In response to the security skills shortage and an overwhelming cybercrime climate, many organisations are exploring different ways to achieve a critical security posture.
With Chief Information Security Officers slim on the ground, IT and business leaders are looking at virtual options – such as Node4’s Virtual Chief Information Security Officer, otherwise known as a VCISO.
WHAT DOES A VCISO DO AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
A Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (VCISO) provides flexible access to the expertise and capability of an experienced CISO and is a cost-effective way to ensure your business achieves its desired level of tailored cybersecurity protection.
But are VCISOs a viable alternative to an internal CISO? Yes – the evidence is firmly in their favour. Here, we explain five reasons why a VCISO is critical to your business.
1. THEY’RE A CREATIVE SOLUTION TO THE CYBER VACANCY CRISIS
Short supply and high demand mean that getting hold of cybersecurity talent is an uphill battle.
The latest numbers put global cybersecurity vacancies at 3.5 million, driven partly by a worsening threat landscape and the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) mandate in FTSE 1000 and Fortune 5000 companies. As a result, mid-market and SME organisations are struggling to find the qualified, full-time CISOs they urgently need.
VCISOs are a creative alternative for overcoming the deficit of internal CISOs. In addition, you benefit from the high levels of security expertise enjoyed by larger, mandated organisations without competing for talent (and, for that matter, eye-watering salaries). It’s a win-win.
2. THEY’RE CYBER-ATHLETES WITH UNWAVERING FOCUS
A professional athlete trains every day, come rain or shine. It’s what makes them different from the millions of us who run a few times a week and why the top-tier standard is so difficult to reach. Simply put, it requires time that few of us have.
The time investment principle is true for CISOs too. The latest Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report found that cybersecurity accounts for one-fifth of the IT budget. If that equates to time, you will spend just one day per week on security. That’s not enough to maintain business continuity, operational resiliency and data integrity in today’s cybercrime landscape.
A VCISO from a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) gives 24/7 protection, administered by experts whose sole priority is security – even if you can’t afford or find an internal CISO. So, you can focus on being a leader – driving change, maximising productivity and servicing customers.
3. THEY’RE EXPERIENCED WITH NUANCES AND NICHES
A CISO is someone at the top of their field, often hailing from the C-Suite of large or highly regulated organisations.
As such, they’ve seen it all regarding cybersecurity and continue talking to CISO peers wherever they move – sharing experiences about the latest trends and attack vectors. A VCISO takes this wealth of knowledge and amplifies it.
In working with many companies every month, a VCISO gathers the broadest possible view of attack vectors and cybercrime strategies while honing their defences against the most prevalent threats of the day. The VCISO model is the perfect blend of nuanced insight and targeted capability.
4. THEY’RE A THREAT INTELLIGENCE SOURCE
Threat intelligence is just as crucial as executing security tasks. The concept of “discover, patch, sleep, repeat” neglects emerging risks and exposes you to downtime and data loss.
When accessing CISO expertise, you tap into the threat intelligence the provider already collects to deliver other services. MSSPs monitor open-source threat intelligence (OSINT), which feeds into your VCISO service. This allows the VCISO to help your organisation be ahead of the curve in terms of the latest cyber trends and threats.
Many mid-market and SME organisations worry about achieving the security posture of their FTSE and Fortune counterparts. However, one positive is that these prominent players are typically attacked with new malware of methods first. Open-source intelligence information means your VCISO learns about the vector before you’re hit.
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5. THEY GIVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITHOUT THE COST OF A C-SUITE HIRE
With VCISO services from an MSSP like Node4, organisations get unlimited, direct access to the best talent in the CISO field.
As mentioned, many CISOs are former C-Suite technology leaders who go on to join independent IT security providers. As VCISOs deliver via the infrastructure of MSSPs and service more customers thanks to the flexibility of being virtual, the cost of accessing top-tier skills becomes much lower.
As a result, mid-market and SME companies excluded from the CISO club can now benefit from years of much-needed experience with the budget you’d set aside for a junior salary.
Benefit from the unbiased counsel of our expert CISOs, who will help align your business strategy, policies and objectives to critical security performance metrics – virtually. To find out more, visit our Virtual Chief Information Security Officer page here.