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The CISO evolution: From security gatekeeper to strategic leader

By Jerald Murphy

The chief information security officer was once the guardian of networks, firewalls and endpoints -- a purely technical authority charged with fending off cyberthreats and, later, ensuring compliance. The traditional CISO operated mainly behind the scenes, often siloed within IT and primarily focused on incident response and operational security.

Today, that paradigm is obsolete. As digital transformation accelerates, regulatory pressures intensify and technologies such as AI reshape business models, security issues are at the forefront of virtually every enterprise. No longer just an operational defender, the modern CISO must also be a strategic business partner -- an executive who balances cybersecurity imperatives with enterprise innovation, growth and governance.

Past to present: How the CISO role has evolved

The shift in the CISO role in recent years has been nothing short of profound. Consider the following fundamental ways in which the top security leader's mandate has changed.

From reactive defense to proactive risk management

While early CISOs had a defensive mindset and responded to threats reactively, today's top CISOs build their security programs based on a proactive risk management approach.

Traditional security programs were largely event-driven, responding to active threats as they appeared. Now, CISOs must anticipate threats and align cybersecurity measures with enterprise risk management strategies. This does not mean that security always receives the money or attention it requires. It does mean the modern CISO must be acutely aware of the business impacts and risks associated with any given security threat.

From technical expert to board communicator

Perhaps most important, the CISO has had to transform from a technical expert to a board-level communicator. CISOs are now expected to engage with executive leadership and boards, translating complex cyber-risks into business-relevant language.

This requires fluency not just in security, but also in the enterprise's goals, finances and strategy. The CISO now gets board-level attention, but that does not mean the board is going to speak security. Rather, the CISO needs to learn to speak business.

From IT operations to business enablement

A CISO's evolution is complete upon transcending the role of IT operator to that of business enabler.
Rather than acting as a cost center or innovation blocker, the modern CISO must facilitate secure, risk-aware adoption of emerging technologies, such as cloud and AI, and of agile development frameworks, such as DevSecOps.

What's driving the CISO's evolution?

Today's CISOs are at the nexus of digital innovation and enterprise risk, as trends ranging from digital transformation to regulatory pressure converge and elevate cybersecurity from a technical function to a core business imperative.

In this new landscape, cybersecurity leaders must operate as strategic business partners, managing not just technical threats but also legal, ethical and reputational risks.

Consider how the following converging trends are redefining the scope and expectations of the CISO role:

• Digital transformation. Organizations are digitizing operations and embracing cloud, edge and AI, introducing new risks that demand early security involvement.
• Regulatory accountability. Laws, such as the EU's GDPR, the State of California's Consumer Privacy Act and the Securities and Exchange Commission's cybersecurity disclosure rules, have changed the regulatory landscape. Noncompliance carries the threat of legal consequences, hefty fines and reputational losses. CISOs have become key players in managing regulatory risk.
• Cloud complexity. Multi-cloud and hybrid environments necessitate new security strategies that extend beyond traditional perimeter-based defenses.
• AI and automation. With AI increasingly embedded into almost every business process, CISOs must assess new threat surfaces, data privacy concerns and ethical risks.
• Third-party ecosystems. As organizations increasingly rely on SaaS and other external suppliers and partners, third-party risk management becomes a critical responsibility for CISOs.
• Cyber-risk literacy. Cyber-risk is business risk. Ransomware, data breaches and intellectual property theft have financial and reputational consequences, making cybersecurity a top-level business issue.

Skills the modern CISO needs to succeed

To thrive in this transformed role, the modern CISO must develop a well-rounded skill set that combines technical expertise with business acumen and communication abilities.

As ever, CISOs need a solid grasp of foundational cybersecurity concepts and an awareness of emerging technologies. As their roles become more business-oriented, they must also develop the following skills:

• Strategic planning.
• Budgeting.
• Storytelling for executive audiences.
• Regulatory and legal fluency.
• Enterprise risk management and governance.
• Talent development.
• Team building.
• Crisis communications.
• Incident response leadership.

Finally, CISOs can no longer live their days ensconced behind security staff. Rather, they must cultivate cross-functional leadership and influence, actively developing relationships across all business departments, from lines of business to HR and legal.

Questions CISOs should ask themselves to assess their strategic maturity

CISOs looking to evaluate their evolution into true business partners should reflect on the following:

• Am I involved in digital transformation and product planning from the early stages?
• Do I regularly present to the board or executive committee?
• How do I measure security performance in business terms (e.g., cyber-risk reduction and cybersecurity ROI)?
• Have I established strong alliances with leaders from legal, compliance, risk and operations departments?
• Do my colleagues see me as a driver of innovation or a barrier to change?
• Do I know the company's strategic business goals? Does my security strategy align with them?
• Do I understand and influence the company's risk appetite and tolerance?
• Is cybersecurity embedded into M&A, vendor selection and product development?

The Chief Information Security Officer Evolution: Business Knowledge for Cybersecurity Executives

Seasoned CISOs and cybersecurity experts Matthew K. Sharp and Kyriakos "Rock" Lambros wrote the book on how the security field's seniormost role has evolved to require increasing business acumen. Read an excerpt from The CISO Evolution: Business Knowledge for Cybersecurity Executives and check out our Q&A with Sharp and Lambros.

Learn more about The CISO Evolution: Business Knowledge for Cybersecurity Executives from Wiley.

By honestly answering these questions, CISOs can gauge their strategic maturity and take proactive steps to transition from technical gatekeepers to influential business leaders.

Jerald Murphy is senior vice president of research and consulting with Nemertes Research. With more than three decades of technology experience, Murphy has worked on a range of technology topics, including neural networking research, integrated circuit design, computer programming and global data center design. He was also the CEO of a managed services company.