Are You a Technical CISO or a Compliance CISO?

Through conversations with hundreds of CISOs, I've noticed that most come from one of two primary backgrounds: they either climbed the ranks through hands-on technical work or emerged from Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) roles.

In my experience, technical CISOs are generally better equipped for today's dynamic cyber landscape. Their expertise in direct threat engagement and technical solutions aligns with the need for adaptive cybersecurity strategies that evolve with real-time threats. In contrast, compliance CISOs bring essential knowledge of regulatory standards, yet they sometimes lean more toward checklist approaches rather than adaptive defense.

These leaders often began their careers in technical roles like red teaming, pentesting, or blue teaming. Through years of hands-on experience, they've developed an in-depth understanding of both offensive and defensive cybersecurity.

Technical CISOs view cybersecurity as more than just policies and procedures; to them, it's a constantly evolving, adaptive process. They're skilled in designing adaptive cybersecurity strategies that address real-world challenges. Their firsthand experience with cyber threats equips them to anticipate attacks, evolve defenses, and tackle the complexities of cybersecurity training.

This group emerged through the Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) pathway. Their background is grounded in managing policies, ensuring regulatory compliance, and aligning organizational practices with industry standards.

Compliance CISOs contribute essential expertise in risk management and are invaluable for maintaining a structured, standards-driven security framework. However, without real-world exposure to technical defenses, they sometimes lean more heavily on meeting regulatory checklists rather than implementing adaptive cybersecurity strategies.

There's no question that compliance is an essential start. Regulations set a minimum baseline for cybersecurity practices. However, in a world of complex and persistent cyber threats, relying on compliance alone can create a false sense of security.

1. Adaptability to Evolving Threats

The cybersecurity landscape is anything but static. Every day, new threats emerge—phishing attacks, ransomware, advanced persistent threats. Technical CISOs, who have firsthand experience with these evolving challenges, are better equipped to adapt their defenses in real time.

2. Proactive, Not Reactive

Compliance-focused CISOs may feel accomplished by ticking off checkboxes. However, cyber threats don't wait for policies to be updated. Technical CISOs take a proactive approach, actively seeking out and addressing vulnerabilities before they become a problem.

3. Realism in Risk Assessment

Technical CISOs often bring a level of realism to risk assessments that GRC-focused leaders may miss. They understand that threats aren't hypothetical—they're real, and they're happening daily.

One of the biggest challenges with a compliance-only approach is that it encourages a checkbox mentality. When security is reduced to a list of tasks, it becomes easy to fall into a routine of "good enough." But in cybersecurity, "good enough" doesn't cut it.

False Security: Compliance standards are designed to meet minimum requirements, not to offer full protection. Following these standards alone can lead to gaps in defense.

Lack of Innovation: When the focus is solely on compliance, innovation can suffer. Technical CISOs tend to be more willing to experiment with new defenses and update protocols regularly.

Misplaced Confidence: Checking off compliance requirements might make an organization feel secure, but this confidence can be misplaced. Real cybersecurity resilience requires ongoing vigilance, testing, and adaptation.

While technical expertise is a strong foundation for any CISO, a comprehensive understanding of compliance is essential too. The best CISOs combine technical insights with GRC principles.

1. Invest in Reality-Based Training

Cybersecurity training should be ongoing and relevant, not one-time, repetitive exercises. As cyber threats evolve, training must reflect real-world scenarios that employees are likely to encounter.

2. Foster Cross-Functional Collaboration

Technical and compliance teams must work hand-in-hand to build a resilient cybersecurity framework. When they collaborate, they bring together practical threat defense and regulatory expertise.

3. Move Beyond the Baseline

Today's cyber threats require an approach that goes beyond compliance standards. Technical CISOs are adopting proactive measures, such as real-time threat detection and contextual analysis of attack patterns.

At PhishCloud, we recognize that every CISO's journey is unique. That's why our PHISH360° platform is designed to address both technical and compliance aspects of cybersecurity.

For Technical CISOs: PhishCloud offers flexibility to ensure teams understand the latest threats through reality-based training and real-time, actionable insights. Technical leaders can provide training that mirrors real, evolving attack patterns—not just theoretical scenarios.

For Compliance CISOs: PhishCloud goes beyond simply checking regulatory boxes. Our platform helps uncover hidden gaps in compliance, showing where defenses may fall short, enabling a more robust security posture.

Security is a living, breathing entity that adapts to each organization's needs. With real-time threat detection, targeted training, and compliance insights, PhishCloud empowers both technical and compliance CISOs to lead strategies that evolve alongside today's complex cyber landscape.

So, are you a technical CISO or a compliance CISO? The reality is, we need both. In today's world, technical CISOs may have the edge because of the constant flux and chaos from cyber attackers. They're on the front lines, defending against ever-evolving threats.

But without compliance CISOs—who know how to shape, navigate, and enforce regulatory standards—the goalposts for security can't move forward in meaningful ways. Compliance provides the foundation that keeps organizations aligned and resilient, while technical innovation pushes defenses to the next level.

There's no wrong answer to which camp you belong to. The only misstep would be to dismiss the importance of the other perspective. True cybersecurity resilience comes from blending technical insight with compliance standards, creating a strategy that's both adaptable and sustainable.