Everyone talks about cyber risks. It is a “hot topic” now.
Few talk about how we structurally disarm the very people meant to manage them.
Most CISOs don’t sit at the top table.
They report to CIOs, buried in IT hierarchies, forced to “align” with operational priorities that only support the status quo.
Their authority is symbolic. Sometimes undermined by conflicting priorities.
Their budgets are breadcrumbs from the IT Organization’s table.
Their resources are whatever is left after “important” IT projects are completed.
But when the crisis hits?
They’re the ones on the front line. Alone. Because everyone else can hide under the radar.
This isn’t about individual performance.
It’s about how companies architect responsibility without giving power.
If your CISO can’t make decisions, redirect resources, or say “no”, you don’t have a security leader. You have a scapegoat.
Cybersecurity doesn’t start with tools. It starts with organizational structure.
