CIO Cyber & Risk Network

A vendor independent forum to learn from and share with your peers

"I'd like to thank you for a fantastic discussion regarding cyber security, the discussion was facilitated very well."

The CIO Cyber & Risk Network Mandate:
To provide CIOs in Australian organisations with a forum in which to share their issues and approaches to cyber security and risk. The intended outcome is that organisations make better informed decisions to help protect their organisations, staff, customers and the economy.
Introduction
Not all Australian organisations are fortunate enough to have a Chief Information Security Officer. But not having a CISO doesn’t mean the challenge of managing cyber risk goes away. IBRS clients have been telling us that the frequency with which they are being asked to report on cyber security to their boards has increased. Now, four times a year is the minimum, and the board members are asking better, more in-depth, questions. The CIO Cyber and Risk Network is a vendor independent forum for CIOs to share with and learn from each other.

Benefits

  • Through interaction with your peers, gain an understanding of effective security practices.
  • Save time and effort by sharing policies, frameworks and security literature.
  • Discuss vendors and services from people who are using them or have moved on from them.
  • Discuss different approaches to security.
  • Raise ideas, challenges and solutions to the network of CIO's to provide their independent thoughts and advice.
Who Can Participate?
The CIO Cyber & Risk Network is a service for CIOs who are accountable for cyber security as part of their role. To ensure that trusted relationships can develop, and provide an experience of continuity within the group, CIOs invited to participate will not exceed 20 The CIO Cyber & Risk Network is an invitation only forum. This is to ensure that the forum is not swayed by vested interests, and that the participating CIOs are assured of the confidentiality of the discussion.

Format

  • Monthly video sessions
  • IBRS will facilitate each gathering.
  • IBRS will also coordinate any external guests.
  • All gatherings are closed door, and held under the Chatham House Rule.
  • A summary of findings is distributed after each gathering.
  • Participate in a distribution list of like minded CIOs.
  • Should a CIO not be available to attend a gathering, sending a direct report is possible but discouraged. If direct reports are sent too often, as determined by the group, the CIOs’ invitation to participate may be withdrawn and no refund will be offered.

Highlights

CIO Cyber & Risk Network March 2021
On the Cyber & Risk Network March call, the CIOs and guests spoke about:
1. Patching policies and differentiating between internet facing and non internet facing. Often, the differentiation is driven by an IT department recognising that it needs to prioritise its efforts, and so internet facing software will get priority.
2. Similarly, if a vulnerability is being actively exploited, then that gets patching priority, and most organisations will aim for 48 hours to have that vulnerability patched.
3. As services move to Cloud providers, the CIOs raised the issue of how to gain assurance that their Cloud vendors are also doing the right thing with patching. With larger and more Cloud-oriented vendors it may be more automated, but many businesses rely on niche providers, and the operational maturity of these smaller providers may not be at a level the CIOs are comfortable with.
4. This raised the topic of open source dependencies, as well as software sprawl across business units, and how to keep track of what software is being pulled down from various repositories, such as GitHub.
5. Responsible disclosure statements are an important first step in moving toward bug bounty programs.
5. The efficacy of dark web monitoring services and the relative value from these.
5. The dual value in decommissioning software and services. The removal of phone bridges which have effectively been replaced by online video conferencing was used as an example of reducing both costs footprint.

Testimonials

"At the February gathering last year, the CIOs had one particular conversation about the new Australian mandatory breach notification scheme that saved me weeks of work and thousands of dollars. It's an important area for me and I got the value of the annual membership right there."
Global CIO
“Our first Cyber & Risk Network meeting justified the participation time and energy. Networking and experience sharing is critical in cyber risk management, and getting first hand feedback and input for phishing simulation tools allowed us to make a better solution choice.”
APRA regulated CIO
CIO Cyber & Risk Network Schedule

7 April 2021

5 May 2021

CIO Cyber & Risk Network

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