Cybersecurity Is Not the Center of Everything—And That’s OK

Why It’s Not the Business Epicenter—And How Agentic AI Will Streamline Security for Tomorrow

One recurring mistake many CISOs make is believing cybersecurity sits at the absolute center of all business operations. For years, cybersecurity professionals have been led to think that our field drives every facet of the company. But as we’ve learned, that notion is flat-out wrong. Cybersecurity is not the be-all and end-all of business. It’s a cost most organizations are willing to shoulder only because regulators or compliance frameworks demand it—or because it’s part of the bare minimum needed to acquire or retain clients.

Why the CISO Shouldn’t Report Directly to the CEO

CISOs have no business reporting directly to CEOs. The fact is, a CEO already has a full plate. Beyond basic oversight every quarter or twice a year (depending on company size and needs), cybersecurity should be managed by a structure that enables it to align with business goals—but not overshadow them.

CISOs should:

• Report quarterly to the board of directors.

• Work alongside audit teams on compliance and regulatory tasks.

• Support product development, secure application development, and secure operations.

• Collaborate with legal, finance, and other departments to maintain minimal risk and maximize resilience for the inevitable day a cybersecurity incident occurs.

If you talk to CEOs—especially in large enterprises—you’ll hear a common refrain: they want a competent CISO who works seamlessly with the rest of the organization. Most CEOs don’t want to dwell on cybersecurity. If they see the CISO in their office every other day, it usually means the company is having a really bad time.

The Financial Sector as a Cybersecurity Archetype

Let’s look at the financial industry: arguably the most mature and well-funded cybersecurity sector. Banks were some of the first to adopt computing technology and to recognize the dire consequences of data falling into a criminal’s hands. Over time, regulations—federal, state, local, and industry-driven—piled up. Budgets ballooned. Cyber teams expanded and innovated.

Today, look at JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, or Morgan Stanley, and you’ll see robust, highly structured security programs. They routinely handle major threats and incidents. These programs are built with first and second lines of defense firmly in place. As a cybersecurity pro, I applaud them—and yes, I admit I’m sometimes a bit jealous.

In such well-resourced environments, the CISO can focus on the 12-, 24-, or 36-month horizon, aligning security as a business enabler with corporate objectives, revenue targets, and overall growth. That’s exactly where a CISO should be focused.

The Superman Syndrome: Hollywood vs. Reality

Hollywood and hype have given rise to the “Superman Syndrome”: the idea that a CISO (or any cybersecurity professional) is a lone hero capable of doing it all—hacking, pen-testing, building secure environments, singlehandedly saving the day. While it’s fun in a film script, it’s not sustainable in a real-world organization.

A successful security leader knows their job is to advise:

• Product Owners

• Application Builders

• Revenue Teams

• Executive Leadership

• Finance and Risk Management

In other words, a CISO is an advisor, not a solo savior. You’re part of a broader team, ensuring that business initiatives are secure at a risk level the organization is willing to tolerate.

CISO Tenure and Organizational Fit

Historically, CISOs had notoriously short tenures—often around 18 months—because they were scapegoated whenever an incident happened. Today, we’re finally seeing some maturity in the role. Tenures now extend to three, five, seven, or even ten years. Some organizations have CISOs who’ve stuck around for two decades.

Why the shift? Education, advocacy, and better positioning of the CISO role. In financial services, we saw it first; now it’s spread to other industries. Many CISOs own part of the first, second, and even third line of defense. It’s an “octopus view,” giving them the reach to touch every part of the business.

But here’s the kicker: Effective CISOs come armed with both technical and business acumen. You must understand the technology stack, revenue drivers, shareholder expectations, and the competitive landscape—then scope out threats, risks, and vulnerabilities. If you’re missing the technical depth, you risk choosing the wrong tool or policy. If you lack business insight, you’ll struggle to enable the company effectively.

In larger or more complex organizations—especially ones building cloud-based products—technological understanding is non-negotiable. For smaller or mid-sized outfits, deep knowledge of how revenue is generated can be just as crucial. Either way, it’s about finding the right fit between the CISO’s skill set and the company’s culture, technology, and risk appetite.

Shrinking Teams, Targeted Missions

Looking five to ten years down the road, cybersecurity roles will evolve. Tools powered by Generative AI and Agentic AI are already making certain tasks more efficient—penetration tests, vulnerability scans, threat-modeling exercises, and so on. Teams that now have 500 people might operate with 300 specialized “Swiss Army knife” professionals who can jump into any situation, troubleshoot it fast, and minimize the business impact.

“Red,” “Blue,” and “Purple” teaming will morph as AI matures. We’re seeing the early stages of automated, AI-driven pentesting solutions. Soon, threat modeling, once a specialized team job, could be done nearly on-demand via AI. The big lesson for CISOs? You have to remain adaptable, develop multifaceted skills, and break down silos.

How Agentic AI Streamlines Business and Cybersecurity

Agentic AI isn’t just another buzzword. It refers to AI systems capable of proactive decision-making, learning from ongoing interactions, and autonomously executing tasks without waiting for specific human prompts. Here’s how it can make a real-world difference:

1. Automated Threat Detection and Response

   • Agentic AI can actively sift through log data and user activity, identifying anomalies faster than any human team.

   • When a threat is flagged, it can execute initial containment steps—like isolating affected endpoints—without waiting for an “all clear.”

2. Continuous Compliance Monitoring

   • Regulatory compliance is often a slog of audits and box-checking. Agentic AI can automate these repetitive checks, ensuring real-time compliance by monitoring configurations and permissions across the environment.

   • This frees up security teams to focus on more nuanced tasks—like strategic planning and incident response.

3. Enhanced Business Insights

   • Because Agentic AI “talks” to different systems—from CRM platforms to cloud infrastructures—it can correlate patterns from across the organization, offering insights that help optimize both security and business workflows.

   • According to a 2022 IBM report, fully deployed AI-based solutions can reduce the average cost of a breach by as much as 65%, underscoring the potential of autonomous analysis.

4. Efficient Team Utilization

   • Security teams can shrink in size but grow in expertise. With AI handling the grunt work, your “special ops” squads can tackle complex problems like zero-day exploits, advanced forensics, or compliance in highly regulated environments.

   • As a bonus, this often translates to better job satisfaction—nobody wants to spend their career staring at log files all day.

5. Proactive Risk Management

   • Agentic AI systems learn from every detected threat, adjusting internal rules and scanning protocols accordingly.

   • Over time, they become more adept at predicting vulnerabilities, allowing businesses to shore up defenses before an attacker even takes aim.

All of this aligns with the broader theme: cybersecurity remains a business enabler, not the center of the universe. Well-deployed Agentic AI can further cement security’s position as a partner to business innovation, rather than a drag on progress.

A Needed Reset: Cyber’s Not the Center

No matter how big or flashy cybersecurity becomes, many organizations still see it as a side dish rather than the entrée. And that’s largely because in private-sector environments, the company—and, by extension, the board—decides how much risk to accept.

In theory, if every company stopped paying ransoms, if insurance no longer covered massive cyber losses, and if an industry-wide framework (akin to HITRUST in healthcare) were universally adopted, you’d see risk drop substantially. But that’s a tall order. Cybercrime remains lucrative, with Cybersecurity Ventures projecting it could reach $10.5 trillion in damages by 2025—making it one of the largest “economies” in the world if you lump it all together.

Cyber’s ongoing challenges also hinge on the public-private gap: corporations can’t outspend or outmaneuver nation-states. Partnerships with government agencies (like CISA in the U.S.) have improved, but that alone won’t solve every problem. As long as cybercrime yields big paydays, criminals will keep coming.

The Business Decides Risk, the CISO Advises

At the end of the day, the business decides what risks to accept. We, as cybersecurity professionals, sign off where we can, provide the best counsel possible, and move on. Of course, we take these risks personally—we don’t like to lose. But the mature approach is to pick battles wisely to win the overall war: building resilient, business-friendly security practices and embedding cybersecurity into company culture.

When security is part of the business DNA, employees won’t try to sneak risky shortcuts behind your back. If you can foster that culture, you’ve done your job. Then it’s all about continuous improvement: spotting risks, mitigating them, and preparing for what’s around the corner.

We see this now in the job market. Companies more clearly understand the CISO role. Turnover is slowing. Cybersecurity still isn’t the center of the universe, but it’s finally recognized as a critical business enabler. And that’s where it belongs.

Key Takeaways

1. Cybersecurity Is Not the Core of Business

   • It’s a cost of doing business, largely driven by compliance and risk management.

   • Businesses adopt cybersecurity measures to meet regulatory demands and customer expectations—not because security itself is their primary mission.

2. Effective CISOs Don’t Always Report Directly to the CEO

   • CEOs have too many responsibilities to deeply engage with security.

   • CISOs thrive by working with boards, audit committees, and cross-functional teams to keep security aligned with business objectives.

3. Financial Services Leads in Cyber Maturity

   • Banks and financial institutions spearheaded robust security frameworks due to early digitization and strict regulations.

   • Their model shows how a well-funded, well-staffed program can effectively mitigate threats.

4. Technical and Business Acumen Are Both Necessary

   • Successful CISOs blend technology expertise with a strong grasp of business strategy and revenue models.

   • This combination is crucial for aligning security initiatives with corporate goals.

5. Generative & Agentic AI Are Game-Changers

   • Agentic AI can automate threat detection, compliance, and remediation steps in real time, freeing human teams for complex tasks.

   • As technology improves, security teams may become smaller yet more specialized, focusing on strategic, high-impact initiatives.

6. Cyber Is a Business Enabler, Not a Universe Center

   • The business, not cybersecurity, decides which risks to take on.

   • CISOs advise, enable, and support—not commandeer or block—business growth.

7. Adapt or Get Left Behind

   • AI and automation will continue to transform security roles and responsibilities.

   • Embracing new tech—like Agentic AI—can keep your team ahead of the curve, saving time, money, and headaches.

Cybersecurity might not be the center of the business universe, but it’s still integral to success. Accept that reality, use it to your advantage, and you’ll build security practices that drive business forward rather than slow it down. Let’s embrace our role as business enablers. After all, there’s no shame in being the brilliant supporting actor—especially when it means keeping the show running smoothly.