The threat of cyberattacks dominated IT news in 2022 and forced chief information security officers and CIOs to work closer together than ever before, The Wall Street Journal reported Sept. 30.
A number of factors, including the continued relevance of remote work, the increased sophistication of cybercriminal groups and the Russian war on Ukraine, led to a heightened cyber threat environment in 2022, and many CIOs took a more active role in cybersecurity matters.
"The CIO's role in cybersecurity has continued to grow over the years," Cigna CIO Noelle Eder told the Journal. "But I think what this year reflects is a pretty massive shift."
In healthcare, the increased connectivity between devices, such as health apps and patient monitors, forced CIOs to take an increased interest in cybersecurity.
As CIOs take this more hands-on approach, it forces some organizations to define C-suite tech responsibilities more clearly.
For CISOs, the growing importance of cybersecurity to an organization's bottom line is giving them new corporate responsibility and narrowing the gap in compensation between CISO and CIO.