The chief information security officer (CISO) has always been a unique position. While it has “chief” in the title, it isn’t always considered part of the C-suite, making its position in the corporate hierarchy somewhat murky. Sometimes it reports to the chief technology officer (CTO), other times to the chief information officer (CIO) — or even the chief financial officer (CFO). Just about every organization has a CISO these days, but where the CISO fits into the reporting structure can vary widely from company to company. This isn’t necessarily a problem — organizations should focus on creating a reporting structure that works for them — but lack of structure can create a messy and confusing hierarchy.
What really matters is ensuring that there is regular communication and collaboration between the CISO and other organizational leaders. Information security touches every area of the business, which means security leaders need to be an integral part of any significant decision-making process. The CISO cannot be a siloed position. Building a culture of security and transparency is critical, and fostering collaboration between the CISO and the C-suite can help organizations meet today’s most pressing security and compliance challenges — all while further enabling the business.