IT Security: 5 CISOs and CSOs You Need to Know
Why are more companies making security a C-level job by adding chief information security officers (CISOs) and chief security officers (CSOs)? There are many reasons these executives are in high demand. Here's a complete breakdown of how CISOs and CSOs support their respective organizations and a closer look at five CISOs and CSOs you need to know.
![Microsoft Chief Information Security Officer Bret Arsenault Microsoft Chief Information Security Officer Bret Arsenault](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt10e444bce2d36aa8/blt8857b4c652d6b616/652479eef3cc8359bbe23905/Bret_A_0.png?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Microsoft Chief Information Security Officer Bret Arsenault
Bret Arsenault is Microsoft‘s (MSFT’s) chief information security officer and is responsible for the company’s enterprise-wide information security, compliance and business continuity efforts. He’s been with Microsoft since 1990 and worked extensively on the creation of the Microsoft Security Risk Assessment (MSRA) methodology, a standardized framework that is used to evaluate security issues.
Brett Wahlin has more than 26 years of experience in leading large enterprise information security architecture, policy, operations and development organizations. He joined Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) as the company’s vice president and chief information security officer in Jan. 2013.
Remote monitoring and management (RMM) software company Continuum added Nick Bruno as its chief information security officer in Dec. 2013. Bruno focuses on the development of new information security products and services in this role.
Brian Kelly was named Rackspace‘s (RAX’s) chief security officer this week. Kelly has more than 30 years of experience in security strategy and technology governance, risk and compliance and is now responsible for overseeing physical and information security efforts for Rackspace and its customers globally.
Brian Kelly was named Rackspace‘s (RAX’s) chief security officer this week. Kelly has more than 30 years of experience in security strategy and technology governance, risk and compliance and is now responsible for overseeing physical and information security efforts for Rackspace and its customers globally.
Why are more companies making security a C-level job and hiring or appointing chief information security officers (CISOs) and chief security officers (CSOs)? There are many reasons these executives are in high demand.
A CISO or CSO typically is responsible for aligning a business' security initiatives with its enterprise programs and objectives to ensure its sensitive data is protected against cyber threats.
IBM (IBM) noted that a CISO or CSO frequently is responsible for "managing risk and enabling business opportunity" across an enterprise as well.
How a CISO or CSO performs, meanwhile, can have far-flung effects on a business and its customers.
Target (TGT), for example, suffered one of the worst data breaches in history last year. The data breach put millions of Target customers' credit and debit card information in jeopardy and reportedly cost the retail giant $148 million, according to The New York Times.
Target named Brad Maiorino as its first CISO in June 2014. He previously served as General Motors' (GM's) chief information security and information technology risk officer and is expected to help Target prevent future data breaches.
But Target isn't the only company to appoint a CISO recently — check out this gallery for a closer look at five CISOs and CSOs you need to know.
Also, I welcome your thoughts via Twitter @dkobialka or email at [email protected].
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