisis, and the time to figure out who to call isn’t when you’re already under attack.

Think “Continuous” Compliance: Checking the regulatory box isn’t enough. Compliance is the floor, not the ceiling. The best security strategies go beyond “what’s required” and focus on long-term resilience. Are you ready to handle the next new regulation—or worse, the next unexpected attack?

Collaborate At The Top: CISOs, CIOs and business leaders need to speak the same language. Security isn’t just a technology problem; it’s a business risk. Align security strategies with business objectives to ensure every initiative is moving in the same direction.

Leverage Data As A Strategic Asset: Too often, data security is viewed as a defensive measure, but it can also be a driver of competitive advantage. Securely harnessing data opens the door to innovation and allows for smarter business decisions and expansion into new markets with confidence.

The Bottom Line

As businesses embrace more digital technologies, cybersecurity is critical to long-term success. Companies that weave security into the fabric of their business strategy will not only meet regulatory demands but also create a more resilient operation that can handle future challenges.

By investing in a security-first mindset and empowering CISOs as key business strategists, companies can navigate the evolving digital landscape while staying ahead of the competition.

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