What your CEO thinks about security (and how to change it)

Bringing Order and Security to your Mobile Workforce: Corporate Mobility Policy and Device Management Achiving Compliance Through Good Governance Enabling Identity and Security Management with Open Source Should You Install Messaging Security Software on Your Exchange Server? Death to PST: Hidden Cost of Email Mismanagement Archiving Compliance with Sunbelt Exchange Archiver Learn-Fast Guide: Software as a Service is Growing Up The Business Value of Tape Storage Computerworld Technology Briefing: An open-source path to optimal virtualization Sign up to receive Security Resource Alerts

October 20, 2004 (Computerworld) -- Up to now, enterprises' security budgets have been so lean they could almost be considered anorexic. That's because CEOs have considered security as necessary but haven't bought the argument that there is an economic advantage to going above a minimal level of security. Unfortunately, CEOs have persisted in focusing on four basic questions that too often stump the most savvy IT professionals:

• What is the security return on investment?


• What is the probability of a catastrophic security failure?


• What is the cost of self-insuring against security risks?


• What are the tangible benefits of being an industry leader for security?

To help IT professionals talk to CEOs about security issues, a newly formed think tank called the Security Leadership Institute, sponsored by Unisys Corp., has conducted in-depth interviews with CEOs and board members. Board members of the institute (including myself) -- all recognized security experts from business and government -- interviewed more than 25 CEOs and public-sector agency chiefs, focusing on what they think the value proposition of security is to their enterprise. We believe that the results from our work will help IT professionals make the case for the many benefits that can be realized from a more robust investment in security.
What We Learned
Most CEOs interviewed in our study viewed both physical and information security as purely tactical, rather than as a strategic imperative. In their minds, security means either protection of assets or prevention of IT-related risks, such as hacking attacks and other cybercrime. Some CEOs viewed security as an element of a larger business risk-management process. In almost all cases, though, CEOs in the private and public sectors didn't embrace security as something directly related to corporate mission or strategy.
In short, the CEO perspective was consistent with what we already knew. That is, they view security as an operating necessity, not as a business opportunity or marketplace advantage. The following are a few of the comments these leaders made when asked to explain, in their own words, the value proposition of security:

• Security is all about preventing bad behavior from affecting our organization.


• The only value of security is the prevention or fast detection of a breach or violation.


• There is no real value in becoming the industry leader or exemplar for security.


• Too much security and a control orientation will prevent our organization from taking justifiable risks.


• Most security technologies don't work and are a waste of time and resources for our company.


• Security spending is a pure cost of compliance.


• Security is best handled as a middle management responsibility.


• Most security problems occur because of sloppy internal procedures rather than poor IT controls and safeguards.

Despite the consistently nonstrategic tone of the responses, we decided

Print this Story

Send Us Feedback

E-mail this Story

Digg this Story

Slashdot this Story

"An approaching hurricane fortuitously recalls the famous statement on planning from Eisenhower. We should heed his words...." Read more... Read more Security posts or See all Blogs

At 10, Google reiterates commitment to CIOs Microsoft explains Seinfeld-Windows TV ad: just a 'teaser' Continuing coverage: Google's Chrome browser More top stories...

iPhone 3G owner sues Apple, AT&T over dropped calls, app crashes Mozilla: Firefox is faster than Chrome Upcoming Microsoft patch lineup could be 'massive,' says researcher

Microsoft warns of IE8 lock-in with XP SP3 Users of Windows XP SP3 who try out IE8 Beta 2 won't be able to uninstall either one under certain circumstances. Opinion: Why Google has lost its mojo -- and why you should care Google has gone from innovative upstart to fat-and-happy industry leader in what seems like record time. Preston Gralla explains. Review: Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 offers some nifty new features Microsoft's latest beta of IE8 includes better tab management, new services such as Web Slices and Accelerators, and the new 'porn mode.' IT Schools to Watch 2008 These leading-edge graduate schools are moving at the pace of the IT workplace, delivering coursework that's relevant to today's IT professionals. Windows Vista A to Z Reviews, analyses, how-tos, visual tours, hot issues and predictions about Microsoft's new OS. More Continuing Coverage After 9/11: Homeland Security Apple's iPhone Ask a Premier 100 IT Leader Bill Gates steps down BlackBerry Legal Battle Data Security Breaches Electronic Voting Firefox H-1B Visas HP's Boardroom Scandal Handheld Devices Hurricane Katrina Aftermath Microsoft Legal Issues Microsoft's Vista Open Source RFID Technology SCO's Linux Fight Sarbanes-Oxley Act Spam Voice Over IP Wi-Fi Windows Meta File Vulnerability Windows XP Service Pack 3 IT Careers 2010 Four years from now, the IT field will be a vastly different place. Will you be ready? More Special Reports Premier 100 IT Leaders 2007 Best in Class 2006 Computerworld Horizon Awards 2006 Premier 100 IT Leaders 2006 Salary Survey 2007 Best Places to Work in IT 2007 IT Forecast 2007 Premier 100 IT Leaders 40 Years of Computerworld ASPs, Take Two Best Places to Work in IT 2003 Best Places to Work in IT 2004 Best Places to Work in IT 2005 Best Places to Work in IT 2006 Business Intelligence Home Runs Business Intelligence: Smarter BI Business Intelligence: The Future of BI CRM Goes Vertical CRM: Sober CRM Career Planning Guide 2005 Careers: IT Profession 2010 Computerworld Horizon Awards 2005 Data Management: Mining for Gems Data Management: Taming Data Chaos Development: Hard-Workin' Web Sites Development: New Tools New Choices Development: The New World of Application Development Development: The Web Services Tsunami Development: Web Services Hurdles Disaster Recovery: Preparing for the Worst E-commerce Grows Up E-mail/Groupware: Big Decisions Faces of Mobile IT Forecast 2006 Global Mobile Hardware: Multiple Cores, Multiple Challenges Hardware: On-Demand Un-Hyped Hardware: The Shape of Things to Come Horizon Awards: 10 Cool Cutting Edge Technologies IT Management: Guide to Managing Vendors IT Management: Navigating Global IT IT Management: Recovery Ahead IT Management: The Future of IT IT Management: The Resourceful Project Manager Innovative Technology Awards 2004 Management: Reinventing IT Microsoft in Transition Mobile/Wireless Leaders and Laggards Mobile/Wireless: The Untethered Worker Mobile/Wireless: Tiny Gadgets, Huge Costs Network Management: Taking Control Networking: Turbulence Ahead! Networking: VoIP Goes Mainstream Operating Systems: In the Slow Lane Operating Systems: Linux Goes Global Operating Systems: Should You Nix Unix? Outsourcing: Offshore Buyer's Guide Outsourcing: Outsourcing Dangers Premier 100 IT Leaders 2004 Best in Class Premier 100 IT Leaders 2005 Best in Class ROI: Do the Math! Salary Survey 2003 Salary Survey 2004 Salary Survey 2005 Security Action Plan Security: Compliance Headaches Security: Proactive Security Security: Risk and Reward Security: Tips From Security Pros Souped-up Security Storage: Battling Complexity Storage: Cheap & Secure Data Stores Storage: Stretching Your Storage Dollars Storage: The Lean Storage Machine Storage: The New Rules of Storage Storage: The Ultimate Backup Guide Supply Chain: Missing Links Supply Chain: RFID Reality Check The Business of Security Web 2.0 Security Wireless: Wireless At Work All Zones Application Performance Zone Business Continuity Zone The File Data Management Zone Security Management Zone ITIL Best Practices Zone The SAS Zone Business Intelligence and Analytics Zone Windows Protection Zone Identity & Security Management Zone See your link here

From Laggard to Leader: Transforming the Data Center From Laggard to Leader: Transforming the Data Center Register for this complimentary live webcast today! Go to the webcast  Computerworld Executive Bulletin: Building a Robust Antivirus Defense Download this Executive Bulletin (a $49.95 value) for free, compliments of MessageLabs. (Source: MessageLabs) Antivirus software alone isn't enough to prevent today's speedy, sophisticated virus attacks. Security managers should consider multitiered approaches that include behavior scanning, appliances that check e-mail for worms, and restricting user access to dangerous Web sites. Download this Executive Bulletin (a $49.95 value) for free, compliments of MessageLabs, to learn more. Download this executive briefing  Online Security Issues in Regulated Industries Download this research paper, free for a limited time, compliments of Webroot! (Source: Webroot Software) In June 2008, Computerworld invited IT and business leaders to participate in a survey on online security initiatives at their organizations. The goal of the survey was to better understand Web and e-mail security issues faced today within the regulated education, financial services, government and health care industries. The following report represents top-line results of that survey. Download this white paper  White Papers Read up on the latest ideas and technologies from companies that sell hardware, software and services. Death to PST: Hidden Cost of Email Mismanagement Extend, Replace, or Convert; which is the best way forward for COBOL Applications? The Trend from Unix to Linux in SAP Data Centers View more whitepapers

• At 10, Google reiterates commitment to CIOs
• iPhone 3G owner sues Apple, AT&T over dropped calls, app crashes
• Microsoft explains Seinfeld-Windows TV ad: just a 'teaser'
• More top stories 

Security Management Zone Security management is the process of developing a comprehensive data protection plan. It takes into account all potential threats, the existing network environment, the future needs of the organization, and lays out a multi-tiered blueprint to integrate the security technology needed to combat these threats. CDW can help keep your network and data secure. Visit the CDW Security Management Zone now See All Zones

Fired up about IT? Join Sharkbait and share your true tales of IT. SharkBait is the place for you to sound off about everything IT – the good, the bad, and the rest of the weird stuff you deal with every day. New baits

Identity & Security Management Solve your compliance problems and mitigate risk. Automate, validate and enforce business governance with Novell Identity Management and Security solutions. Learn more in the Identity & Security Management Zone See All Zones

In Security Stripping away the trappings of applications, systems and networks, information is the core asset of most organizations. Our columnist describes how asserting the importance of information governance is crucial to making that asset tangible, addressable and protected. Click here to read the latest column by Jon Espenschied