As an increasing number of businesses shift their data and apps to the cloud, cybersecurity has emerged as a primary concern for chief information officers (CIOs) and other information technology (IT) executives. Cloud security is not just a matter of protecting data from cyber-attacks; it also has a direct impact on business outcomes. In this analysis, we will provide suggestions on how IT leaders can effectively communicate the importance of cloud security in enabling business outcomes.
1. Start the Conversation
High customer satisfaction and good financial outcomes are top business objectives. Effective cloud security can help obtain both. It helps ensure the safety of customers’ data stored in the cloud, boosting customer confidence and satisfaction. Additionally, effective cloud security measures can help reduce the probability of data breaches, resulting in lower expenses associated with remediation (as well as avoiding the negative impact on the company’s reputation).
Security leaders might start the conversation about aligning cloud security with business objectives by saying, “We need to ensure that our cloud security strategy is consistent with our business objectives. How can we guarantee that our security measures support customer satisfaction and our financial goals?”
2. Quantifying the Impact of Cloud Security on Business Outcomes
IT executives also need to be able to quantify cloud security’s impact on business to establish a compelling business case. They can do so by using case studies; survey results about customer satisfaction; and reports on revenue and cost savings.
While searching for ways to quantify cloud security’s impact, leaders should ask themselves and their teams, “How can we demonstrate the value of our cloud security efforts to business executives and show the return on investment (ROI) of our security strategy?”
3. Communicating Cloud Security Risks in Business Terms
As part of aligning business outcomes and cloud security, IT leaders need to ensure that business leaders understand the dangers posed by the cloud as well by communicating cloud security risks in business terms.
They have to take care to avoid the use of technical jargon in favor of language that is understandable to executives of business organizations. They should ask themselves “How can we describe the significance of cloud security to our business leaders in a way that’s clear and concise?”
Easy-to-understand metaphors help make abstract cybersecurity issues more accessible. For instance, to illustrate the significance of cloud security, security leaders can compare it to “making sure the front door of your house is locked.” Or to help people understand the long game of cybersecurity, they may say, “Cybersecurity is like brushing your teeth. You may not see the immediate benefits, but over time, it prevents bigger problems and keeps your ‘digital health’ in good shape.”
4. Making Cloud Security a Shared Responsibility
Cloud security is not simply the job of IT, it is a responsibility shared by the entire enterprise. To ensure that everyone is aware of the potential dangers and their roles in mitigating them, IT executives need to include representatives from other departments, such as legal and compliance, in meetings about cloud security.
IT leaders can encourage a culture of security and motivate their teams by reminding them, “Cloud security is everyone’s responsibility, and we need to ensure that all employees are aware of the potential dangers and their roles in mitigating them. How can we include representatives from different departments to ensure that cloud security is a shared responsibility within our organization?”
5. Investing in Cloud Security
Lastly, to ensure alignment, CIOs and other IT leaders need to invest in cloud security. This entails setting up an adequate budget for cloud security and collaborating with cloud service providers to guarantee that they match the standards set by the firm for cloud data protection. Cloud security is a different animal than some of our on-premise security experts are used to. We can’t just expect them to make the shift in a way that enables our businesses to realize the largest benefits. As IT leaders, we are responsible for ensuring that our organizations possess the appropriate skills and knowledge to handle cloud security effectively.
When discussing the importance of investing in cloud security, we can say, “We need to allocate adequate resources and collaborate with our cloud service providers to ensure that our cloud security standards are met. How can we make sure that we possess the necessary skills and knowledge to handle cloud security effectively?”
Conclusion
To gain support from business executives and make cloud security a shared responsibility, IT leaders must communicate the impact of cloud security on business outcomes in terms that executives can understand. By starting the conversation on cloud security, quantifying its impact, aligning it with business goals, making it a shared responsibility, investing in it, and communicating risks in business terms, IT leaders can ensure their organizations are protected from potential security threats.
This article has been updated since it was originally published on May 1, 2023.
Want more cybersecurity insights? Visit the Cybersecurity channel:
