Closing the Influence Gap: Why Security Professionals Must Be Heard

By Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

New research highlights a concerning trend: security professionals often lack the influence they need, and many organizations are struggling to perform even the most basic security risk management functions effectively. (ISACA, 2025)

For enterprises navigating increasingly complex threat landscapes, this is a critical wake-up call. Without strong influence and integration at the executive level, security teams risk being reactive rather than strategic, and organizations leave themselves exposed to avoidable risks.

The Influence Gap
Consultants found that security professionals frequently aren’t included in key business decisions, limiting their ability to align risk management with organizational objectives. This misalignment can lead to gaps in policies, insufficient resource allocation, and fragmented incident response strategies.

Challenges in Risk Management
The research also revealed weaknesses in core security functions:

• Inconsistent risk assessments and prioritization

• Limited integration with enterprise governance frameworks

• Insufficient monitoring and reporting of key security metrics

Why This Matters
Security isn’t just an IT concern — it’s enterprise risk management. Organizations that fail to empower security professionals risk operational disruptions, regulatory noncompliance, reputational damage, and financial loss.

Steps Forward

1. Elevate Security Leadership — Ensure CSOs or security leads have a seat at the executive table.

2. Integrate Security into Strategy — Align risk management with business goals and decision-making processes.

3. Invest in Training & Metrics — Equip teams with the skills, tools, and KPIs needed to measure and communicate risk effectively.

4. Foster a Culture of Awareness — Make security a shared responsibility, not an isolated function.

In today’s environment, visibility, influence, and strategic alignment are just as important as technical capability. Organizations that empower their security teams gain a competitive advantage — protecting assets, maintaining trust, and mitigating risks before they escalate.

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Reference
ISACA. (2025). State of security leadership and risk management research report. ISACA. (https://www.isaca.org/resources/news-and-trends/newsroom)