The role of the chief information security officer (CISO) has never been more important to organizational success. The present and near-future for CISOs will be marked by breathtaking technical advances, particularly those associated with the inclusion of artificial intelligence technologies being integrated into business functions, as well as emergent legal and regulatory challenges. Continued advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) will accelerate the proliferation of deepfakes designed to erode public trust in online information and public institutions. Furthermore, these challenges will be amplified by an unstable global theater in which nefarious actors and nation states chase opportunities to exploit any potential organizational weakness. Some forecasts have already characterized 2024 as a pressure cooker environment for CISOs. In such an environment, skills are critical. In this post I outline the top 10 skills that CISOs need for 2024 and beyond. These recommendations draw upon my experience as the director of the SEI’s CERT Division, as well as my service as the first federal chief information security officer of the United States, leading cyber operations at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and my lengthy military service as a communications and cyberspace operations officer.
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