Who Should the CISO Report to? It Depends.
Recently, a LinkedIn post from Rob Black, a Virtual CISO to SaaS companies, went viral as it posed an ‘age old question’: “Where should the CISO report?” The video, which racked up over 3,000 responses and over 300 reposts was highly entertaining, but it also, clearly, struck a chord.
As a CISO, you are responsible for protecting your organization from cyber threats and ensuring compliance with various regulations and standards. But who do you report to? And how does that affect your role and influence?
There is no definitive answer to this question, as different organizations have different reporting structures for their CISOs. Some factors that may influence this decision include:
The size of the organization: Larger organizations may have more layers of management and more specialized roles, while smaller organizations may have fewer resources and more generalist roles.
The culture of the organization: Some organizations may have a more centralized or decentralized approach to decision-making and governance, which may affect the level of autonomy and authority of the CISO.
The maturity of the organization: Some organizations may have a more established and mature cybersecurity program, while others may be in the early stages of developing and implementing their cyber strategy.
The industry of the organization: Some industries may face more stringent or specific regulatory requirements or customer expectations, which may affect the scope and complexity of the CISO's role.
Depending on these factors, the CISO may report to different senior leaders in the organization, such as:
The CEO: This may indicate that cybersecurity is a top priority and a strategic enabler for the organization. The CISO may have more visibility and influence at the board level and across the business units. However, the CISO may also face more pressure and scrutiny from the CEO and other stakeholders.
The CIO or CTO: This may indicate that cybersecurity is a technical function that supports the IT or technology strategy of the organization. The CISO may have more access and alignment with the IT or technology teams and resources. However, the CISO may also face more challenges in balancing security and innovation or in communicating cyber risk to non-technical audiences.
The COO or CFO: This may indicate that cybersecurity is an operational or financial function that supports the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization. The CISO may have more integration and coordination with the business processes and controls. However, the CISO may also face more constraints in budgeting and prioritizing security initiatives or in demonstrating return on investment.
There is no right or wrong answer to where the CISO should report. But one key element that Rob Black’s post did touch on was the quality of the reporting. At a time where effectively communicating cyber risk and the business value of security initiatives is increasingly important, what matters is how the CISO reports.
Black poked some fun at ‘techno mumbo jumbo’, ‘six point font’ and ‘17 different communication points’ on jam-packed presentation slides, as well as ‘300-page technical reports’, but alongside the jokes came a very powerful message – effective business reporting is an increasingly important and in-demand skill for any CISO to have.
