Gartner outlines seven major cybersecurity and risk management trends that security leaders should prioritize: 1. **Expanding enterprise attack surface** Hybrid work, cloud adoption, IoT, cyber-physical systems, open-source code, complex digital supply chains and social media are all increasing the number of exposed assets. Organizations need to move beyond traditional monitoring and response to manage a much broader set of exposures. 2. **Digital supply chain risk** Attacks on the software and digital supply chain are growing because they offer high return for attackers. Gartner predicts that by 2025, **45% of organizations worldwide will have experienced attacks on their software supply chains**, a three-fold increase from 2021. 3. **Identity threat detection and response (ITDR)** Identity and access management (IAM) infrastructure is now a primary target, and credential misuse is a leading attack vector. Gartner introduces **ITDR** as a set of tools and practices to protect identity systems, detect compromise and support efficient remediation. 4. **Distributed cybersecurity decision-making** As digital business grows in scope and complexity, a single centralized cybersecurity function is no longer sufficient. By 2025, Gartner expects that a purely centralized model will not be agile enough. Cybersecurity decisions, responsibility and accountability need to be distributed across business units. 5. **Security behavior and culture programs (SBCPs)** Human error remains a major factor in breaches, and traditional, compliance-only awareness training is not working well. Progressive organizations are investing in **SBCPs** that focus on changing mindsets and embedding secure behaviors into day-to-day work. 6. **Security technology convergence** To reduce complexity and administrative overhead, organizations are moving toward converged platforms such as **XDR (extended detection and response)**, **SSE (security service edge)** and **CNAPP (cloud-native application protection platforms)**. Gartner predicts that by 2024, **30% of enterprises will source SWG, CASB, ZTNA and FWaaS capabilities from the same vendor**, helping lower total cost of ownership and improve operational efficiency. 7. **Cybersecurity mesh architecture (CSMA)** As security products consolidate, organizations still need a way to apply consistent policies and share data across tools. **CSMA** provides a common, integrated security structure to protect assets across on-premises, data centers and cloud environments. Together, these trends encourage CISOs to rethink how they manage risk, structure their teams and select technologies to support an expanding digital footprint.

Gartner describes a clear shift in the CISO role from technical expert to **executive risk manager**. To align with the 2022 trends, CISOs can focus on several practical changes: 1. **Move from central control to distributed accountability** - Recognize that a single, centralized cybersecurity function will struggle to keep pace with digital business needs by 2025. - Redesign the responsibility matrix so that Boards, CEOs and business leaders can make informed risk decisions within their domains. - Provide clear risk guidance, decision frameworks and metrics that non-security leaders can use. 2. **Elevate identity and access as a strategic risk area** - Treat IAM and identity infrastructure as critical attack surfaces, not just operational tools. - Introduce or strengthen **identity threat detection and response (ITDR)** capabilities to protect identity systems and respond quickly to credential-based attacks. 3. **Embed security into digital business and supply chain decisions** - Partner with procurement, engineering and product teams to address **digital supply chain risk**. - Use risk-based vendor segmentation and scoring, and request evidence of security controls and secure practices from partners. - Shift from purely preventive thinking to **resilience-based** thinking—assume some level of compromise and plan for continuity. 4. **Invest in culture, not just compliance training** - Replace or augment traditional awareness campaigns with **security behavior and culture programs (SBCPs)**. - Focus on influencing everyday behaviors, not just annual training completion. - Use targeted, scenario-based interventions where human error has the highest impact. 5. **Simplify and converge the technology stack** - Reduce tool sprawl by considering converged platforms such as **XDR, SSE and CNAPP**. - Where possible, consolidate capabilities like SWG, CASB, ZTNA and FWaaS with fewer vendors, in line with Gartner’s view that 30% of enterprises will do this by 2024. - Use a **cybersecurity mesh architecture (CSMA)** approach to create consistent policies and data sharing across tools. 6. **Communicate in business terms** - Frame security discussions around business outcomes, risk appetite and resilience, rather than only technical metrics. - Use Gartner’s insights and benchmarks to support conversations with the Board and executive team. By reimagining their role along these lines, CISOs can better support digital transformation while keeping risk at an acceptable level for the organization.

Gartner recommends that organizations broaden their view of exposure and adopt more structured, risk-based approaches to both the attack surface and the digital supply chain. **1. Address the expanding enterprise attack surface** Organizations should look beyond traditional perimeter and endpoint security to cover: - **Cyber-physical systems and IoT** - **Cloud applications and services** - **Open-source components** - **Complex digital supply chains** - **Social media and external-facing assets** To manage this, Gartner highlights several technology approaches: - **Digital risk protection services (DRPS)** to monitor external digital channels and identify threats targeting the organization’s brand, executives and customers. - **External attack surface management (EASM)** to continuously discover and assess internet-facing assets and exposures. - **Cyber asset attack surface management (CAASM)** to help visualize internal and external systems, correlate assets and automate discovery of coverage gaps. These capabilities help security teams see what they actually have in their environment and where the blind spots are, which is essential as hybrid work and cloud usage grow. **2. Manage digital supply chain risk more deliberately** Given Gartner’s prediction that by 2025 **45% of organizations will experience software supply chain attacks** (three times the 2021 level), organizations are encouraged to: - **Segment and score vendors based on risk** rather than treating all partners the same. - **Request evidence of security controls and secure development practices** from suppliers, especially those providing software and critical services. - **Shift to resilience-based thinking**—assume some level of supplier compromise is possible and plan for detection, containment and recovery. - **Prepare for forthcoming regulations** around software supply chain security and ensure internal practices can meet those expectations. By combining better visibility (via DRPS, EASM, CAASM) with structured, risk-based vendor management and resilience planning, organizations can more effectively manage both their growing attack surface and the rising risk of digital supply chain attacks.