CISO Strategies: The Playbook Of Top 1% CISOs

Recently, some attackers set up a crypto mining operation for the PurpleUrchin crypto mining campaign using the free or trial-based cloud computing services provided by platforms like GitHub, Heroku, and Togglebox.

They create tens of thousands of fake accounts to bypass restrictions and exploit stolen or counterfeit credit cards to activate time-limited trials. And this is just one of the many clever tricks that were in the news we’ve seen cybercriminals pull off recently.

When it comes to hackers and cybercriminals, their playbooks are clear that they are ever-evolving. However, if you aren’t learning and implementing new safeguards, tools, and tactics to protect your business from these elements, you run the risk of becoming increasingly vulnerable. 

We had conversations with 50+ top CISOs across our in-person events, and here are some of the top plays picked from these conversations. Read on to find out more!

Top 5 CISO strategies for 2024: What’s in the playbook? 

With cyber threats becoming more sophisticated, adopting some well-known strategies is important. Here are the top 5 CISO strategies you need to know in 2024:

1. Build a better security team

A CISO is only as good as their team; ensuring that you have a strong team with the right capabilities is essential to your success. 

One critical thing to look for, along with a solid technical foundation, is creativity and curiosity about all things cyber security. When facing an attack, this curious mindset will help rather than panicking when the conventional action plan fails. 

2. Align priorities with the business

Identify your top priorities by examining what matters most to your company and leadership. Ideally, you need to choose 2 to 3 key areas to focus on for the quarter in line with board expectations. When selecting these priorities, consider how they align with business outcomes. 

This connection helps you see the value of your security efforts and gives you credit for achieving strategic goals. For example, you may see the top priority as bolstering your security posture against ransomware but the board may need you to prioritize a compliance certification to help unblock larger deals. 

After you have aligned on the goals, plan your operational budget based on your needs and the budgeting process within the organization. Even if you can’t make major changes in the coming 100 days, ensure your budget supports your strategic priorities. If you need to shuffle some funds around to focus on your security investments, go for it.

Finally, when evaluating initiatives, ask yourself:

• Can it be achieved within 3-6 months?
• Do you have executive support, resources, and budget?
• Is the operational budget enough to support your priorities? If resources are tight, adjust your strategic plan to make it achievable.
• Does it line up with both business and security goals?

3. Get buy-in from the board

It isn’t enough just to align with business goals; it also matters that you get buy-in from key stakeholders on the path. When presenting to the board as a CISO, focus on engaging them in a conversation about cybersecurity and its alignment with business needs. 

Ensure that you don’t just focus on the risk aversion part of cybersecurity but also the fact that it’s a competitive edge that buyers look for. When you gain alignment on these priorities, you can potentially secure more budget and implement stronger security measures. Remember, you might only have a few minutes with the board each quarter or year, so make those moments count.

Use clear, concise storytelling in your presentations to convey your message to drive home the point. Stories can resonate more with the board members than just presenting raw numbers or slides filled with data.

4. Use tools to automate the busywork

As a CISO, embracing automation tools isn’t just about saving time—it’s about empowering your team to focus on what truly matters: protecting our organization’s data and systems. 

When you automate repetitive tasks like vulnerability scanning and log analysis, you’re streamlining your workflow and giving yourself the space to think creatively and proactively about security challenges. 

It’s about working smarter, not harder, so you can stay ahead of threats and keep our organization safe.

5. Keep up with your regulatory requirements

The regulatory requirement varies depending on the countries you’re serving or operating in. So, check your regulatory requirements to understand the rules imposed by government entities on your organization.

This legislation applies to all aspects of your business, including handling your business and communicating with employees and customers. That’s where GRC automation tools swoop in to save the day. Such tools facilitate easy adherence to rules and regulations with continuous control monitoring and adherence to the necessary frameworks. Considerable regulations include CMMC, GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO 27001.

Here’s where Sprinto shines as a leading security Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance (GRC) platform. It’s tailored for fast-growing tech companies aiming for efficient compliance. 

With Sprinto, you get ready-to-use auditor-friendly programs, continuous monitoring, and automated evidence collection that saves you hundreds of man-hours and thousands of dollars by giving you a central HQ to track everything related to your compliance, governance, and risk. 

Where should I invest time as a CISO? How do I maximize my chances of success?

In different types of companies or depending on how big they are, a CISO might have to do many different things. 

They might need to ensure the company follows all the rules set by regulators, help with how the company runs, and make important decisions about keeping its computer systems safe.

With that being said, here are some tips on how you can maximize your success:

1. Invest in storytelling

Get started with creating a concise presentation that emphasizes your new plan for cybersecurity and the importance of how it fits with your company’s overall business goals. When the board recognizes this connection, they’ll likely be more supportive of your initiatives. 

Everyone loves a good story, right? So, work on weaving a narrative around your cybersecurity efforts. Make it engaging, memorable, and relatable to the board members. They will likely support your plans when they can see your vision and understand its story.

2. Always look for risk

Conduct a thorough assessment of your security posture to identify weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Identify any gaps or vulnerabilities in your current setup. 

Your goal with risk assessment isn’t to point fingers or assign blame—it’s about keeping your organization safe. When you identify vulnerabilities and gaps in your security, you can take steps to shore up your defenses and protect what matters most.

3. Take more demos

This is your chance to try out the latest and greatest security tech. Are your existing tools cutting it? If not, it’s time to hit the field and start taking some demos of new solutions. 

Sure, you can read all the specs and reviews, but there’s nothing like seeing a product in action. 

Demos allow you to see how these tools work in real-life scenarios. You can ask questions, test out features, and see if it’s something your team can get behind.

4. Provide training to your employees

Training sessions prevent your team from feeling stuck or unsure about using new security tools. They gain the necessary knowledge and skills to overcome obstacles and fully integrate these tools into their workflows.

5. Conduct audits

Conduct an audit to figure out which regulations apply to your company. This audit will help you understand what you need to comply with and where you might need to tighten up your security.

6. Invest in automation tools

Implement security compliance automation and GRC tools like Sprinto as a part of CISO strategy to streamline compliance efforts.

Sprinto provides a compliance automation toolkit to help you build a fully automated compliance program. It monitors access controls, spots anomalies, initiates fixes, and swiftly gathers audit evidence.

7. Continuous monitoring

Security isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it kind of thing; it’s an ongoing process. Continuously monitor and update your defenses to stay ahead of new threats and vulnerabilities.

Sprinto automatically connects to your systems to map and monitor controls against security standards such as SOC2 and ISO27001. It continuously tests compliance, gathers evidence, and activates remediation workflows, working around the clock every day of the year.

How can Sprinto help?

In wrapping up, think of cybersecurity as taking care of a garden. You wouldn’t just plant seeds and walk away, right? You’d water the plants, pull out the weeds, and watch for pests.

Likewise, building a strong cybersecurity strategy as a CISO is an ongoing process. It’s not just about setting up firewalls and calling it a day. You need to involve everyone in the team, from the IT folks to the board members, and ensure everyone understands their role in keeping things moving.

On that note, if you found these strategies helpful and are curious about how Sprinto could make your life easier, why not try our demo? It’s a chance to see firsthand how Sprinto can fit into your existing compliance and security processes.

Sprinto provides a centralized platform to maintain a single source of compliance truth. This allows for streamlined tracking and management of compliance requirements, ensuring consistent adherence across the organization. 

With Sprinto, you can demonstrate practice maturity through its comprehensive reporting capabilities, offering granular insights into your security and compliance posture.

From an integration standpoint, Sprinto is designed to be flexible. It easily integrates with your existing systems and tools, minimizing disruptions to your current workflows.

FAQs

What makes a successful CISO?

A successful CISO combines strong business acumen with a good technical background. They communicate well and empathize with others to bridge the gap between security and business goals. These qualities help them lead their team and drive cybersecurity initiatives.

What is the new role of the CISO?

The new role of the CISO focuses more on executive leadership, bringing business value, and being responsible for increasing ROI. They are key in informing the C-suite about security risks that impact organizational objectives and strategy.

What is a KPI for a CISO?

CISO KPIs are metrics that measure the efficiency of their cybersecurity initiatives. These indicators span various domains, including financial resource allocation, incident response timelines, analysis of user behavior, and adherence to regulatory compliance standards.

Hygiene To dos:
“Avoid”, “Prevent” — are cuss words in CyberSecurity use Minimize and Mitigate	Yes
Write in active voice	Mostly
Is your content Frase optimized?	Yes
Is your content optimized for featured snippets?	Yes
Readability & Quality
Does the first paragraph have a hook? Does it give the reader an idea of what the article will be about? Have you started your article with a story that addresses the pain points of the ICP (if applicable)?	Yes
Have you included stats, anecdotes, videos & images (internal)?	Yes
Is your article content heavy? If yes, add more relevant creatives	Not applicable
Is the Grammarly score 60 or higher?	Yes
Plagiarism score < 3% (unless when using quotes & original content)	Yes
Topic To Dos:
Have we covered this topic before? Does the SEO brief warrant a new article or should we optimize an existing article?	Yes
Paragraphs should not be more than 3-4 sentences long	Yes
Have we covered all the headings for this topic? (check Frase)	No, left one
Grammar/Tone to be followed
Write in a conversational style (Directly address the user)	Yes
US spelling variants to be used	Yes
Use active voice and avoid passive voice	Yes
Use contractions where necessary	Yes
Use plain language and avoid jargon unless relevant to the case	Yes
Use personal pronouns to speak directly to user	Yes
Add sidenotes/humor if appropriate	Yes
Add emotion where appropriate (Don’t sound lifeless)	Yes
Copy
Is the content well-written? Is the writing interesting, entertaining, and easy to read?	Yes
Does the content tell a story?	Yes
Do the transitions make sense and flow well?	Yes
Is the grammar correct?	Yes
Does the introduction capture the reader’s attention? Is it interesting enough to get the reader to keep reading?	Yes
Does the intro tee up the rest of the content well and explain the value the reader will get out of reading it?	Yes
Are the headers keyword-optimized, compelling, and clear?	Yes
Does the tone of the writing align with the content being presented?	Yes
Does the content’s voice coincide with the overall voice of our content and company?	Yes
Are statistics, data, quotes, ideas, etc. properly attributed to the original source with a link back?	Yes
Is the data interpreted correctly (i.e. not lost in translation) from the original source?	Yes
In any quotations, do we have the right spelling of the name and job title/company of the person quoted?	Yes
Have you added a Sprinto Plug?	Yes
Image & video usage policy
Is the image relevant to the copy?	Yes
Does the image follow the design guidelines?	Yes
Is the image text heavy? (should not exceed more than 6 words) exceptions are infographics	Yes
Are the images frase optimized? (do we have enough images )	Yes
Did you add Alt Text to the images?	Yes
Can you add an existing SEO video to improve understanding?	Not sure
Can you add product videos to improve demo requests?	Yes