The role of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) continues to evolve beyond traditional security functions. Today’s CISO is a strategic business partner, balancing risk management with innovation enablement. From AI integration to shifting regulatory landscapes and sophisticated threat actors, the security ecosystem is more complex than ever.
In this article, Carbyne’s CISO, Paresh Patel, shares his perspective on current trends, compliance priorities, and strategic insights that every CISO should have on their radar this year.
Top security trends for CISOs to watch
AI is a challenge and a tool in cybersecurity, changing how leaders protect their systems. With more focus on identity-based security and higher accountability at the top, leaders need to adapt quickly, stay strong, and build trust. This highlights the need for proactive strategies and new technologies to keep up with the constantly shifting landscape.
AI: Friend and foe
AI is no longer a future concern; it’s a current reality. Depending on who is using it, AI can be an asset or a threat. Threat actors use generative AI to craft convincing phishing campaigns, automate vulnerability discoveries, and scale social engineering. This poses new challenges to organizations that need to stay two steps ahead.
At the same time, defensive AI is maturing. Behavior-based threat detection, autonomous response systems, and advanced anomaly detection are transforming how security teams operate, providing new ways to monitor and respond to threats.
The rise of identity-first security
As remote work and cloud services continue to expand, identity has effectively replaced traditional network perimeters as the frontline of cybersecurity. With compromised credentials responsible for more than half of data breaches, cybercriminals increasingly use sophisticated methods to exploit identity vulnerabilities.
These developments require CISOs to implement vigilant defenses and advanced strategies to protect against evolving threats and instill confidence in clients, partners, board members, and other key stakeholders.
Board-level accountability and cyber resilience
Following major incidents in 2023 and 2024, and in addition to increased regulatory scrutiny, boards are more cyber-aware than ever— and demand answers on how CISOs will keep organizations secure.
Cyber resilience, not just cybersecurity, is the new boardroom metric. CISOs need to come to the table with accountability and proactive planning to get buy-in and earn trust from board members. For example, CISOs need to communicate their security plans and know how fast their business can recover from a cyber event and what the short-term and long-term business impact could be.
Compliance and regulatory priorities for CISOs
Organizations face growing pressures to meet complex compliance requirements and protect data. From regional data sovereignty laws to SEC cybersecurity disclosure rules and emerging regulations like the EU AI Act, businesses must tackle evolving accountability and risk management standards. These shifts emphasize the need for proactive governance and a firm grasp of regulatory frameworks across jurisdictions.
Global data sovereignty and localization
As countries continue to tighten data protection laws, CISOs must navigate a patchwork of regulations that impact where and how their organizations store and process data. The EU’s NIS2 Directive, China’s PIPL, and India’s DPDP Act are just a few examples of regional frameworks shaping compliance strategies.
SEC cyber disclosure requirements
In the U.S., the SEC now requires public companies to disclose material cybersecurity incidents and outline governance practices around cyber risk. These mandates emphasize the need for strong incident detection, reporting mechanisms, and board engagement.
AI and emerging regulations
The EU AI Act, expected to go into effect soon, will classify AI systems based on risk and require transparency, accountability, and oversight. Even companies outside the EU may be impacted if they serve European customers.
Mitigating risk while embracing AI
AI holds massive potential to streamline operations, improve customer experience, and enhance decision-making. But without guardrails, it introduces significant risks, including data leakage, model bias, and shadow AI initiatives operating outside IT’s control.
Here’s how to adopt a secure and responsible AI approach:
Establish an AI governance framework
Create a cross-functional AI governance board that includes representatives from security, data science, legal, and compliance. This group should be responsible for reviewing high-risk AI applications, monitoring for drift or abuse, and enforcing ethical standards.
Secure AI development and deployment
If your organization is building AI models, apply the same level of security scrutiny as you would for software development. Threat modeling, secure coding practices, and continuous monitoring must be part of the pipeline.
Educate and empower your workforce
Security awareness programs should now include AI-specific modules covering risks like deepfakes, synthetic phishing, and prompt engineering attacks. At the same time, encourage innovation by providing secure AI tools and platforms.
The CISO is not just the guardian of data and infrastructure but a business enabler, digital ethicist, and risk translator. As AI transforms industries and regulatory pressures mount, security leaders must adopt a proactive, adaptable mindset.
Your security strategy should address today’s threats and empower your organization to explore tomorrow’s opportunities securely, responsibly, and resiliently.
About Paresh Patel
Paresh Patel is a seasoned cybersecurity and technology executive with over 20 years of progressive experience in leading security services, managing complex IT projects, and building global compliance programs. As CISO and CIO at Carbyne, he drives enterprise-wide information security and regulatory strategies to safeguard next-generation emergency communications.
With deep expertise in cybersecurity architecture, risk assessment, policy and procedure development, and security training, Paresh has shaped security postures across various industries. He is highly proficient in navigating complex regulatory landscapes, including ISO 27001/27701, NIST, SOC, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, FedRAMP, IRAP, HITRUST, FFIEC, CJIS, and GDPR.
Paresh’s work spans the development of secure frameworks, business continuity planning, and disaster recovery, alongside information systems management. He is known for his solutions-oriented approach, strong leadership, and ability to cultivate lasting partnerships while aligning security strategy with business innovation.
About Carbyne
Carbyne (Headquartered in New York, NY) is a leading global provider of cloud-native, mission-critical contact center solutions. Carbyne is one of the largest rich-data providers for emergency response centers, delivering over 250M data points annually in a unified platform. Our technologies enable emergency contact centers and select enterprises to connect with callers as well as connected devices via highly secure communication channels without needing to download a consumer app. With a mission to redefine emergency collaboration and connect the dots between people, enterprises, and governments, Carbyne provides a unified cloud-native solution that provides live, actionable data that can lead to more efficient and transparent operations and ultimately improve the entire dispatch function. With Carbyne, every person counts. Learn more at carbyne.com.
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