Post 3: Defining Cybersecurity Roles and Responsibilities

Cybersecurity is no longer only the responsibility of IT. In NIST CSF 2.0, the Govern function makes accountability clear across the organization. From the boardroom to individual employees, every role must be documented, enforced, and understood.

What It Means in Business Terms
A Roles and Responsibilities Charter is the accountability map for cybersecurity. It removes ambiguity and ensures everyone knows their part in reducing risk:

• Board of Directors: Owns ultimate accountability for cyber risk oversight.

• Executives: Integrate cybersecurity into business strategy, allocate resources, and enforce priorities.

• CISO and Security Team: Operate the program, maintain the risk register, and enforce controls.

• Business Unit Leaders: Own the risks within their departments, not just IT.

• Employees and Contractors: Follow policies, complete training, and report suspicious activity.

• Vendors: Meet contractual obligations and participate in incident response when required.

The Charter also defines authority, giving security leadership the ability to escalate issues and enforce compliance.

Why It Matters to Businesses
Without clear accountability, organizations often experience:

• Security gaps caused by tasks falling between departments.

• Delays in response when incidents occur.

• Business units bypassing controls because ownership is unclear.

With defined roles and responsibilities:

• Governance strengthens because cybersecurity becomes part of everyone’s job.

• Regulators, auditors, and insurers see evidence of accountability.

• Incident response becomes faster and more coordinated.

What Leaders Should Do Now

• Approve a Roles and Responsibilities Charter at the executive level.

• Ensure the CISO has the authority to enforce policies and escalate risk decisions.

• Align responsibilities with HR practices so cybersecurity is part of job descriptions and performance reviews.

• Communicate responsibilities in plain language so all employees understand their role.

Leadership Takeaway
Cybersecurity is effective when accountability is distributed across the organization. By defining and enforcing roles, leaders create a culture where everyone has a stake in protecting the business.

At STGRC Solutions, we work with boards and executives to formalize charters, align responsibilities with HR practices, and extend accountability to vendors. The result is a governance model where ownership is clear and risks are managed consistently.