Omdia: Operational efficiency and optimization is the top security priority for 2023 according to leading CSOs

LONDON, 14 June, 2023 – New research from Omdia has found that operational efficiency and optimization is the top security priority in 2023 for members of the International Security Management Association (ISMA). 60% of survey respondents chose this category in their top three security priorities. Threat intelligence generation and analysis was the second top priority with 56% of respondents identifying it as one of their top three priorities. The findings are part of an Omdia research report titled “Chief Security Officer (CSO) Insights”.

Omdia has partnered with the ISMA to provide this unique insight into the opinions of currently practicing CSOs. ISMA is a global not-for-profit organization that brings together senior security executives to share knowledge, best practices, and experiences in the field of corporate security management. The report provides insight from 163 ISMA members. 

Niall Jenkins, Principal Consultant at Omdia, commented, “The top security priorities identified in the research suggest CSOs are focusing on core security functions and value creation in 2023. Further supporting this conclusion is the fact that improving risk assessments was ranked the third highest priority. At the other end of the scale, sustainability risk scored poorly in the survey. Only 5% of respondents chose it as a security priority for 2023. While sustainability is an important topic for society, the physical security market may still be trying to define its role in the overall sustainability process.” 

The report also explored what is driving the overall strategy decision process. The most common response was business wide transitions, such as digital transformation, which was identified as one of the three most important drivers by 64% of respondents. This percentage increased to 80% when only including CSOs working for companies with $20 billion or more in revenues. Government legislation and data privacy, perhaps surprisingly given the regulation around data protection, were least likely to be identified as a driver of overall security strategy decisions. 

The Chief Security Officer (CSO) Insights research covers the following topics across three chapters: 

• Physical security budgets
• Security priorities, drivers & decision makers
• Physical security technology

Click here to read the first and second chapters of the Chief Security Officer (CSO) Insights report.