Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation (250–350 words)
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The EC-Council CCISO program clearly establishes that a security strategy must be business-driven, not technology-driven. As such, the most critical input before creating a security strategy is the company business plan.
CCISO documentation emphasizes that the role of the CISO is to enable and protect the business, not to build security in isolation. The business plan defines organizational objectives, growth strategies, market expansion, digital transformation initiatives, and risk tolerance. Without understanding these elements, a security strategy cannot be properly aligned or justified.
Security technology trends (Option A) may inform tactical decisions later but do not define strategic priorities. The prior year budget (Option B) reflects historical spending, not future direction. Existing technology diagrams (Option C) are operational artifacts that support implementation, not strategy formation.
CCISO guidance consistently stresses that security strategy must support revenue generation, regulatory obligations, customer trust, and operational resilience. This alignment allows CISOs to clearly articulate value, secure executive sponsorship, and prioritize investments based on business risk.
Therefore, Option D is the correct answer.
