Why CISOs are quietly becoming information architects

They’re not just protecting endpoints anymore. They’re shaping how information flows throughout their business.

In a recent post, I explored the butterfly effect of cybersecurity—the idea that one small misstep (like an over-permissioned user or misclassified document) can cascade into a major breach. Today, I want to go a step further: because it’s not just about access—it’s about architecture.

Cybersecurity has always been about control. But what we’re controlling is changing.

As data sprawls across SaaS platforms, cloud systems, and unstructured repositories, CISOs are being pulled upstream—into data strategy, lifecycle management, and governance. They’re not just protecting endpoints anymore. They’re shaping how information flows throughout their business.

The shift: from defense to data-centric design

For years, the CISO focused on defending the perimeter. But Gartner, Forrester, and IDC all point to the same reality: the perimeter is gone. Data itself ...