Evanta CISO Leadership Perspectives


Insights from Evanta’s Proprietary Survey
March 2024

Each year, Evanta conducts a proprietary Leadership Perspective Survey among all of the members of our C-level communities globally. Executives from the world’s leading organizations share their mission critical priorities and planned spending for the year ahead, enabling us to highlight trends and develop content based on the real-time needs of members.

In 2024, CISOs across Evanta’s 36 communities are managing evolving threats and trying to improve their organizations’ operational resilience. Similar to their CIO peers, CISOs are facing demands for growth and productivity and managing the high expectations around AI. The CISO role continues to be highly visible as leaders of the holistic risk management strategy.

More than 1,100 CISOs have shared their top priorities and planned spending areas in our annual survey – here’s what they are reporting. 
 

Operating Budgets Remain Steady

Forty-eight percent of CISOs say that their operating budgets will remain the same in 2024 as they were last year, and 36% report that their budget increased. Even with some lingering economic uncertainty, most security executives – 84% – have the same or more budget than last year. 


Planned Investments to Increase or Stay the Same

In alignment with their operating budgets, CISOs say that their planned spending on technology and services will increase (38%) or remain the same (45%) this year. Only 17% expect their planned spending to decrease year over year.


Investing in Identity Access Management

Forty-four percent of CISOs say they will invest in IAM/MFA/Zero Trust in 2024. Thirty-seven percent cite Generative & Traditional AI as a spending area, and relatively similar percentages (34%) of CISOs say they will invest in Governance, Risk & Compliance, Cloud Security/CASB and Data Loss Prevention.


Focusing on User Access and AI 

In a new development this year, User Access, IAM & Zero Trust has replaced Cloud Security, Strategy, & Architecture as the number one functional priority for CISOs, with Cloud Strategy coming in at number two. Generative & Traditional AI – a new answer option in this year’s survey – moved into the top five priorities for CISOs in 2024. 

 

Topics of Interest

In the survey, CISOs cite what they most want to discuss at Evanta events in 2024. These are the trending topics:

  • Cybersecurity Leadership & Influence
  • Securing Artificial Intelligence Adoption
  • CISO Role Evolution
  • Communicating with the Board
  • Shaping a Secure Culture


To learn more about sponsoring Evanta C-level events and communities and how our proprietary data can help you connect with C-level decision makers, contact us.

 

Based on 1,100+ CISO responses from Evanta’s proprietary Leadership Perspective Survey, March 2024.
 

 


by C-Level, for C-Level



Become a Sponsor.

LEARN MORE