The CISO paradox: With great responsibility comes little or no power

What makes this example particularly difficult is that, on the finish of the day, CISOs are nonetheless held accountable for failures. When a breach happens or a vulnerability is uncovered, it’s the CISO who bears the brunt of the blame. They’re anticipated to handle and stop these incidents, however with out the authority to implement crucial measures, they’re set as much as fail.

It’s a scenario that few different leaders within the C-suite expertise: a CEO, for instance, usually has management over selections associated to the corporate’s strategic route and assets, however CISOs are anticipated to stop breaches with out the identical degree of management. They’ve accountability with out command, a mannequin that doesn’t set anybody up for fulfillment.

This lack of command doesn’t simply have an effect on the group’s safety; it additionally impacts the CISO’s relationships, internally and externally. CISOs usually want to have interaction with board members, friends, and stakeholders to elucidate safety initiatives, deal with potential threats, and focus on threat mitigation methods.