Mixing Technology and Business: The Roles and Responsibilities of the Chief Information Security Officer

Today, information is everywhere and both public and private organizations worldwide have invested large amounts of money implementing information technology in order to address their information needs. While doing so, they have taken a complacent attitude regarding the security of those assets. However, as security has received more attention in the last several years, organizations have realized that they lack a designated an individual with the appropriate authority to carry out the security responsibilities of an organization. With the rise of the Chief Information Security Officer to the executive level, organizations that previously relied on information technology department personnel for security now have an individual dedicated solely to the physical and technical aspects of security for an organization. This research paper describes the roles and responsibilities of the Chief Information Security Officer and the importance of these roles and responsibilities to public and private organizations worldwide. In addition, this paper explains the return on investment and the importance and how it relates to the Chief Information Security Officer