U.S. Fortune 500 companies are seeking cybersecurity experts to be part of their companies' newly established tech-related positions, signaling corporate America's increasing concern over hacking threats. 

According to various, but anonymous, sources, the Fortune 500 companies include The United Service Autmobile Association (USAA), Cardinal Health Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Deere & Co and Pepsi Co Inc. The sources said the companies are looking to hire chief information security officers (CISOs) and other cybersecurity experts to become their personnel to strengthen their cyber defenses. 

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The typical reporting function of CISOs is to report to the company's chief information officer (CIO). However, consultants and executives interviewed by Reuters said that internal discussions have somehow changed this line function, which gives CISO a direct line to report to a company's chief executive. 

According to Barry Nesley, executive director at Dell SecureWorks' Counter Threat Unit, the newly elevated position of CISO puts it on equal status with a CIO. 

"The trend that we are seeing is that organizations are elevating the position of the CISO to be a peer of the CIO and having equal voice associated with resource priorities and risk decisions," Hensley said. 

The decision to hire experts with cybersecurity background is a result of the high-profile security attack last year on Target Corp, one of the biggest retailers of goods. American companies seeking to hire such experts expect them to be well-rounded - they need to be highly knowledgeable of technology and be familiar with the risk management. 

What is even more interesting is that the companies highly prefer their tech executives to have military or defense backgrounds. Experts who fall into this category can demand higher salaries. 

For instance, reports showed corporations are willing to pay huge sums of money to get these experts on board. 

Matt Comyns, global co-head of Russell Reynolds Associates, which is a cybersecurity practice and search firm, said that large corporations that hired CISOs with salaries ranging between US$500,000 and US$700,000 per annum. 

"CISOs who have been with a company for five or more years are on $200,000 to $300,000 per year," Comyns said. 

Security experts and technologists have long criticized American corporations for their complacent attitude toward cyber risks. In fact, a recent PxC survey showed majority of American corporations' cybersecurity programs fall below the guidelines set by the National Institute of Standards Technology of the U.S. Commerce Department. 

Tagscybersecurity, Fortune 500, CISO, CIO, Data breach