CSO

CSO is an abbreviation for Chief Security Officer. A CSO is the top executive of a corporation responsible for securing a company's information and data both in physical and digital form. The CSO management position is most often found in technology companies. In recent years, the role of a CSO has increased due to the rise in security-related issues such as hackers, viruses and worms, among others. The CSO is in charge of stopping data theft. A CSO usually reports directly to a senior executive such as a CEO, COO or CFO. In addition to a formal education, a CSO must also have a solid understanding of pertinent laws. Because the term CSO is often given to people in charge of a company's physical security, many information security officers are opting for the title CISO, or Chief Information Security Officer, rather than CSO.