Defining The CISO Role
InformationWeek, Thursday, July 13,2023
Chief information security officers are relative newcomers to the C-suite. Many organizations employ CISOs, and it is well-known enough to have its own acronym. But it isn't a given in all C-suites: forty-five percent of 130 respondents to 2021 survey from software company Navisite reported that their companies did not have a CISO.
We are two years past that relatively small survey, and the need for cybersecurity talent and leadership is evident. 'We're out of the phase where we're deciding whether this is a flash in the pan,' says Geoff Belknap, CISO and vice president of engineering at social media platform LinkedIn. But who is the ideal person to fill the CISO role? What exactly does a CISO do? Who do they report to? The answers to these questions vary depending on the company and who you ask.
Eight CISOs shared what led them to their current role, their responsibilities, and how the CISO role could still be changing.