What does a Security Officer do?

The Security Officer (abbreviation SO) is responsible for all security-related tasks and their coordination within an organization. The SO makes every effort to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the information. In doing so, he looks at possible risks and how the organization works, taking into account the legal rules and frameworks.

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The SO is sometimes confused with the Information Security Officer, also known as ISO. However, there is no difference in function between these two roles. The CISO (Chief Information Security Officer), on the other hand, is responsible for information security and acts as a point of contact at the executive level. This is common in large organizations.

Is a Security Officer mandatory?

From ISO 27001 norm it is mandatory to appoint a Security Officer. This can be filled in several ways. Especially in smaller companies, an IT employee is often appointed, but he or she does not always have the right knowledge and experience. In order to properly fulfill the role of Security Officer, an external party is therefore often chosen. They take on the role and responsibility and take care of all your worries.

What are the duties of a Security Officer?

A Security Officer is responsible for all security-related tasks and their coordination within an organization. Organizations that have a ISO 27001 whether NO 7510 want to obtain or already have a certificate, delegate the following tasks to a Security Officer:

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• Establishing and enforcing an information security policy
• Maintaining, improving and evaluating the Information Security Management System (SIMS)
• Implementing technical and policy measures to ensure the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of information within the organization
• Drafting and periodically evaluating, among other things, screening procedures, the backup and password policies and carrying out a risk analysis
• Ensuring compliance with information security laws and regulations
• Organizing and supervising internal audits
• Support with information securityissues of other business units
• Managing the system and available resources

What do you need to be able to do in the role of Security Officer?

In most cases, a Security Officer has completed a higher professional education or university education. In addition, practical experience with information security is important and knowledge of implementing and managing an ISMS is important. Some organizations require additional certifications such as CISSP, CISA, CISM, or RE training.

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Other key skills:

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• Communicative skills for good communication with management, management and other team members.
• Strong personality because not all changes are appreciated
• Being discreet and setting an example for others

Security Officer vs Privacy Officer

Where the Security Officer focuses on securing information and systems against threats and breaches, the Privacy Officer focuses on protecting sensitive personal data and enforcing the privacy policy.

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