With business and technology becoming increasingly intertwined, organizations are being forced to rethink how they look at digital security. Once overlooked or viewed as a mere afterthought, today it has become a business-critical necessity. As a result, organizations across industry lines are racing to improve their security postures.

What are the most important areas for a CISO to focus on? When speaking to Aman Sood, it becomes clear that the job of a CISO encompasses every aspect of a business. Aman is the Head of Cyber Security with Jimdo, a website building platform that helps small businesses start, grow, and ultimately thrive online. Aman is also the Cyber Security Group Chairman for ISITC Europe CIC, a non-profit industry body and a catalyst for collaborative innovation within the capital markets.

With companies in virtually every industry facing persistent and increasing cyber security threats, federal regulators are taking steps to protect customers and investors. In March, the SEC proposed new cyber security transparency rules that would require publicly traded companies to disclose, among other things, the cyber security expertise—or lack thereof—among their board members. This is despite the evidence that it is a recognized risk within businesses.

While cybersecurity risks are similar across the board for any IT leader, it's down to each CISO to decide what takes priority. Before doing that, they need to assess the risks and plan accordingly for them. Unfortunately, many businesses don't do this. A 2022 UpCity study – the Small Business Cybersecurity Survey Investigations Report – found that only 50% of SMBs have a cybersecurity plan.

In the two years proceeding from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the business world has been transformed on a grand scale. Organizations have created more data than ever before, data is now spread across a wider attack surface, putting it at a heightened risk of becoming a compromised risk. The manner and location of data storage and correspondence has had to shift to meet the needs of remote and hybrid workers, with companies being forced to take a more rigorous approach to data security.