Chief Security Officer (CSO): Definition, Requirements, Duties

What Is a Chief Security Officer (CSO)?

The term chief security officer (CSO) refers to a company executive responsible for a company's physical and digital. This means a company's CSO is in charge of securing its personnel, physical assets, and information. As such, CSOs typically take care of online safety protocols, risk management, and responding to security incidents. The importance of this position has increased in the age of information technology due to the dangers of hacking, ransomware, and data theft.

Understanding Chief Security Officers (CSOs)

The chief security officer is a member of a company's upper management team. In this role, the CSO is responsible for developing and overseeing policies and programs used in the mitigation or reduction of compliance, operational, strategic, and financial security risk strategies relating to the personnel or staff, any assets, and other property.

The term was primarily used to describe the person responsible for IT security in a company. In some cases, that definition still applies. But in more recent years, the role of a CSO has expanded to include overall corporate security such as a company's personnel and physical assets along with digital and physical information. 

The person who holds the title is also sometimes referred to as a chief information security officer or CISO. In some cases, the person is also known as the vice president or director of corporate security, which consolidates all forms of corporate security under a single department.

Special Considerations

Some organizations may use certain job titles, such as the CSO and the CISO, interchangeably. This means there may be one person responsible for job duties like securing the company's assets and personnel. As such, some tech companies may have a chief information security officer instead of a CSO, reflecting the digital focus of their responsibilities.

But in some cases, these job titles may be used simultaneously within the same organization. For instance, a company may have a CISO in addition to a CSO, where the former may handle the security of all digital assets while the latter takes charge of securing all of the company's physical assets, personnel, and facilities. These two individuals may work together as peers or one may report to the other.

History of the CSO

CSOs were not in high demand in the 1990s. But the position gained popularity in the early 2000s. It became synonymous with executives who are responsible for corporate IT security. In some cases, the role is also used to define individuals who have a larger scope of duties, including corporate security. As noted above, this may include the security of physical assets, such as facilities, corporate assets, and employees.

Many CSOs come from different backgrounds. Some professionals come from the government, while others come from the corporate world. The role has generally been a difficult one to fill. Even with the rise in the IT field and how popular the role has become, there haven't been enough qualified individuals willing to take the responsibility of securing corporate digital and physical assets.

They may be hard to find, but many companies still do not have a CSO in their management teams. Other firms end up looking to fill the position when they have suffered some sort of damaging breach. 

What Does It Take to Become a CSO?

In order to be a CSO, the person should have a solid background in computers as well as experience working in environments where they will be exposed to various problems, whether they are related to physical security, cybersecurity, or informational issues.

Any candidate who may consider taking a position as a CSO should know about the business they will be protecting and must be a good communicator. Because security can come with a heavy cost, the candidate will need to be able to relate plans and requirements to the rest of the management team with ease. 

Responsibilities of the CSO

The CSO is responsible for executing and overseeing, among others, the following duties:

• Day-to-Day Operations: Implementing and overseeing strategies to assess and mitigate risk, safeguarding the corporation and its assets, and crisis management.
• Security: Developing, implementing, and maintaining security processes and policies, identifying and reducing risks, and limiting liability and exposure to informational, physical, and financial risks.
• Compliance: Working with a legal/compliance team, or being independently responsible for ensuring the company complies with local, national, and global regulations, especially in areas like privacy, health, and safety.
• Innovation: Conducting research and executing security management solutions to help keep the organization safe.

The Bottom Line

Many experts say there is a small pool of talent from which companies can choose when hiring CSOs—there just aren't enough to go around. But it will become a position that will continue to be in high demand since many companies are experiencing breaches and threats to their security.