CISO: Who is this Professional and What is Their Role in Companies?

Having a consolidated Information Security structure is becoming an increasingly pressing need for companies. In this scenario, the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) plays a fundamental role in coordinating cybersecurity initiatives within organizations.

In recent years, with the increase in cyberattacks, companies have responded by investing in cybersecurity infrastructure, resulting in a rise in investments aimed at preventing these threats. A statistic that reflects this is that only 18% of companies have yet to invest in Information Security, according to the 2nd National BugHunt Information Security Survey.

Although most companies now understand the importance of Information Security for business integrity, it is necessary to go further and understand the foundations that support an effective and consolidated cybersecurity structure within companies.

The CISO, for instance, is a key professional who is at the forefront of Information Security teams, acting as a leader and leveraging their experience to promote data protection messages across different areas of the company, thereby ensuring the effectiveness of initiatives.

Do you want to understand better what the role of the CISO is and what their functions are in companies? Continue reading this article!

Who is the CISO (Chief Information Security Officer)? The Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is the professional responsible for coordinating actions related to Information Security within companies, as well as implementing—or updating—internal and external cybersecurity policies, and overseeing new processes, always focusing on data protection and system integrity.

In general, their goal is to ensure information security at all stages of organizational processes, having a broad view of systems to direct actions as effectively as possible.

Thus, the CISO is responsible for ensuring that systems are always robust against any threats, that data protection policies are compliant with the law, and that there is a well-structured action plan in case of incidents.

What is the Role of the CISO in Companies? The primary role of the CISO in companies is to coordinate Information Security actions, leading the team, implementing security measures, assessing risks, and ensuring the protection of organizational data and information.

As mentioned earlier, the CISO also develops and implements security policies, trains employees on best security practices, and strengthens the culture of data protection within the company.

As the main spokesperson for Information Security in the company, another role of the Chief Information Security Officer is to work collaboratively with leaders from other departments, ensuring that Information Security is always considered in all company decisions.

Additionally, the CISO has other responsibilities. See below:

Management of Security Tasks

One of the roles assigned to the CISO is the management of all security tasks adopted by the company, aiming to protect the organization's information from any internal or external threats.

These tasks include overseeing the implementation of new security policies—keeping them up-to-date—managing access and identity, monitoring user activities, protecting against malware and other cyber threats, and investigating and responding to potential security incidents.

Management of Tools and Programs

The management of a company's tools and programs involves overseeing access to servers, operating systems, and any other equipment that stores data. Therefore, it is the CISO's job to supervise the progress of projects to ensure that measures are functioning or if there is a need for security flow revisions.

Another responsibility of the CISO is when the company has a Bug Bounty program, for instance. In this case, it is the CISO's role to establish the program's guidelines, determine which vulnerabilities are important or not, and, moreover, to monitor the program's performance, review reports, and address reported vulnerabilities.

Given this, the CISO must have a 360º view of the company to define which sectors need more protection. This includes reviewing equipment and system effectiveness, basic prevention training, and mitigating risk practices.

Development of Internal and External Security Policies

Every company is governed by security norms, rules, and protocols. As mentioned before, one of the CISO's responsibilities is to assess or reformulate, if necessary, internal security policies, always with the intention of strengthening these norms that will keep data secure.

This is a critical point for companies to comply with regulations such as the LGPD. Therefore, it is essential for the CISO to closely monitor the development and maintenance of security policies, both internal—aiming to protect and regulate the use of company and employee information—and external—aiming to protect and regulate the use of third-party information, such as clients and partners.

What is the Importance of a CISO? Because they act as the guardian of data protection culture and information security initiatives, the CISO is a key player in ensuring that everything functions as expected, guaranteeing that systems are resilient against cybercrimes or data breaches.

In the current scenario of growing cyber threats, the CISO plays a fundamental role in companies: providing a strategic vision for data protection, integrating these values across all departments, and using cybersecurity as an important asset for the company's reputation.

It is also important to note that in cases of digital security crises, the CISO plays a decisive role in minimizing damage. This is because this professional will coordinate the company's actions and define viable and effective strategies for problem resolution.

Moreover, the importance of the CISO is also reflected in other factors. Check them out:

Security in Processes

When it comes to processes or structural changes, the CISO is the ideal professional to oversee this journey, ensuring security. They guide all stages to ensure that everything proceeds as safely as possible, avoiding potential system breaches and adhering to security policies.

Secure Growth

As mentioned, the CISO is responsible for ensuring the security of the company's internal and external processes. Additionally, they are the main spokesperson for the data protection message.

Thus, they are responsible for harmonizing the company's growth—and the expansion of systems—with Information Security principles, ensuring that this development occurs responsibly and securely for all stakeholders.

In other words, the CISO coordinates cybersecurity initiatives during the company's growth, ensuring that security standards and awareness grow in tandem with structural development.

Compliance with the LGPD

Since the CISO is responsible for ensuring system integrity and data protection, managing all processes, changes, awareness training, and the development of security policies, it naturally creates an atmosphere of trust and security, strengthening the data protection culture throughout the company.

As a result, it is likely that compliance with regulations such as the LGPD will be facilitated, given that Information Security is already well-structured within the company.

It is a dynamic of action and reaction. With a well-structured system and clearly defined privacy and security policies, it is much easier to maintain a good relationship with regulatory authorities.

Did you enjoy learning about the CISO and understanding their importance within companies? You can explore further and learn more about other pillars of cybersecurity in companies. Check out more articles on the BugHunt blog!