6 proactive strategies to guard against tomorrow’s threats today
A CISO’s guide to staying ahead of a constantly evolving threat landscape.
In today’s rapidly evolving cyber landscape, major incidents are no longer a question of “if,” but rather a “when.” To stay ahead, CISOs must proactively review their organization’s systems, data, and processes, compiling an inventory of the most critical assets and aligning them with realistic use cases. By predefining, accounting for, and documenting these assets, CISOs can craft effective business continuity and disaster recovery plans before a major incident occurs.
Consider these six essential actions CISOs should undertake to proactively and strategically stay on top of the right cyber controls and enhance their cyber defenses.
1 | Know and understand your critical assets
Maintain a clear and comprehensive inventory of your critical assets.
You can’t secure what you can’t see. Identifying your critical data and proprietary information is only the first step. Understanding its value and the business context in which it operates is equally important. This requires collaboration across departments to solidify a shared understanding of these imperatives.
Well-prepared CISOs ensure their business continuity plans include the right backups and ongoing monitoring and testing of controls, ensuring recovery efforts don’t turn into crises. It's about identifying and prioritizing organizational vulnerabilities and making sure everything is in place before an incident occurs.
2 | Focus on the right tools, not the shiny new tools
Prioritize and protect your most vital processes and data.
Many organizations get sidetracked by the allure of the latest technology, believing it will solve all their problems. While technologies like AI, blockchain, or quantum computing can be revolutionary, their real power is unlocked when you first understand and protect your critical assets, and then explore which tools are most appropriate to protect those resources. It’s not about having the newest hammer looking for a nail; it's about knowing precisely where to hammer.
Start by evaluating imperatives such as cloud and data security, false positives vs. real threats, identity and access management, and vulnerability management, to name just a few. Technology is vital but should be fit for specific purposes. Align technology with your organization’s overarching business strategy and the criticality of various processes to determine the tools you truly need and why.
3 | Move from reactive responses to proactive planning
Develop a coordinated, multi-faceted recovery strategy that integrates all business units.
Speed is critical in the cyber defense game—for both attackers and defenders. The difference between proactive organizations and those that are less disciplined often comes down to the time it takes to manage an effective recovery. Organizations that take a proactive approach can recover much faster from incidents.
While incident response is specialized work, recovery and resilience are multi-faceted, involving IT, operations, finance, communications, and HR. Coordinating and aligning all these components toward common security objectives are crucial. Being prepared means aligning disparate yet interdependent groups and understanding how security goals align with business objectives.
4 | Implement dynamic, real-time controls monitoring
Transition to dynamic, continuous monitoring for real-time assessment, adjustment, and threat adaptation.
Compliance is essential, but it doesn't stop a security breach. Organizations must shift from a compliance-only focus to a dynamic process of continuous controls monitoring. This means actively and continuously assessing and adjusting, enabling real-time observation and recalibration.
Adopting active, continuous controls monitoring allows CISOs to evolve their networks and tools proactively. This approach ensures that risk assessments remain dynamic, with constant observations and adjustments to current threats.
5 | Leverage AI for strategic advantage
Use AI thoughtfully for automation and enhanced oversight.
AI is not a silver bullet, but it is an invaluable tool when used intentionally. AI can layer in complex large language models, providing a deeper understanding of your environment and automating various tasks. This includes overseeing third-party vendors and suppliers, performing scenario modeling to detect anomalies, and executing real-world simulation exercises.
CISOs can use AI to quickly optimize key cyber tasks such as penetration testing and network traffic analysis. However, AI requires significant overhead and computing power. While it can be a powerful force multiplier, it should be used intentionally, with an expectation of enabling the ‘human in the loop.’
6 | Collaborate with broader business teams for shared resilience
Integrate cybersecurity with business goals and make it a shared responsibility across the organization.
Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue; it is an enterprise-wide concern. Modern cybersecurity frameworks require CISOs to understand and contribute to overarching business goals, ensuring that security facilitates—rather than hinders—business objectives.
Effective resilience hinges on CISOs demonstrating their impact on business outcomes and driving conversations with business teams. Security should be viewed as a shared responsibility across the organization.
Are You Prepared for the Next Cyber Threat?
Operational resilience requires understanding your environment, what’s critical to stakeholders—whether internal leadership, third-party vendors, or customers—and, most importantly, defending the ever-evolving ecosystem proactively. It is paramount to invest in the right controls, prioritize vulnerabilities, manage emerging threats like deepfakes and social engineering, ensure third-party security, and implement zero trust principles.
As the cyber landscape continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, being reactive is no longer sufficient. Protecting your business means staying constantly vigilant and prepared to tackle both today’s threats and tomorrow’s potential disruptions. CISOs who address their vulnerabilities proactively will lead companies that emerge stronger and more resilient in the face of adversity.
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Proactive cybersecurity to help you guard against tomorrow’s threats today
As cyber threats grow in sophistication, CISOs must navigate an increasingly complex landscape of risks and vulnerabilities. With expanding regulatory requirements and the continuous evolution of attack methods, maintaining a robust cybersecurity posture is more critical than ever.
At KPMG, we understand these challenges and provide targeted solutions to address them effectively. Today's CISOs need strategies that are both adaptable and multifaceted to stay ahead of ever-evolving threats. KPMG combines cutting-edge technology, actionable insights, and unparalleled expertise to help you prioritize and address your most critical cyber and tech risk challenges.
Our team leverages the latest in AI-driven analytics and industry best practices to deliver proactive, tailored solutions that fortify your security posture. Our cybersecurity and tech risk solutions are designed to enable your organization to anticipate threats, respond swiftly, and emerge stronger. From predictive threat intelligence to rapid incident response, KPMG is your partner in navigating cyber risk with confidence and agility.
KPMG Cyber and Tech Risk Services
Advanced Threat Detection
Stay ahead of sophisticated cyber adversaries with AI and machine learning that detect and mitigate threats before they can impact your operations. Our solutions offer real-time threat intelligence and automated response mechanisms to keep your defenses strong and adaptive.
Enhanced Access Management
Effective identity and access management (IAM) is critical for controlling access to your systems and data. Automating IAM processes improves security and operational efficiency, ensuring only authorized users have access based on stringent, dynamic policies.
Regulatory Compliance
Stay compliant with evolving regulations and standards such as GDPR, CCPA, and industry-specific mandates. Our compliance services minimize regulatory risks and potential fines while streamlining audit and reporting processes.
Data Protection and Privacy
Ensure the integrity and privacy of data wherever it resides – on-premises, in the cloud, or in hybrid environments. Our strategies encompass robust encryption, DLP solutions, and strict access controls to protect against breaches and unauthorized access.
Meet our team
Our KPMG Cyber and Tech Risk team offers clients unparalleled expertise and access to cutting-edge technology, ensuring robust protection against evolving cyber threats. By leveraging a unique blend of functional, industry, and technological experience, our professionals help organizations navigate the complex landscape of cybersecurity with confidence. Our specialists are skilled in areas such as AI-driven threat detection, cloud security, identity and access management, and advanced data privacy. We empower your organization to embrace technological advancements safely and confidently, transforming your cybersecurity posture from reactive to proactive.
