2022 Global Digital Trust Insights Survey

The C-suite guide to simplifying for cyber readiness, today and tomorrow.

Survey Focus

Global Digital Trust Insights 2022 is a survey of 3,602 business, technology, and security executives (CEOs, corporate directors, CFOs, CISOs, CIOs, and C-Suite officers) conducted in July and August 2021 across 60+ territories. This year’s survey offers the C-suite a guide to simplifying cyber with intention. It focuses on four questions that tend to get short shrift but, if properly considered, can yield significant dividends.

These questions may surprise and even challenge you because, in a survey about data trust, they aren’t technology-centered. Tech, in itself, is not the answer to simplified security.

Our focus, instead, is on working together as a unified whole, from the tech stack to the board room — starting at the top with the CEO. Security is a concern for the entire business, in every function and for every employee.

How can CEOs make a difference to your organisation?
Is your organisation too complex to secure?
How do you know if you’re securing your organisation against the most important risks to your business?
How well do you know your third-party and supply chain risks?

Multiplying the effect: simplifying moves that get you 5x or more results

Strategists and technologists have touted the potential of digital business models to boost business 10x — a Holy Grail promise of exponential returns on digital investments. Likewise, the Survey reveals how simplifying business processes and operations can have a “multiplier” effect on security and privacy.

Here are the four Ps to realising your full cyber potential, as exemplified by most advanced and most improved organisations, who employ them all.

Principle. The CEO must articulate an explicit, unambiguous foundational principle establishing security and privacy as a business imperative.

People. Hire the right leader, and let CISO and security teams connect with the business teams. Your people can be vanguards of simplification even as you build “good complexity” in the business.

Prioritisation. Your risks continually change as your digital ambitions rise. Use data and intelligence to measure your risks continually, as well.

Perception. You can’t secure what you can’t see. Uncover blind spots in your relationships and supply chains.

Key findings and takeaways

Can the CEO make a difference to your organisation’s cybersecurity?

Make ‘simply secure’ your business mantra

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Is your organisation too complex to secure?

Be deliberate about simplicity and simplification

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Are you securing against the most important risks today and tomorrow?

Size up your risks — using data you can trust — to realise opportunities

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How well do you know the risks posed by your third parties and supply chain?

Shrink the large blind spot hiding the risks in your business relationships

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About the survey

The 2022 Global Digital Trust Insights is a survey of 3,602 business, technology, and security executives (CEOs, corporate directors, CFOs, CISOs, CIOs, and C-Suite officers) conducted in July and August 2021. Female executives make up 33% of the sample.

Sixty-two percent of respondents are executives in large companies ($1 billion and above in revenues); 33% are in companies with $10 billion or more in revenues.

Respondents operate in a range of industries: Tech, media, telecom (23%), Industrial manufacturing (22%), Financial services (20%), Retail and consumer markets (16%), Energy, utilities, and resources (8%), Health (7%), and Government and public services (3%).

Respondents are based in various regions: Western Europe (33%), North America (26%), Asia Pacific (18 %), Latin America (10 %), Eastern Europe (4%), Middle East (4%), and Africa (4%).

The Global Digital Trust Insights Survey is formally known as the Global State of Information Security Survey (GSISS).

PwC Research, PwC’s global Centre of Excellence for market research and insight, conducted this survey.