IANS Research and Artico Search have released a joint 2025 State of the CISO Report, assessing data from more than 830 CISOs and security leaders. According to the report, the responsibilities of CISOs are expanding; however, only 3% of those surveyed indicate a pay raise to reflect their greater responsibility. Expanded responsibilities include IT oversight, digital transformation and assuming organizational risk.
By assessing the executive access and organizational influence of the surveyed CISOs, the report sorted them into three distinct categories:
- Functional CISOs (50%)
- Strategic CISOs (28%)
- Tactical CISOs (22%)
Strategic CISOs, typically possessing board engagement and C-suite access, report greater career satisfaction and development opportunities. Additionally, they earn 57% more than Functional CISOs and twice that of Tactical CISOs. Furthermore, CISOs with greater executive visibility and board access report greater job satisfaction. However, only 47% of CISOs meet with their boards on a monthly or quarterly basis. 42% meet as needed, or not at all.
