Defending organizations against hackers and keeping information safe are critical endeavors — but they aren’t easy. Information security (infosec) has evolved to be one of the most complex aspects of business today and requires a formalized approach. With modern cybersecurity threats seeking greater harm than ever, proper collaboration between IT and infosec leaders and teams is critical.
Looking at the big picture, resilience is key to security. The question is: How can the CIO prepare and help minimize the impact of security events when they occur? Approaching information security in the right way increases the odds of building a strong program infused with resilience.
Building in controls and resilience to absorb the impact is much more realistic than expecting to stop all successful exploits. For example, the CIO can help identify the necessary technical controls to minimize remote work risks to cybersecurity and infosec that the CISO and their staff detect. CIOs can also build endpoint security controls to prevent and mitigate the threat and impact of ransomware. The CIO should consider working with the CISO and legal counsel to determine best practices for AI usage. This process could include strategies on how to deal with external threats by others using AI against the company.
Here are four information security essentials CIOs need, plus a formula for ensuring long-term resilience.
1. Create an infosec mission: All practical business endeavors must begin with direction. Having a security program charter is essential to document the organization’s commitment to infosec initiatives and its overall approach to IT governance and compliance. The CIO and the CISO should collaborate on a functional working document that establishes requirements to meet the cybersecurity, information security, and privacy expectations of all internal and external stakeholders.
2. Determine roles and responsibilities: The CIO can work with the CISO, CSO, and chief risk officer to establish a clear vision of the organization’s security direction and outline each role’s infosec responsibilities. This process should involve legal counsel and internal audit to set expectations and minimize security threats, vulnerabilities, and risks.
3. Form a security committee: IT and security professionals cannot be the sole stewards of cybersecurity and infosec within the business. The security conversation should include employees from finance, legal, HR, and others as needed. Encouraging feedback and soliciting direct input on how to improve can lead to innovative solutions from people outside of security. The committee should meet periodically and consistently to discuss meaningful security oversight issues.
4. Grow through specific and concrete goals: Clear guidance is necessary to execute missions and other initiatives. Well-written plans make or break a security program. CIOs should determine what they want to accomplish, outline the steps needed to accomplish the goals, set specific deadlines, and hold everyone accountable. Working closely with the CISO and the security committee can help establish and achieve these goals.
The formula for strong infosec includes understanding the organization’s systems and information assets, assessing the types of risks these assets pose, and following through with appropriate actions such as implementing controls, defining security policies and standards, and enhancing user education. It requires leadership support from the executive management team and collaboration with legal counsel and other stakeholders to ensure informed decision-making and a culture of security.
By actively working on security initiatives and preparing for potential incidents or breaches, CIOs can demonstrate leadership and increase the chances of success. Taking a proactive approach now gives them more control over strategies and messaging, rather than reacting under pressure when an incident occurs.