BEING A CISO

Dr. Eric Cole’s latest episode of “Life of a CISO” delves into the intricate role of a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), emphasizing the critical balance between security and functionality. He explores the tendency for CISOs to revert to technical solutions when under pressure, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of business operations. Cole stresses the necessity of CISOs becoming business enablers rather than barriers, shifting the focus towards embracing and knowing the business. He outlines three pivotal questions: assessing value/benefit, evaluating risk/exposure, and crucially, asking if one is willing to accept the risk. This shift in responsibility from the CISO to the decision-makers changes the corporate culture, ensuring accountability for decisions made. Cole emphasizes the importance of setting risk postures and communicating these to executives, stressing that 100% security isn’t feasible without sacrificing functionality. Ultimately, open and honest communication emerges as a pivotal skill for CISOs, encouraging them to push back when overloaded and prioritize tasks transparently with factual data.

In this episode:

• 1:00– CISO Realization
• 3:00– Business Impact Rule
• 5:00– Balancing Risk
• 9:00– Changing Security Perception
• 11:00– Value Misinterpretation
• 13:00– Embracing Creative Ideas
• 16:00– Establishing Rules
• 19:00– Executive Understanding
• 20:00– Law of Security
• 22:00– Risk-Based Approach
• 27:00– Pushing Back