CIO/CSO PARTNERSHIP SURVEY

2015

Insights into the Evolving CIO/CSO Relationship

Purpose and Methodology

Survey Sample

Survey Method

CIO Survey

178 respondents

Collection

Online survey

CSO Survey

101 respondents

Number of
Questions

17 (CIO Survey)
13 (CSO Survey)

Survey Goal
To examine the relationship between the CIO and
CSO roles and gain insight into their competing
and common interests, as well as involvement in
emerging technologies and collaboration.

1
Source: CIO/CSO Partnership Survey, 2015

CIOs Sold on CSO Value

Is a CSO/CISO needed?
77%

23%

Yes

No

Q. Do you think a CSO/CISO or top security executive is needed at an organization to elevate the perception or focus on security? AND Q. Does your organization have a CSO/CISO or top
security executive?

2
Source: CIO/CSO Partnership Survey, 2015

Need for Security Drives Collaboration

38%
36%

Daily

27%

Weekly

42%
17%

Monthly

Quarterly

Annually

Never

13%
2%
4%
2%
3%
14%
2%

CIOs interacting with security executives

CSOs interacting with IT executives

Q. How often do you personally interact with your organizations CIO? AND Q. How often do you personally interact with you organizations CSO/CISO or top security executive? AND Q.
Should the IT and security functions be separate?

3
Source: CIO/CSO Partnership Survey, 2015

As Security Plays a Larger Tech Role,

Collaboration is Key
84%
89%

Audit issues and findings

78%

Mitigating existing risks

77%
81%

Mitigating emerging risks

76%

Compliance issues

83%

73%
75%

Building security into new technology solutions being adopted

55%

Third-party risks

73%

51%

Questions from the Board

48%

Technology vendor management

46%

Addressing shadow IT risks

37%

Staffing (search, train, retain, etc.)

36%

Discussions around who is responsible for security

Other

91%

7%

CIOs collaborating with CSOs

72%
62%

54%

49%
49%

12%

CSOs collaborating with CIOs

Q. On which of the following topics do you collaborate with your organizations CIO (and CSO/CISO or top security executive)?

4
Source: CIO/CSO Partnership Survey, 2015

CIO/CSO See Eye to Eye on Top LOB Security Risks

28%

They will adopt/implement new technologies or

services that may expose the business to undue risks

29%
24%

Users who are uneducated in, or ignore good security

practices

26%

They conduct business with other entities that have

poor security and thus expose our business to undue
risks

15%
24%
12%

They don't "get" security

They will misconfigure existing technologies,

exposing the business to undue risks

They are constantly going around security

Other

9%

8%
2%
8%
1%
5%
9%

CIOs

CSOs

Q. What is the single greatest risk posed to your enterprise by your lines of business (non-IT)?

5
Source: CIO/CSO Partnership Survey, 2015

Different Focus in Advising the Business on Security

CIOs
advising
LOB

CSOs
advising
LOB

Audit issues and findings

80% 1

73% 3

Mitigating existing risks

79% 2

76% 1

Compliance issues

76% 3

74% 2

Mitigating emerging risks

72% 4

69%

Building security into new tech

solutions being adopted

63% 5

63%

Addressing shadow IT risks

55%

41%

Questions from the Board

53%

39%

Third-party risks

52%

72% 4

Technology vendor management

44%

40%

Address questions from corporate

leadership

N/A

70% 5

Discussions around who is

responsible for security

41%

34%

Staffing

36%

17%

CIOs working with LOB on audit

issues and findings

CSO/CISOs working with LOB on

3rd party risk from business
partners and customers

Q. What do you collaborate with, or advise line of business executives on?

6
Source: CIO/CSO Partnership Survey, 2015

Continue the Conversation

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Yanovitch, VP, Marketing at IDG Enterprise syanovitch@idgenterprise.com
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