SIGNALInfrastructure Software·Jun 1, 2026, 9:59 AMSignal65Short term

Sumedh Thakar: CISOs need to think Shock, WoW, and "AWE"

Source: The Stack

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CISOs are now risk managers, argues Qualys' CEO. This means prioritising what threatens the business and thinking about windows of weaponisation, as well as...

Why this matters
Why now

The increasing sophistication of cyber threats and the expanding attack surface demand a more strategic, risk-aligned approach from CISOs, moving beyond purely technical concerns.

Why it’s important

This perspective highlights the evolving role of the CISO from a technical guardian to a business risk manager, directly impacting corporate strategy and resilience.

What changes

The CISO role is being redefined to prioritize business continuity and financial impact over just technical security metrics, requiring a new skill set and executive-level integration.

Winners
  • · Cybersecurity Solutions Providers
  • · CISOs with business acumen
  • · Enterprise Risk Management firms
Losers
  • · CISOs focused solely on technical operations
  • · Organizations without integrated risk management
  • · Legacy security vendors
Second-order effects
Direct

Companies will invest more in integrated risk management platforms and training for their security leadership.

Second

Cybersecurity will become a more frequent agenda item for board meetings, influencing overall business strategy and investment decisions.

Third

The market will see a convergence of cyber insurance, risk consulting, and technical security services as the 'risk manager' CISO role matures.

Editorial confidence: 90 / 100 · Structural impact: 40 / 100
Original report

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