Rapidly evolving cyber threats and geopolitical instability are causing disparate physical and digital security services to merge, and the CISO mandate is evolving to match.
Enter the Chief Security Officer (CSO) – the next iteration of the CISO, armed with the centralized authority to manage security as a business-critical function.
In this blog, we examine the crises driving CISO evolution, how the emergent CSO role can mitigate dangers and safeguard enterprises, and how businesses can prepare for this new breed of CISO.
Factors Driving CISO Evolution
Traditional CISOs are neither equipped nor empowered to address the sudden and simultaneous emergence of challenges affecting every aspect of enterprise operations:
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International crises like the war in Ukraine have caused global resource shortages, supply chain fragmentation, and rising cyber protectionism
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Tightening operational resilience regulations are impacting multinational companies navigating complex local laws on data transfer, storage, and security
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Increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks (e.g. double extortion ransomware, persistent malware, relay attacks, and dedicated APT groups) are spurring a fresh wave of fortification efforts
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The widespread adoption of cloud enterprises – and resultant proliferation of CSP services – mean cloud sprawl and technical debt have become commonplace
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Advances in AI technology are sparking fears of redundancy among labor forces while promising businesses the means to free specialists for high-value tasks
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Hybrid workforce issues, like managing the endpoint explosion, asynchronous input channels, evolving on-prem roles, and staff training requirements
Such widespread challenges across the breadth of operations silo operational areas as business units scramble to adapt to changes affecting their discrete responsibilities.
Enter the CSO
Specific competencies have become crucial for businesses to stay ahead of multidimensional security requirements:
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Accelerated response speed. Automation and increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks have drastically shortened the time between penetration, detection, and damage. Defensive, DR, and BCP measures must be faster than ever before to be effective.
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Centralized vision of infrastructure and processes. Clear and comprehensive oversight of operational activity helps rein in bloated enterprises, secure potential points of entry, streamline data compliance controls, and minimize the chance of undetected intrusions.
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Agile, coordinated control of an expanded security architecture, with discrete arms and operational areas (e.g. physical perimeter, internal directory, financial, legal, labor, IT, data, cloud).
By bringing every security dimension under one purview, the CSO can provide these competencies efficiently and establish a cohesive security front. Unified authority over every arm, and shorter command chains, don’t just enhance efficiency but also clearly demarcate accountability.
Some of the new Chief Security Officer’s extensive responsibilities include:
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Clarifying architectures and processes to accelerate decision-making and enable rapid responses to threats. Critical skill areas for CSOs to have include:
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On-premise and digital security systems
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Computer network architectures
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Programming languages
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Cybersecurity hardware and software
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Optimizing vulnerability management, DR, BCP, risk mitigation, and other reactive processes
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Standardizing infrastructure to secure endpoints, IoT networks, overhaul defenses with Zero Trust and MFA technologies, and other proactive actions
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Instituting cost optimization measures like application portfolio rationalization to rein in extended enterprises, simplify security requirements, and cut costs
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Developing and deploying AI and automation to accelerate cybersecurity architecture maturity and free up labor for high-value tasks
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Consolidating security in an era of hybrid working, under-capacity on-premise offices, and unstable headcount caused by contingent labor
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Reviewing HR protocols and staff training procedures
Adopting the CSO Role
CSOs wield expansive powers over enterprise security, and the risks are commensurately severe. It is imperative to prepare thoroughly and make acclimatization as effortless as possible.
Though specific enterprise requirements will vary, there are common measures to take when preparing for a new CSO. We recommend the following best practices:
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Map communications and data traffic processes, as well as cloud and physical infrastructure, for unobstructed vision of the whole enterprise.
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Re-evaluate setups and optimization targets across every dimension ahead of time (e.g. physical, financial, human, digital, cloud, and legal security).
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Acquire technical expertise for CSO support early. While versatility is expected in a CSO, a senior support team of specialists is essential to evaluate decisions and share the administrative load.
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Prioritize soft skills and leadership experience. The overwhelming scope of technical responsibilities will make effective leadership and soft skills essential, while robbing CSOs of the time to develop them on the job. Skills include:
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Communicating effectively without compromising authority
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Efficient time and team management
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Empathy to accommodate different viewpoints and obtain consensus
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Approachability to smoothen internal stakeholder relations, secure buy-in, preserve alignment, and reduce friction from varied practices and tools
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Situational awareness of both operations and external developments
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Focus, enthusiasm, and the ambition to add value
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Prepare for changes in leadership culture and practices. CSOs lead thousands of personnel and handle multi-million-dollar budgets. Candidates and infrastructure should be equipped to manage continuously expanding responsibilities.
These guidelines are a helpful starting point, but cannot replace a mandate tailored to serve unique business needs. Adopting a CSO position without precisely defined responsibilities will only cause further fragmentation, siloed services, team misalignments, technical debt, and cybersecurity gaps.
A capable CSO enhances operational control, efficiency, and efficacy, giving businesses the agility to match the relentless pace of change. But errors at such a strategic level can cripple enterprise security, communications, operations, and decision architectures. Consult expert advisory to ensure a safe journey to CSO adoption and beyond.
Interested in the CSO role and integrated security architectures? Talk with a Wavestone expert about the next steps your company should take.
Wavestone
Our team is a blend of high-quality talent from all levels who can tackle your most complex issues with a fresh approach. With a globally connected network of 4,000 employees, Wavestone is designed to help you get results. All our consultants thrive on complex challenges, enjoy blazing new trails, and are committed to your organization’s success.
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