The Top CISO Stories We’re Thankful For: November 2025
As we approach the season of gratitude, the cybersecurity landscape offers reasons to be thankful: amid accelerating AI-driven threats, CISOs are transforming into strategic business enablers, while the recent dismissal of a landmark legal case offers temporary relief on personal liability. This month’s news highlights how top security leaders are leveraging new metrics to prove business value, commanding higher compensation, and leading a vital new initiative to replace outdated security "superstitions" with actionable, proven cyber hygiene.
The CISO imperative: Building resilience in an era of accelerated cyberthreats
Source: Microsoft Security
Microsoft’s latest Digital Defense Report 2025 reveals that despite the accelerating threat landscape, the CISO role is successfully evolving into a vital strategic enabler, leveraging AI as a powerful tool for adaptation and transforming cyber challenges into an opportunity to build robust organizational resilience. By modernizing their approach, organizations are focusing on the positive outcome of resilience, moving faster and managing risk more effectively by integrating security into the foundation of every business process.
Solarwinds lawsuit dropped: CISOs can breathe a sigh of relief
Source: Techzine
The lawsuit filed by the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) against SolarWinds and its Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Timothy G. Brown, has been dropped, alleviating legal concerns for CISOs nationwide. The civil enforcement action, which stemmed from the 2020 SUNBURST cyberattack and alleged fraud and internal control errors, was jointly dismissed by all parties. While the SEC's previous decision to personally indict a CISO shows that they remain potential targets, the dismissal provides a temporary relief and suggests that the legal precedent for this specific role has not yet been definitively set.
CISOs must prove the business value of cyber — the right metrics can help
Source: CSO
Cybersecurity leaders are increasingly required to demonstrate the business value of their programs to executives, shifting the conversation from viewing security purely as a cost center for managing technical risk. To secure organizational buy-in and strategic influence, CISOs must translate technical metrics into quantifiable financial terms and business-aligned outcomes, such as return on investment (ROI) and reduced financial exposure from successful attacks. By focusing on how security investments protect brand trust, enable innovation, and maintain business continuity, the cybersecurity function is successfully repositioned as a strategic business enabler rather than a roadblock.
CISO pay is on the rise, even as security budgets tighten
Source: Cybersecuritydive
Compensation for CISOs jumped nearly 7 percent in 2025 despite overall security budgets growing more slowly. Companies are rewarding top security leaders with bigger equity packages, executive perks, and recognition of their strategic role in business, not just tech operations. The pay gap is striking, with the top one percent earning over $3.2 million while others make far less. Job mobility hit a six-year high, though those who stayed and took on expanded responsibilities saw the largest salary gains.
Initiative seeks to quash cybersecurity superstitions
Source: SC Media
The hacklore.org campaign, launched by former CISA advisor Bob Lord, seeks to combat persistent cybersecurity misconceptions and "superstitions" that offer poor protection. The initiative advocates for replacing outdated advice—like avoiding public Wi-Fi—with proven, actionable cybersecurity hygiene tips, such as implementing multi-factor authentication, using robust password managers, and improving social engineering attack identification. The project also encourages software companies to adopt "secure by design" and "secure by default" practices to make digital safety advice more effective for everyone.
