Cyber resilience in the age of intelligent risk

As organizations accelerate their digital transformation agendas amid rising geopolitical tensions and evolving regulatory demands, achieving true cyber resilience has emerged as one of their most pressing and complex challenges.

In today’s hyper connected, AI-driven landscape, the question is no longer if a cyberattack will happen, but when—and how effectively the organization can respond.

A recent survey by global consulting firm Protiviti in collaboration with IIA India highlights this concern. It reveals that 66% of Chief Audit Executives (CAEs) in large and midsized enterprises identify emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning, and bots, along with cybersecurity as the top risks facing their organizations.

The preparedness gap is stark: while 58% of organizations believe they are moderately prepared, only 16% consider themselves highly prepared to identify and address emerging risks. Even more concerning, a mere 18% report using advanced data analytics extensively, a crucial enabler for proactive risk identification in the digital age.

The challenge is not limited to internal capabilities. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025, 54% of large organizations cite supply chain vulnerabilities as the greatest obstacle to achieving cyber resilience. As supply chains grow more complex and globally integrated, the lack of transparency and security oversight among third-party vendors is now a leading risk vector.

In this evolving threat landscape, the role of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is becoming more critical than ever. No longer mere gatekeepers of IT security, today’s CISOs are tasked with leading enterprise-wide efforts in cyber risk management—formulating strategies, overseeing threat intelligence, managing incident response, ensuring compliance, and protecting digital assets. More importantly, they are now expected to be architects of resilience, embedding security and recovery mechanisms into the very core of digital transformation.

But success in this role requires more than just technical expertise. It demands strategic foresight, cross-functional influence, and the ability to drive a cultural shift across the organization, one that places cyber resilience at the heart of business continuity and innovation.