Which of the following roles typically holds responsibility for approving access to data and applications?

The correct choice is the data or application owner, who is fundamentally responsible for approving access to data and applications. This role is critical because the owner possesses in-depth knowledge about the data's purpose, sensitivity, and the necessary security measures required to protect it. They are tasked with determining who can access specific data and under what conditions, ensuring that access is aligned with organizational policies and compliance requirements.

Data or application owners understand the operational and strategic value of their data, enabling them to make informed decisions about access rights. This includes evaluating the need for access, considering the potential risks associated with unauthorized access, and implementing necessary controls to mitigate these risks. This authority to approve access reinforces accountability and aligns with best practices in data governance.

The other roles listed, while they may have overlapping responsibilities in terms of data management and security policies, do not directly handle access approvals. For instance, the chief information officer generally oversees the overall IT strategy and governance, the IT strategy committee focuses on high-level IT decisions, and the chief information security officer mainly concentrates on the organization’s security policies and risk management rather than granular access approvals.