CISO Communities – Cybersecurity’s Secret Weapon

According to Kevin Townsend, CISO communities are closed, peer-led information exchanges that act as an advice centre, pressure valve, and safe haven from critical oversight, uniting CISOs across sectors and regions to share threats, experiences and vendor insights.

The article explains that these communities grew as Covid lockdowns disrupted in-person talks, with Slack and WhatsApp becoming the favoured channels for near real-time collaboration while keeping discussions confidential through a host of governance practices.

Membership can range from a dozen to hundreds, with sensitive topics handled in smaller groups and rules broadly aligned with the Chatham House principle; expulsions are rare but occur when members cross the line by steering conversations toward sales or compromising trust. Mentoring and mutual support are emphasised, with experienced CISOs helping aspiring leaders and sharing job opportunities, vendor feedback, and resilience strategies.

The piece contrasts government-sponsored ISACs and ISAOs with the organic CISO communities, noting the immediacy and person-to-person trust that real-time Slack conversations can provide, while still recognising the value of broader information sharing. Dunbar’s idea that groups over about 150 members require formal structures is cited to illustrate governance dynamics within these networks.