The relationship between the chief information security officer (CISO) and the chief financial officer (CFO) has evolved from a transactional, enterprise-budgetary conversation to a strategic alliance that shapes an organization's security posture and business resilience. This transformation underscores the importance of a healthy relationship between CISOs and CFOs. It's not just about securing budget and optimizing security efforts; it's about determining whether security initiatives receive the necessary funding, executive support, and organizational alignment to succeed.
The CISO-CFO relationship is where cybersecurity strategy meets business reality.
Yet the current state of CISO-CFO relationships in many companies leaves much to be desired. The lack of cohesiveness in these relationships is not just a missed opportunity — it's a high cost to organizations in their risk mitigation efforts. As Theresa Payton, CEO at Fortalice Solutions, points out, the role of today's CISO is to bridge divides and forge partnerships that make security a business enabler.
However, PwC's "2025 Global Digital Trust Insights" survey found that only 47% of CISOs are involved in strategic planning with CFOs regarding cybersecurity investments in their organizations. And just 26% of companies usually have controls in place to respond rapidly to cyber threats. These deficiencies point to weaknesses in internal controls and can expose organizations to regulatory scrutiny and stakeholder distrust.
These weaknesses are why CISOs, including Adam Ennamli, global head of operational risk management at Deel, say the CISO role requires considerable business acumen.
"But there needs to be more efforts, in my opinion, from the CISO to translate their technical acumen into the financial and business language," he says.
Profile of a True Partnership
When CISOs and CFOs speak past each other or work in silos, organizations face heightened risk due to misallocated resources, inadequate threat preparedness, and security programs that fail to protect what matters most to that business.
To strengthen this relationship, CISOs should establish a consistent communication rhythm with their CFOs to align cybersecurity priorities with financial risk management. Of course, CISOs must partner with CFOs on strategic initiatives, including cybersecurity budget justification, regulatory compliance with SEC disclosure requirements, and third-party vendor risk management — but that's just the start.
Together, they must implement specific controls to protect the integrity of financial data, including multifactor authentication for economic systems, segregation of duties in payment processes, comprehensive audit logging, and real-time monitoring of ERP platforms, with a focus on safeguarding internal controls over financial reporting (ICFR) and critical financial systems.
They should also address high-impact threats, such as business email compromise (BEC) attacks, by establishing dual-approval workflows for wire transfers, vendor payment verification procedures, and email authentication protocols to prevent domain spoofing. The Association for Financial Professionals' (AFP) "2026 Payments Fraud and Control Survey Report" found that 74% of surveyed enterprises were affected by at least one BEC attack attempt in 2025, compared to 63% in 2024.
In addition, CISOs and CFOs should participate in financial planning cycles and present security investments through risk-reduction ROI that demonstrates how controls decrease quantified financial exposure. CISOs should also engage CFOs in incident response planning to assess the potential financial impacts of cyber events, meet the SEC's four-day disclosure deadlines for material incidents, and ensure accurate reporting to boards and audit committees.
By establishing governance structures — such as biweekly meetings to review risks, investments, and compliance status — CISOs and CFOs create accountability for collaborative decision-making.
A stronger incident response plan can be vital for maintaining the integrity of financial reporting and enabling swift recovery. CFOs often serve as the primary contacts for external auditors and stakeholders after an incident, so they should have access to accurate, timely information. By prioritizing financial reporting systems within response plans, the organization can confirm data remains reliable during crises. Integrating CFO and financial reporting functions into the incident response framework also helps streamline recovery efforts, while appropriate cyber insurance can offset incident-related costs and bolster overall resilience.
The business impact extends deep into cybersecurity concerns. Organizations with strong CISO-CFO relationships demonstrate superior risk management, more effective resource allocation, and enhanced stakeholder confidence. This not only helps position cybersecurity investments as strategic initiatives that protect revenue generation but can also lead to cost savings, improved operational efficiency, and increased revenue through secure digital transformation.
How to Communicate Successfully
For the CISO, effective communication with the CFO means translating cybersecurity risks into business terms that will resonate with financial executives. Instead of leading with technical specifications or threat intelligence reports, successful CISOs frame discussions around cost control, operational efficiency, and revenue protection.
"Security is there to enable the business," says Diana Kelley, CISO at agentic AI security provider Noma Security. "If you can prove at the very least that you control your costs, can reduce them, and can make people's lives easier, that's already a win. Then after that, you can start talking about how much of the revenue you protect."
This approach frames the conversation as a business case that CFOs can evaluate using familiar financial frameworks, rather than as unfamiliar technical requests.
Effective CISOs learn to map every cybersecurity initiative to specific CFO priorities, such as preventing unexpected costs through breach prevention, ensuring regulatory compliance to avoid fines, supporting business growth through secure digital transformation, and preserving brand trust by protecting customer-facing systems. This alignment demonstrates how security investments directly support the CFO's core responsibilities and organizational objectives.
Building Consistent Communication Rhythms
Effective organizations establish monthly check-ins between CISOs and CFOs to review risks, investment plans, and strategic alignment. These regular touchpoints enable both executives to share insights about changing threats, budget constraints, and business priorities.
"There is no substitute for regular communication," Kelley says.
Effective communication includes sharing cyber-risk dashboards with financial impact estimates, explaining high-profile breaches in business terms, and delivering concise, relevant, and jargon-free updates. This ongoing engagement builds the trust necessary to secure support for critical security initiatives.
Building lasting CISO-CFO relationships demands a structure that survives leadership changes and evolving business priorities. Success establishes clear communication protocols, shared metrics, and collaborative decision-making processes that institutionalize cooperation between security and finance functions.
By focusing on business impact, maintaining consistent communication, and collaborating on strategic initiatives, CISOs can build cybersecurity programs that effectively protect organizational assets while enabling business growth. The success of this partnership often determines whether organizations thrive or merely survive in today's complex threat environment.