The state of application security in 2024

There is no doubt that cybersecurity has become a board-level issue. The impact of a data breach can range from regulatory fines to damaged consumer trust and brand reputation or even reduced market share. New regulations are also increasingly holding organizational leaders accountable for their ability to prepare and respond to security incidents. These factors have elevated cybersecurity to a C-suite and board-level concern.

However, executive engagement has often been limited to conversations around regulatory compliance and highprofile or user-centric security risks, such as phishing attacks, ransomware, or the use of mobile devices among an increasingly hybrid workforce. There is often less understanding of the material operational effects created by other, more technology-centric risks, such as gaps in the organization’s application security posture.

This report examines the challenges that chief information security officers (CISOs) face in increasing their organization’s understanding of these issues. It highlights how a unified observability and security strategy can help them engage the wider C suite to improve their organization’s risk posture.