Caught in the crosshairs of “Leadership” and “Information Technology”, Information Security professionals are increasingly tapped to operate as business executives. This often puts them on a career path they did not expect, in a field not yet clearly defined. IT training does not usually includemanagerial skills such as leadership, team-building, communication, risk assessment, and corporate business savvy, needed by CISOs. Yet a lack in any of these areas can short circuit a career in information security.

CISO Leadership: Essential Principles for Success captures years of hard knocks, success stories, and yes, failures. This is not a how-to book or a collection of technical data. It does not cover products or technology or provide a recapitulation of the common body of knowledge. The book delineates information needed by security leaders and includes from-the-trenches advice on how to have a successful career in the field.

With a stellar panel of contributors including William H. Murray, Harry Demaio, James Christiansen, Randy Sanovic, Mike Corby, Howard Schmidt, and other thought leaders, the book brings together the collective experience of trail blazers. The authors have learned through experience—been there, done that, have the t-shirt—and yes, the scars. A glance through the contents demonstrates the breadth and depth of coverage, not only in topics included but also in expertise provided by the chapter authors. They are the pioneers, who, while initially making it up as they went along, now provide the next generation of information security professionals with a guide to success.