The Top CISO Stories from Around the Web : February 2026
In a month defined by tightening budgets and the explosive rise of "agentic AI," February’s headlines make one thing clear: security is no longer just a technical hurdle but a core business enabler. From rethinking reporting lines to piloting AI-driven resilience, this month’s top stories highlight how modern CISOs are transforming constraints into strategic advantages.
CISO's Guide to Demonstrating Cyber Resilience
Source: TechTarget
Cyber resilience has moved beyond simple recovery to becoming a core business enabler that ensures organizations can operate through and adapt to persistent threats. For modern CISOs, demonstrating this resilience involves shifting the conversation from technical metrics to business outcomes, emphasizing how security investments protect revenue and maintain customer trust during a crisis.
Budget Cuts Don't Mean Security Cuts: What CISOs Learned from Doing More with Less
Source: CISO Series
When budgets tighten, successful security leaders shift their focus from "best-in-class" tools to "best-in-context" solutions that align with their specific operational needs. By moving away from technical jargon and framing security outcomes in terms of business impact—such as revenue disruption and recovery costs—CISOs can demonstrate that resource constraints are often the catalyst for more disciplined, effective, and automated security programs.
It's Time to Rethink CISO Reporting Lines
Source: CSO
While 64% of CISOs still report into IT, experts argue this structure creates inherent conflicts of interest where cost containment may be prioritized over risk reduction. As cybersecurity becomes a fundamental enterprise risk issue, there is a growing push to move the CISO role under the CEO or General Counsel to ensure unfiltered visibility and a true seat at the boardroom table.
Where CISOs Need to Hire and Develop Cybersecurity Talent
Source: InformationWeek
The cybersecurity talent gap is shifting from a need for more bodies to a need for specialized, cross-functional experts capable of managing AI governance and cloud-native security. CISOs are increasingly looking for "horses they can train to be unicorns," prioritizing strong problem-solving and communication skills that allow technical teams to align more closely with broader business objectives.
White House Looks to Pilot AI, 'Empower CISOs' in Push to Improve Cyber Resilience
Source: FedScoop
The federal government is launching new AI pilots and tabletop exercises designed to empower agency CISOs to make strategic, real-time decisions during cyber incidents. By moving away from manual intelligence sharing toward automated, AI-driven coordination, federal leaders aim to build a scalable roadmap that addresses the unique dependencies and speed of attacks in the AI era.
