Resignation of Target CEO following data breach shows growing importance of security

The first CEO to resign over a data breach is a symptom of the increasing importance of information security in business.

Gregg Steinhafel, CEO of $40bn retail behemoth Target, was forced to step down on Monday, following a raid by hackers on consumer information.

Vice-president of RSA — EMC’s security division — Brian Fitzgerald believes companies have to realise that data risk is now as important as financial risk.