CISO Desk Reference Guide Volume 2

Bill Bonney, Matt Stamper, and Gary Hayslip met in the summer of 2014 as members of the very inclusive and collaborative cybersecurity community of San Diego, California. Besides being the eighth largest city in the U.S. and a very welcoming community, San Diego is home to several pockets of technological innovation. These include very successful biotechnology, life sciences, and mobile technology industries; a plethora of defense contractors and aerospace research companies; a blossoming startup community in the Internet of Things (IoT) and Cybersecurity; and a thriving academic environment. San Diego is also home to the fewest number of "Fortune 500" company headquarters, per capita, in the U. S. Each of the authors has enjoyed over 30 years of success in the Information Technology field, but they have very different backgrounds. It became obvious as they got to know each other by participating on panels and speaking at industry events that these different backgrounds brought diverse and complementary perspectives to the problems the cybersecurity community currently faces. What started as a panel discussion on the role of the modern CISO sparked such a lively audience discussion that the authors began to consider turning into a book for new CISOs and CISOs at mid-size firms in particular.

The Chief Information Security Officer has emerged as a key role in forward-thinking organizations that are keenly aware of the existential threat that cyber risks now pose. The authors of the CISO Desk Reference Guide grasp that reality and use their many years of experience to provide a ton of practical advice about how to function effectively in this role. The unique multi-author approach of the CISO Desk Reference Guide has produced a wealth of insight into the complex and challenging role of Chief Information Security Officer, a role that increasingly anchors organizational risk management in all things cyber and digital.

From the excellent discussion of the evolving CISO role and how best to embed it in the organization, to fundamentals like data classification and controls, to advice on tools and techniques, the CISO Desk Reference Guide delivers multiple perspectives on the foundations of organizational cybersecurity. I would say this is essential reading for both aspiring and incumbent Chief Information Security Officers. The CISO Desk Reference Guide helps fill a critical gap in the ever-evolving information security common body of knowledge.

CISO DRG