CISO COMPASS: Navigating Cybersecurity Leadership Challenges with Insights from Pioneers

by Todd Fitzgerald

#1 Best Selling Information Security Book by Taylor & Francis in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022! 2020 Cybersecurity CANON Hall of Fame Winner! Todd Fitzgerald, co-author of the ground-breaking (ISC)2 CISO Essential Principles for Success, Information Security Governance From the Boardroom to the Keyboard, co-author for the E-C Council CISO Body of Knowledge, and contributor to many others including Official (ISC)2 Guide to the CISSP CBK , COBIT 5 for Information Security, and ISACA CSX Cybersecurity Fundamental Certification, is back with this new book incorporating practical experience in leading, building, and sustaining an information security/cybersecurity program. CISO COMPASS includes personal, pragmatic perspectives and lessons learned of over 75 award-winning CISOs, security leaders, professional association leaders, and cybersecurity standard setters who have fought the tough battle. Todd has also, for the first time, adapted the McKinsey 7S framework (strategy, structure, systems, shared values, staff, skills and style) for organizational effectiveness to the practice of leading cybersecurity to structure the content to ensure comprehensive coverage by the CISO and security leaders to key issues impacting the delivery of the cybersecurity strategy and demonstrate to the Board of Directors due diligence. The insights will assist the security leader to create programs appreciated and supported by the organization, capable of industry/ peer award-winning recognition, enhance cybersecurity maturity, gain confidence by senior management, and avoid pitfalls. The book is a comprehensive, soup-to-nuts book enabling security leaders to effectively protect information assets and build award-winning programs by covering topics such as developing cybersecurity strategy, emerging trends and technologies, cybersecurity organization structure and reporting models, leveraging current incidents, security control frameworks, risk management, laws and regulations, data protection and privacy, meaningful policies and procedures, multi-generational workforce team dynamics, soft skills, and communicating with the Board of Directors and executive management. The book is valuable to current and future security leaders as a valuable resource and an integral part of any college program for information/ cybersecurity.

576 pages, Hardcover

Published December 3, 2018

Reviews

[Dolf van der Haven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview of information security from an excutive level. Once you're done with your CISSP and CISM, this is the logical next level to explore. The most interesting are the many real-life stories from actual CISOs.
Major issue with this book is that every other page seems to have one or more grammatical or spelling errors. Sloppy editing is easy to avoid. Hopefully an updated version can be released in the coming years that fixes this.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well rounded book which talks about different aspects of the CISO life. Worth re-reading.

[Shaun Dyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

CISO Compass: Navigating Cybersecurity Leadership Challenges with Insights from Pioneers is a book by CISOs for CISOs. There is a lot of information and insight packed into this book, and it is a great resource for anyone already at the top or looking to get there. The book touches on all the fundamentals of IT security governance, providing an excellent grounding for those new to the field, but its real strength is in the insights from real CISOs about real problems.

Seventy-five IT security leaders have contributed to the book, providing real-life stories, insights and lessons learned from some of the companies in the world. These really help to bring a relatively dry subject to life, and there are some great lessons to be learned from these leaders.

CISO Compass: Navigating Cybersecurity Leadership Challenges with Insights from Pioneers has some really actionable insights from top security professionals and makes a dry subject interesting and informative.