Study: 98% of firms think a CSO would improve cybersecurity

Nearly all industrial firms believe having a chief sustainability officer (CSO) would upgrade their cybersecurity, according to new research.

Kaspersky's The State of Industrial Cybersecurity in the Era of Digitalisation explores organisational changes that can help companies tackle increasingly complex cyber threats.

The report singles out sustainability development strategies as a core area where firms think significant progress could be made and found 98 per cent of respondents felt installing a CSO would mitigate against cyber risks.

Despite this, more than half (56 per cent) had no plans to introduce such a position.

Anton Shipulin, solution business lead for Kaspersky Industrial CyberSecurity, said, “The activities of any company, especially an industrial one, affect many aspects of society.

“Sustainable development initiatives aim to ensure that this impact is either neutral or positive. From this perspective, organisations being reliably protected from cyberthreats is not just an individual goal – it is part of an overall sustainability trend.

“Adopting a corresponding concept means thinking about the role cybersecurity has in a business’s agenda and how it should be improved to cover both corporate and industrial infrastructure, as well as ensure all employees follow proper cyber-hygiene practices.”