Cybersecurity is constantly evolving, and so are the challenges facing security leaders. In our latest 3 Questions with a CISO interview, we sat down with Anthony Figueroa, Deputy CISO at BigPanda, to discuss the biggest challenges in cybersecurity today, the growing role of AI, and his advice for fellow CISOs.
What’s your biggest challenge recently?
One of the biggest challenges is keeping up with the pace of change. The threat landscape is evolving incredibly quickly, especially with the introduction of AI-powered technologies. At the same time, organizations are moving faster than ever, adopting new tools, expanding their environments, and expecting security teams to keep everything protected without slowing down the business.
Another challenge is prioritization. There will always be more vulnerabilities, alerts, and potential risks than a security team can realistically address at once. The key is understanding what actually matters to the business and focusing resources where they can have the greatest impact. It’s about moving away from simply reacting to every alert and toward a more proactive, risk-based approach.
Ultimately, the challenge isn’t just technical. It’s also about communicating risk effectively, building trust with leadership, and helping the organization understand that security is a shared responsibility.
How are you implementing AI?
AI presents a tremendous opportunity for security teams, particularly when it comes to reducing operational complexity and improving efficiency. We’re looking at how AI can help automate repetitive tasks, analyze large volumes of security data, and identify patterns that might otherwise be missed. The goal isn’t to replace security professionals but to give them better tools to make faster, more informed decisions.
One area with significant potential is security operations. Teams are often overwhelmed by alerts and information coming from multiple systems. AI can help correlate events, provide context, and prioritize incidents based on their potential impact. This allows analysts to spend less time investigating noise and more time addressing meaningful threats.
At the same time, adopting AI requires careful consideration of security and governance. Before implementing any AI solution, it’s important to understand what data it can access, how that data is being used, and what controls are in place. We want to encourage innovation while ensuring we’re not introducing new risks in the process.
What’s your tip for other CISOs?
My biggest advice is to invest in relationships just as much as you invest in technology. As security leaders, we spend a lot of time thinking about tools, frameworks, and technical controls, but ultimately, our ability to succeed depends on the people around us. Building strong relationships with engineering, IT, legal, and executive leadership makes it much easier to drive meaningful security improvements.
Another important lesson is to focus on the risks that truly matter. It’s easy to get caught up in the latest threats or emerging technologies, but not every risk deserves the same level of attention. Understand your organization’s business objectives, identify the areas of greatest exposure, and make sure your security strategy supports the company’s broader goals.
And finally, don’t try to solve everything alone. The cybersecurity community is full of leaders facing similar challenges, and there’s tremendous value in learning from one another. Some of the best ideas come from open conversations with peers who are willing to share what worked, what didn’t, and what they’d do differently.
Key Takeaway
The role of the CISO continues to evolve beyond traditional security responsibilities. From navigating AI adoption to managing business risk and building organizational trust, today’s security leaders need to combine technical expertise with strong communication, collaboration, and strategic thinking.