Trellix Corp.Endpoint SecuritySecurity Transformation
Partner Contribution • • 4 minute read

Partner POV | Understanding the CISO's Struggle

Many CISOs and their teams face significant challenges due to the overwhelming array of security tools available today. XDR (Extended Detection and Response) not only simplifies security operations but also delivers superior outcomes in threat detection, incident response, and overall cybersecurity posture.

In this article

  1. The invisible hero 
  2. The top 5 CISO challenges 
  3. Drowning in security tools 
  4. Empowering the protector 
  5. Building the SOC of the future 
  6. Rising up in the SecOps revolution with XDR 

This article was created and contributed by our partner, Trellix.

 The invisible hero 

CISOs juggle many responsibilities to keep their organizations secure. In the day-to-day, they oversee SOC staff, ensure their employees receive proper training, and report back to other business leaders. 

On a larger scale, they manage their organization's cybersecurity program, align to business goals, and build a culture of strong information security. 

Clearly, these are monumental tasks. Especially in a field that's impacted by constant innovation of both security pros and malicious actors. Not to mention, organizations continue to transform and grow, requiring CISOs to adapt to stay one step ahead of evolving security needs. 

Despite working so hard, this is often a thankless role. CISOs are invisible when a hundred things go smoothly, because that's what's expected. Much like being a goalkeeper, you could save nearly every shot in a game. But when one slips past you and your team loses 1-0, you shoulder all the blame. 

 The top 5 CISO challenges 

In such a complex role, CISOs face many hurdles. According to our survey, here are the 5 biggest CISO challenges. 

  • Too many different sources of information
  • Changing regulatory mandates and legal landscape
  • Growing attack surface (remote workers, supply chain, etc.)
  • A shortage of skilled staff (and ability to retain/recruit talent)
  • A lack of buy-in and use from other parts of the company

What do these challenges have in common? All five are made worse when the wrong technology is in place. And it's a sad reality, with over half of organizations (51%) planning to maintain or grow their investment in outdated tools like SIEM. 

 Drowning in security tools 

Organizations are doing the best they can with the tools they have. But SOC teams are flooded with alerts. They lack what they need to prioritize what matters most. And they generally don't have the visibility required to respond in a timely manner. 

Plus, as organizations hold on to technological debt and continue to add more tools, they end up with a disparate mix and too many products. More than half of all organizations (58%) use more than 20 security solutions. And even with so many tools, only 34% of CISOs say they have what they need for their organizations to be cyber resilient. 

Instead of making things easier, this onslaught of inadequate tools adds work for CISOs and SOC teams. They spend valuable time on tedious manual tasks and work late to catch up. 

Not only do they spend extra time, but the wrong tools lead to more stress. In their current or past role, 86% of CISOs have managed a major cybersecurity incident. When a breach happens, 72% feel fully or mostly accountable. And they report feeling "worried" and "under pressure" as they resolve the incident. 

 Empowering the protector 

The challenges CISOs face are significant and come with a lot of pressure. But CISOs also reliably show dedication, intelligence, and deep expertise that proves they're up to the task of improving resiliency. In fact, according to survey respondents, their number one motivator is "the changing nature of the challenges." 

CISOs flock toward security leadership to protect. They're inspired to take on the role to keep people, data, and other critical assets safe. Not surprisingly, the number one descriptor they identify with is "protector." 

This mindset makes for an outstanding CISO. But it's not enough to simply want to overcome the changing nature of security challenges or keep evolving threats at bay. Part of being an effective protector is the willingness to invest in improving security tools and processes. 

 Building the SOC of the future 

Many of the qualities that CISOs wish their solutions offered—like better visibility, accuracy, and prioritization—are an inherent part of extended detection and response (XDR). With the right XDR platform, organizations can leave the troubles of the past behind. 

Yesterday, CISOs struggled to make sense of all their data with no single source of truth. They grappled to comply
with constantly changing regulatory requirements. And they scrapped to defend the business with an inadequate number of staff. But guess what? Yesterday's over. 

Now, you can simplify the cybersecurity experience—building the SOC of the future and taking on today's top challenges through the power of XDR. 

 Rising up in the SecOps revolution with XDR 

Your hardworking SecOps team is primed for change and ready to work smarter, not harder. At Trellix, one of our goals is to enable next-level capabilities with the right technology, so your employees can be more efficient and your organization's security approach can be more effective. 

The Trellix XDR platform: 

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