In an opinion article for CIO.com, Isaac Sacolick, president of StarCIO, writes that CIOs face many operational and security risks while managing digital transformation and emphasizes that while outsider threats necessitate robust security practices, operational risks require a proactive approach to prevent IT from entering constant firefighting mode. He stresses the importance of asking “what if” questions and planning for various scenarios to mitigate these risks effectively.
Sacolick highlights several key risks CIOs should address, starting with mounting technical debt from legacy systems. He argues that ignoring technical debt can lead to catastrophic consequences and suggests CIOs turn their concerns into action plans, such as defining non-negotiables with the board for prioritizing upgrades. Additionally, he points to team stress and burnout, particularly in security and DevSecOps roles, exacerbated by the increasing demands of data, machine learning, and AI projects.
The impact of monitoring practices on IT culture, the risks of third-party data breaches, and the growing issue of cloud debt are challenges, too. Sacolick advises CIOs to balance sufficient monitoring with avoiding alert overload, manage third-party risks effectively, and implement FinOps best practices to control cloud spending. He underscores that addressing these operational and security risks is crucial for sustaining digital transformation and ensuring organizational resilience.
