Hybrid Cloud Risks Push Cybersecurity To The Boardroom

A new Gigamon study has revealed a dramatic shift in the global corporate security landscape: 70% of CISOs now report that public cloud security has become a board-level issue.

The research, CISO Insights: Recalibrating Risk in the Age of AI, surveyed over 200 CISOs across six countries, including Australia, revealing how the rapid adoption of AI is forcing organisations to rethink data management, risk, and resilience.

AI Forces Strategic Rethink

AI’s rise is reshaping the corporate risk profile. Once seen purely as an operational tool, cybersecurity is now central to enterprise continuity. The volume of data generated by AI applications has nearly doubled in a year, widening the attack surface and stretching existing defences.

To regain control, 73% of CISOs are reconsidering where their data lives — with many planning to move critical workloads from public to private cloud. This rebalancing signals the first major reversal of the public cloud migration trend in over a decade.

Visibility Becomes a Business Metric

The study finds that visibility — the ability to monitor and understand all data in motion — has become the top cybersecurity priority. However, nearly every CISO surveyed admits to ongoing compromises due to fragmented tools and incomplete visibility.

“Boards are demanding clear proof that data is secure, AI is trustworthy, and operations can withstand disruption,” said Chaim Mazal of Gigamon. “That accountability is now driving investments in deep observability and metadata-based insights.”

Metadata: Turning Data into Decisions

Metadata is emerging as the most scalable way to transform raw data into actionable intelligence. By focusing on key signals instead of complete packet capture, CISOs can strengthen compliance and accelerate forensic response — all while managing storage and cost constraints.

The report finds that 52% of CISOs plan to prioritise metadata analysis in 2026, reflecting its growing value not just as a technical tool, but as a governance asset.

AI-Ready Security Teams

With global cybersecurity skills shortages worsening, 73% of CISOs are turning to AI to fill capability gaps. AI-enhanced tools can help junior analysts perform like seasoned experts, speed up investigation cycles, and support leaner teams under budget pressure.

For executives, this signals a new era where security maturity is tied directly to business resilience. Visibility, governance, and trust — once technical concerns — are now core measures of enterprise value.

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