Information Security Leaders Handbook

The information security threat landscape changes frequently as a result of changes in technologies, economic issues, globalization, social activism and hectavism, new political realities, and innovations by plain old criminals who want to steal data for financial benefits. Along with, the role and responsibilities of security professionals, especially the ones in the leadership roles, also change. Instead of playing a catch up game all the time, this book emphasizes focusing on basic principles and techniques. The information security leaders should implement these principles to update their personal knowledge, to safeguard their organization's information assets and optimize information security cost.After having meetings with many information security leaders in diverse industry sectors, I have realized that there is a set of “fundamental” models that help these leaders run successful and effective information security programs. This book is a summary of these fundamentals.Who are the target audience?If you are an information security professional, whether in a leadership role or aspiring to be a future leader, this book is for you.What is this book about?The objective of this book is to make you successful as information security professional by learning from experience of great leaders in this field. It provides core fundamental models in a concise manner that are easy to read and use in managing information security. Most of the chapters accompany visual mind maps, action items, and other visual tools for easy understanding.How is this book organized?The book covers a set of carefully selected topics. This is to ensure that focus remains on principles that are the most important to the success of a security professional. The topics are arranged in six parts as listed below.1. Know The Business – List of topics important for understanding and knowing the business.2. Information Security Strategy – Elements of information security strategy, how to create strategy and put it into practice.3. Security Operations – Major areas related to running an effective security operations program.4. Risk Management – How to assess and manage risk.5. Personal Branding – Creating personal brand and establishing credibility tobe effective as information security leader.6. Appendices – Miscellaneous data points and sources of information.How I Use This Book?I suggest that you read one chapter daily, take actions, set goals, and write those actions and goals on the “Goals and Activity Log” page at the end of each chapter. Next day, read another chapter and write the actions and goals with target dates. As you go along, start reading random chapters and keep on reviewing and updating your actions and goals to measure your progress and success.A Systematic Way of Achieving ExcellenceThe book provides a systematic and measureable way towards excellence in your job. I have gone to great length to limit each topic to two pages or less. Please use the “Goals and Activity Log” page to record your progress and make the best use of your time. While you go along, record your experiences and share them on the book web site.Book Web SiteMany detailed mind maps, new articles, and discussions are made available at the book web site http://InfoSecLeadersHandbook.wordpress.com. New content will be added on an ongoing basis and you can actually publish your own mind maps on this web site. I would like this web site to be driven by the community where you can share your experiences, tools, mind maps, and any other information to help the information security leaders. Please register on the web site to receive updates.

Cybersecurity threats are on the rise. As a leader, you need to be prepared to keep your organization safe. Companies are investing an unprecedented amount of money to keep their data and assets safe, yet cyberattacks are on the rise--and the problem is worsening. No amount of technology, resources, or policies will reverse this trend. Only sound governance, originating with the board, can turn the tide. Protection against cyberattacks can't be treated as a problem solely belonging to an IT or cybersecurity department. It needs to cast a wide and impenetrable net that covers everything an organization does--from its business operations, models, and strategies to its products and intellectual property. And boards are in the best position to oversee the needed changes to strategy and hold their companies accountable. Not surprisingly, many boards aren't prepared to assume this responsibility. In A Leader's Guide to Cybersecurity, Thomas Parenty and Jack Domet, who have spent over three decades in the field, present a timely, clear-eyed, and actionable framework that will empower senior executives and board members to become stewards of their companies' cybersecurity activities. This includes: Understanding cyber risks and how best to control them Planning and preparing for a crisis--and leading in its aftermath Making cybersecurity a companywide initiative and responsibility Drawing attention to the nontechnical dynamics that influence the effectiveness of cybersecurity measures Aligning the board, executive leadership, and cybersecurity teams on priorities Filled with tools, best practices, and strategies, A Leader's Guide to Cybersecurity will help boards navigate this seemingly daunting but extremely necessary transition.

This book is for cybersecurity leaders across all industries and organizations. It is intended to bridge the gap between the data center and the board room. This book examines the multitude of communication challenges that CISOs are faced with every day and provides practical tools to identify your audience, tailor your message and master the art of communicating. Poor communication is one of the top reasons that CISOs fail in their roles. By taking the step to work on your communication and soft skills (the two go hand-in-hand), you will hopefully never join their ranks. This is not a “communication theory” book. It provides just enough practical skills and techniques for security leaders to get the job done. Learn fundamental communication skills and how to apply them to day-to-day challenges like communicating with your peers, your team, business leaders and the board of directors. Learn how to produce meaningful metrics and communicate before, during and after an incident. Regardless of your role in Tech, you will find something of value somewhere along the way in this book.

The CISO Handbook: A Practical Guide to Securing Your Company provides unique insights and guidance into designing and implementing an information security program, delivering true value to the stakeholders of a company. The authors present several essential high-level concepts before building a robust framework that will enable you to map the concepts to your company’s environment. The book is presented in chapters that follow a consistent methodology – Assess, Plan, Design, Execute, and Report. The first chapter, Assess, identifies the elements that drive the need for infosec programs, enabling you to conduct an analysis of your business and regulatory requirements. Plan discusses how to build the foundation of your program, allowing you to develop an executive mandate, reporting metrics, and an organizational matrix with defined roles and responsibilities. Design demonstrates how to construct the policies and procedures to meet your identified business objectives, explaining how to perform a gap analysis between the existing environment and the desired end-state, define project requirements, and assemble a rough budget. Execute emphasizes the creation of a successful execution model for the implementation of security projects against the backdrop of common business constraints. Report focuses on communicating back to the external and internal stakeholders with information that fits the various audiences. Each chapter begins with an Overview, followed by Foundation Concepts that are critical success factors to understanding the material presented. The chapters also contain a Methodology section that explains the steps necessary to achieve the goals of the particular chapter.

Cyber Risk Leaders: Global C-Suite Insights - Leadership and Influence in the Cyber Age’, by Shamane Tan - explores the art of communicating with executives, tips on navigating through corporate challenges, and reveals what the C-Suite looks for in professional partners. For those who are interested in learning from top industry leaders, or an aspiring or current CISO, this book is gold for your career. It’s the go-to book and your CISO kit for the season.

Gain useful insights into cybersecurity leadership in a modern-day organization with the help of use cases Key FeaturesDiscover tips and expert advice from the leading CISO and author of many cybersecurity booksBecome well-versed with a CISO's day-to-day responsibilities and learn how to perform them with easeUnderstand real-world challenges faced by a CISO and find out the best way to solve themBook Description The chief information security officer (CISO) is responsible for an organization's information and data security. The CISO's role is challenging as it demands a solid technical foundation as well as effective communication skills. This book is for busy cybersecurity leaders and executives looking to gain deep insights into the domains important for becoming a competent cybersecurity leader. The book begins by introducing you to the CISO's role, where you'll learn key definitions, explore the responsibilities involved, and understand how you can become an efficient CISO. You'll then be taken through end-to-end security operations and compliance standards to help you get to grips with the security landscape. In order to be a good leader, you'll need a good team. This book guides you in building your dream team by familiarizing you with HR management, documentation, and stakeholder onboarding. Despite taking all that care, you might still fall prey to cyber attacks; this book will show you how to quickly respond to an incident to help your organization minimize losses, decrease vulnerabilities, and rebuild services and processes. Finally, you'll explore other key CISO skills that'll help you communicate at both senior and operational levels. By the end of this book, you'll have gained a complete understanding of the CISO's role and be ready to advance your career. What you will learnUnderstand the key requirements to become a successful CISOExplore the cybersecurity landscape and get to grips with end-to-end security operationsAssimilate compliance standards, governance, and security frameworksFind out how to hire the right talent and manage hiring procedures and budgetDocument the approaches and processes for HR, compliance, and related domainsFamiliarize yourself with incident response, disaster recovery, and business continuityGet the hang of tasks and skills other than hardcore security operationsWho this book is for This book is for aspiring as well as existing CISOs. This book will also help cybersecurity leaders and security professionals understand leadership in this domain and motivate them to become leaders. A clear understanding of cybersecurity posture and a few years of experience as a cybersecurity professional will help you to get the most out of this book.

Updated annually, the Information Security Management Handbook, Sixth Edition, Volume 7 is the most comprehensive and up-to-date reference available on information security and assurance. Bringing together the knowledge, skills, techniques, and tools required of IT security professionals, it facilitates the up-to-date understanding required to stay one step ahead of evolving threats, standards, and regulations. Reporting on the latest developments in information security and recent changes to the (ISC)2® CISSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK®), this volume features 27 new chapters on topics such as BYOD, IT consumerization, smart grids, security, and privacy. Covers the fundamental knowledge, skills, techniques, and tools required by IT security professionals Updates its bestselling predecessors with new developments in information security and the (ISC)2® CISSP® CBK® Provides valuable insights from leaders in the field on the theory and practice of computer security technology Facilitates the comprehensive and up-to-date understanding you need to stay fully informed The ubiquitous nature of computers and networks will always provide the opportunity and means to do harm. This edition updates its popular predecessors with the information you need to address the vulnerabilities created by recent innovations such as cloud computing, mobile banking, digital wallets, and near-field communications. This handbook is also available on CD.

Use the guidance in this comprehensive field guide to gain the support of your top executives for aligning a rational cybersecurity plan with your business. You will learn how to improve working relationships with stakeholders in complex digital businesses, IT, and development environments. You will know how to prioritize your security program, and motivate and retain your team. Misalignment between security and your business can start at the top at the C-suite or happen at the line of business, IT, development, or user level. It has a corrosive effect on any security project it touches. But it does not have to be like this. Author Dan Blum presents valuable lessons learned from interviews with over 70 security and business leaders. You will discover how to successfully solve issues related to: risk management, operational security, privacy protection, hybrid cloud management, security culture and user awareness, and communication challenges. This book presents six priority areas to focus on to maximize the effectiveness of your cybersecurity program: risk management, control baseline, security culture, IT rationalization, access control, and cyber-resilience. Common challenges and good practices are provided for businesses of different types and sizes. And more than 50 specific keys to alignment are included. What You Will Learn Improve your security culture: clarify security-related roles, communicate effectively to businesspeople, and hire, motivate, or retain outstanding security staff by creating a sense of efficacy Develop a consistent accountability model, information risk taxonomy, and risk management framework Adopt a security and risk governance model consistent with your business structure or culture, manage policy, and optimize security budgeting within the larger business unit and CIO organization IT spend Tailor a control baseline to your organization’s maturity level, regulatory requirements, scale, circumstances, and critical assets Help CIOs, Chief Digital Officers, and other executives to develop an IT strategy for curating cloud solutions and reducing shadow IT, building up DevSecOps and Disciplined Agile, and more Balance access control and accountability approaches, leverage modern digital identity standards to improve digital relationships, and provide data governance and privacy-enhancing capabilities Plan for cyber-resilience: work with the SOC, IT, business groups, and external sources to coordinate incident response and to recover from outages and come back stronger Integrate your learnings from this book into a quick-hitting rational cybersecurity success plan Who This Book Is For Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and other heads of security, security directors and managers, security architects and project leads, and other team members providing security leadership to your business