Fortune 500 firms add deputy CISOs as security teams expand

About 40% of Fortune 500 companies were noted by a new IANS Research and Artico Search report to have created deputy chief information security officer roles or equivalent positions to strengthen leadership within their cybersecurity operations, according to Cybersecurity Dive.

"In practical terms, the deputy CISO often either holds a dual role as a functional department head who takes on additional executive leadership responsibility or operates as a chief of staff who also takes on CISO-like responsibilities that the CISO needs to delegate," said IANS Research Senior Research Director Nick Kakolowski.

Organizations part of the Fortune 500 have also expanded into four main areas of specialization: security operations, identity and access management, risk and compliance, and security architecture and engineering. The report noted that CISOs are increasingly involved in corporate governance, regularly engaging with boards and executives on compliance and risk issues.

Approximately 95% of CISOs interact directly with their boards. Two-thirds interact with risk or audit committees, while one-third engaged with the full board.