Defining your strategy is an important step, but it’s just the beginning. Once you’ve developed a strategy, you also need to roll it out. And, of course, this entails potential pitfalls.

In the case of small organizations, which do not employ a full-time CISO, data protection is often assigned to the CTO (Chief Technology Officer). Usually, though, the CTO already has a lot on his plate and security therefore often ends up on the back burner. This remains a challenge, as there is no full-time focus on security.

To address this issue, an external CISO can be brought in depending on the company’s needs. The CTO/CIO and CISO must work together to make sure a sound security policy is drawn up and to monitor each other. In smaller companies, the CISO is often someone with a broad knowledge of different aspects, as resources are limited. An external consultant can help by providing additional expertise.

In larger organizations, security initiatives often come from the bottom up, from technical teams. But these initiatives do not always take business objectives into account. That’s why it is important for the initial direction to come from top management, at executive level. In addition, people who can implement the strategy are also needed. 

A CISO looks at this in the context of business risks and priorities. Since solving everything at once is impossible, a CISO must be able to create and stick to a list of priorities. It is not always necessary to close all vulnerabilities; rather, the right gaps should be filled based on the set priorities.

The roll-out of a security strategy therefore requires close cooperation between various stakeholders, such as the CTO/CIO, CISO and senior management. Understanding the specific needs and risks of the organization, setting priorities and carefully implementing security measures are crucial in ensuring an effective security policy.