CISOs generally regard themselves as business professionals who adroitly balance technical expertise with business acumen to effectively mitigate cyber risk while enabling business growth. The role has critical implications for a company’s revenues, profits, shareholder value, and brand. The position therefore favors individuals who make calculated decisions based on data and business objectives rather than emotions. Since COVID-19, however, CISOs have shown a seldom seen side of their personalities. While they bandy about the term “shared responsibility,” meaning cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility while employees work from home, the term is a misnomer. Behind this façade, CISOs bend over backwards to help employees work safely. They demonstrate patience, empathy, and even a concern for employees’ welfare. What other secrets are CISOs hiding? Do they like to laugh? Do they enjoy playing with their kids?
CISO Street recently moderated a virtual CISO panel and asked panelists about their perspectives on current cyber trends and challenges. In this video, Brian Fricke, CISO and Head of IT Risk at City National Bank, Kurt Roemer, Chief Security Strategist with Citrix, and Paul Love, Chief Information Security and Privacy Officer for CO-OP Financial Services, discuss how their traditional CISO roles have evolved since their employees began working from home during COVID-19.
