Why Cybersecurity Is Shifting From Detection To Performance

Forbes

28-05-2025

Shirley Salzman, cofounder and CEO at SeeMetrics.
As cyberattacks become more sophisticated and corporate boards and regulators demand more accountability, the conversation around cybersecurity is changing to performance. It's no longer enough to detect threats—companies, especially in sectors like finance and insurance, need to show that their security efforts are making a difference.
Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) are now expected to quantify risk, communicate return on investment, and align security operations with business goals. This new mandate has created a demand for cybersecurity performance management platforms that provide real-time visibility, track KPIs, and deliver board-ready insights. SeeMetrics, co-founded by Shirley Salzman, is at the forefront of this emerging category, helping security leaders move from reactive defense to measurable impact.
The cybersecurity market is expanding rapidly and growing more complex by the day. Cybercrime globally is expected to cost $10.5 trillion annually by the end of 2025. The cost pressures companies, especially in high-risk industries like finance and insurance, must now prove that their cybersecurity investments are effective.
'It's not just about having tools—it's about proving they work,' said Salzman, CEO at SeeMetrics. 'CISOs today are under immense pressure to quantify risk, communicate ROI, and maintain transparency with boards and regulators. But until recently, they lacked the systems to manage performance, not just detection.'
Banks and insurance companies sit on some of the most sensitive data out there, which makes them prime targets for cyberattacks. That risk—and the potential fallout—means they're subject to intense regulatory oversight and pressure to get cybersecurity right.
Cybersecurity spending in financial services is expected to reach $66.1 billion by 2033. The insurance sector is forecast to hit $10.6 billion by the end of 2025. Recent SEC regulations now require companies to publicly disclose material breaches publicly, placing even more pressure on security leaders to show they are in control.
CISOs are increasingly faced with tough questions from their boards: Where is risk concentrated? Are we covered? Why are we spending millions, and what's the return? 'Boards are asking: What's the ROI?' Salzman said. 'CISOs need an interface that lets them answer that in business terms.'
That gap between security operations and strategic communication is where SeeMetrics is gaining traction. The company's platform provides cybersecurity performance management tools that allow CISOs to track, benchmark, and present real-time data that business leaders understand.
Cybersecurity is no longer just about threat detection—it's about proving performance. With AI-powered attacks on the rise, 80% of bank cybersecurity executives say they're struggling to keep up, according to Accenture. New regulations, like the EU's Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), require financial and insurance companies to demonstrate risk management and digital resilience.
SeeMetrics dashboard
Salzman didn't come from cybersecurity, which is precisely what makes her perspective so valuable. With a marketing and business development background across AI, drone tech, and supply chain platforms, she recognized a consistent pain point: cybersecurity leaders were doing critical work, but couldn't explain it in business terms.
That disconnect led her to cofound SeeMetrics, a cybersecurity performance management platform that shifts the focus from detection to demonstrable impact. 'CISOs have become stewards of enormous budgets and responsibility,' said Salzman. 'But they often lack the tools to demonstrate effectiveness in business terms.'
SeeMetrics fills that gap by aggregating data from across the security stack—compliance tools, incident response systems, and threat intel—and translating it into executive-ready dashboards. The platform provides real-time visibility, tracks KPIs, and eliminates the need for static spreadsheets, enabling CISOs to report clearly to boards and regulators. 'We're not just another security tool—we're a management platform for CISOs who need to communicate in the language of business,' Salzman said.
Salzman's outsider status didn't stop her from delivering results. She raised $6 million in seed funding from investors like Work-Bench, 8VC, and K5 Global. SeeMetrics has landed a multi-year deal with a leading U.S. financial institution—all within the company's first year. That traction signals a broader shift: Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical concern—it's a strategic function that demands measurable outcomes.
As boards demand more clarity and regulators tighten expectations, platforms like SeeMetrics give security leaders the tools to speak the language of impact.
CISOs are no longer just responsible for securing systems—they're expected to lead with the strategic clarity of a CFO and the communication skills of a board chair. As AI-fueled threats intensify, regulatory demands grow, and cyber insurers require proof of resilience, the CISO role is evolving into high-stakes leadership.
That evolution mirrors Salzman's path. Breaking into Israel's tightly knit cybersecurity sector wasn't easy. Unlike many peers, she hadn't served in elite military intelligence units like Unit 8200—a standard credential among Israeli tech founders. That absence often translates into skepticism from investors who tend to back those within their established networks.
But Salzman was undeterred. Her persistence had already been tested—and proven—when she successfully led Israel's first high-profile equal pay lawsuit in tech, a case that took years of strategic resolve and personal risk.
That same determination fueled the founding of SeeMetrics. 'CISOs have become stewards of enormous budgets and responsibility,' Salzman says. 'But they often lack the tools to demonstrate effectiveness in business terms.'
SeeMetrics was built to change that. By turning fragmented cybersecurity data into executive-ready dashboards, the platform empowers CISOs to justify ROI, prioritize resources, and align security performance with enterprise goals.
As cyber threats grow in sophistication and financial and insurance companies face mounting regulatory and reputational risk, the cybersecurity market is shifting from detection to accountability. That's why cybersecurity performance management is fast becoming a strategic necessity.