A new report titled the “CISO Survival Guide” has been released, aiming to provide insights on how modern enterprises can efficiently secure their organizations amidst the evolving challenges of identity management, data protection, software supply chain integrity, and cloud migration. The report is the result of qualitative and quantitative research conducted by influential cybersecurity investors, including Cisco Investments, Forgepoint Capital, NightDragon, and Team8.
One of the major focuses of the report is identity management, with several key findings highlighted. Among them is the lack of a unified platform across Identity Access Management (IAM), Identity and Administration Governance (IGA), and Privileged Access Management (PAM) as a significant pain point for Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs). Technology startups are urged to develop solutions that address this issue, as it is an area of future interest.
Another finding revolves around Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM), which is expected to gain greater prominence in the medium-term. Many organizations are currently relying on the native offerings of their cloud security providers (CSPs) to manage their cloud infrastructure entitlements effectively.
Moreover, the report emphasizes the importance of startups maintaining a focus on practicality and scalability instead of getting caught up in trendy acronyms. CISOs are in the process of transitioning to hybrid and cloud infrastructures, and therefore, innovative solutions that prioritize stable architecture and end-user experience are needed to engage this target audience effectively.
The report acknowledges the challenges faced by organizations as the digital enterprise continues to evolve. It highlights the need for solutions that are compatible with hybrid environments, secure Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications, and facilitate the transition to password-less platforms. These are just a few examples of the numerous challenges organizations encounter as they navigate the complex identity management landscape.
The report also explores how startups are driving innovation in the areas of password-less and continuous access, converging authentication/governance/privileged access, end-to-end multi-cloud identity detection and response, continuous SaaS-app security, account takeover and session hijack prevention, and active and cloud directory security.
Additionally, the guide features findings from a commissioned IDG report, which surveyed 100 IT security decision-makers from various industries. The results show that 85% of respondents prioritize investments in IAM over other security solutions. Many organizations invest in identity management to reduce security costs or meet the demands of an increasingly complex environment. When selecting a modern, next-generation identity platform, ease of integration was cited as a key criterion by 21% of participants. Furthermore, the report highlights that changing identity platforms was the primary reason for companies failing to achieve their IAM goals according to 53% of respondents.
The guide emphasizes the increasing complexity of securing all assets as digital enterprises expand. Cisco aims to address this challenge proactively by exploring, supporting, and partnering with emerging technology startups in the identity management space. The organization is committed to delivering on its promise that if a system or device is connected, it will be protected.
While identity management is a significant component of the report, it covers various other topics related to data and collaboration, software supply chain, and cloud security. The comprehensive report features perspectives from CISOs, startup investors, and customers. To access the full report, please visit the provided link.