CISOs face pressure to withhold reporting compliance issues
Security is serious business. No executive likes surprises, especially when they come with regulatory fines, lawsuits, and damaged reputations. But here’s the problem—21% of CISOs have been pressured not to report compliance issues.
Cybersecurity compliance is the foundation of trust between companies, customers, and regulators. But some executives, under pressure to maintain smooth operations and avoid scrutiny, see compliance as an inconvenience rather than a necessity. Instead of fixing security gaps, they push CISOs to keep quiet. Not wise.
The good news? CISOs aren’t passively sitting back. The report found that 59% would blow the whistle if their company ignored compliance. That tells you that this isn’t a minor issue. When nearly two-thirds of security leaders are willing to take drastic action, it means there’s a serious disconnect between cybersecurity leadership and the broader executive team.
This gap is rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of what security and compliance entail. Many board members underestimate the complexity and effort required to maintain compliance. They assume it’s a simple, automated process when, in reality, it requires constant monitoring, threat assessment, and adaptation to ever-changing regulations.
“The reality is, if your security team isn’t being fully transparent about risks, your company is already compromised.”
CISOs are gaining leadership power, but misalignment remains
Cybersecurity has finally made it to the boardroom—sort of. The report shows that 82% of CISOs now report directly to the CEO, up from 47% just last year. That’s a massive shift. It means businesses are recognizing that security is a core business function.
But here’s the problem: having a seat at the table doesn’t mean everyone’s speaking the same language. While 83% of CISOs now attend board meetings, strategic alignment is still lacking. Executives want security to align with business goals, but CISOs are buried in technical execution—choosing, installing, and managing security systems. There’s a disconnect between what the board thinks CISOs are doing and what they’re actually doing.
Security leaders also face a growing wave of cyber threats. The report found that 94% of CISOs experienced a disruptive cyberattack, and more than half faced multiple incidents. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Despite this, many board members still don’t see cybersecurity as a top priority. They acknowledge it’s important, but when it comes time to allocate budgets and resources, other priorities take precedence.
The reality is that CISOs are responsible both for protecting data and the company itself. The fact that they’re now in boardrooms is a step in the right direction, but until security is fully integrated into business strategy, the risk remains high.
CISOs and boards don’t see eye to eye on security priorities
Alignment between CISOs and boards sounds great in theory. In practice, it’s a mess. The report found that while 52% of board members think CISOs are primarily focused on aligning security with business goals, only 34% of CISOs agree. That’s a 20-point gap in perception—essentially, board members assume security leaders are working toward business objectives when, in reality, they’re deep in the weeds of security implementation.
The issue here is priorities. Over half of CISOs (52%) see emerging technologies as a top priority, but only 33% of board members agree. Same story with workforce development: 51% of CISOs say upskilling security teams is critical, but only 27% of boards think it matters as much.
Then there’s also compliance. Most CISOs see it as a baseline requirement—not a strategic driver. Just 15% consider compliance a top performance metric, whereas 45% of board members think it’s a key indicator of security effectiveness. The problem? Compliance doesn’t necessarily mean security. You can be compliant and still be completely vulnerable to attacks.
This misalignment has real consequences. If CISOs and boards aren’t aligned on security priorities, funding decisions suffer, response times slow down, and organizations remain exposed.
“Cybersecurity needs to be viewed less as an IT problem and more as a business-wide initiative. And that starts with getting everyone on the same page.”
CISOs overestimate how well they communicate with boards
CISOs think they’re doing a great job communicating security needs. The board disagrees. That’s a problem.
According to the report, 61% of CISOs believe they are aligned with board members on security strategy, but only 43% of board members share that confidence. When it comes to reporting security progress, 44% of CISOs think they communicate well, but just 29% of board members agree. That’s a fundamental breakdown in communication.
It has a real business impact too. One of the biggest consequences of this misalignment is budgeting. While only 29% of CISOs feel they receive adequate budgets, 41% of board members believe they’re already funding security sufficiently. That’s a massive gap in expectations, and it’s leading to dangerous underinvestment.
The result? Cybersecurity upgrades get delayed, and when security takes a backseat, bad things happen. The report found that 62% of CISOs who postponed technology upgrades due to budget constraints later suffered a successful cyberattack. Not a coincidence.
The takeaway here is simple: CISOs need to be clearer, more direct, and more data-driven in their communication with boards. Talking about threats isn’t enough—boards need to understand the financial impact of security failures. The more CISOs can frame security in terms of business risk, the more effective their communication will be.
CISOs need to sell cybersecurity as a business enabler
If you want buy-in from executives, you need to show them the upside. Cybersecurity is often seen as a cost center—something that companies invest in to avoid disaster. That’s the wrong way to think about it. Security enables growth.
The report found that 44% of boards prioritize business growth over cybersecurity, and only 24% see security initiatives as a key focus. That’s a problem, but it’s also an opportunity. The key is framing cybersecurity as a driver of business value, not just a defensive mechanism.
Right now, only 43% of CISOs take this approach. That means the majority are still discussing security in terms of threats, vulnerabilities, and risk. But here’s what actually resonates with board members: numbers. 64% of boards say the most effective way to secure funding is by presenting security as a business enabler—something that protects revenue, improves customer trust, and ensures continuity.
Another 46% of boards are convinced by hard financials—showing the cost of potential breaches, regulatory fines, and downtime. In other words, security needs to be sold as a financial decision, not just a technical one.
If CISOs want to get the budgets they need, they need to speak the board’s language. Cybersecurity is defined by resilience, stability, and long-term business success. It’s time to change the narrative.
Key executive takeaways
- Compliance and transparency: Over 21% of CISOs have faced pressure to hide compliance issues, undermining both security and ethical standards. Leaders must enforce a culture of transparency and accountability to ensure compliance challenges are promptly addressed.
- Strategic alignment in the boardroom: Despite increased CISO presence at the executive level, misalignment persists between technical realities and board expectations regarding priorities and budgets. Decision-makers should foster closer collaboration to align cybersecurity initiatives with broader business objectives.
- Data-driven cyber risk communication: A significant gap exists in how CISOs and board members perceive security progress, with many CISOs feeling under-resourced compared to board assessments. Leaders should implement data-driven, business-focused communication strategies to clearly articulate risk impacts and secure necessary investments.
- Cybersecurity as a business enabler: Viewing cybersecurity solely as a defensive cost limits its potential to drive business growth. Executives must reframe security investments in terms of protecting revenue, enhancing operational resilience, and enabling long-term strategic success.
