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The Benefits of a Virtual CISO
Most organizations recognize the importance of cybersecurity and have implemented some form of protection. Despite this, cyber-attacks are still happening, costing companies millions of dollars in damages each year. It’s not just large companies at risk. 61% of small and medium businesses have suffered a cyber-attack in the last year.
So, what can organizations do to bolster their cyber defense without breaking the bank? One solution is hiring a Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO).
What is a Virtual CISO?
A vCISO is an external cybersecurity professional or group of professionals brought in to help a business identify and mitigate cyber risks, improve protections from cyber threats, and assist the organization in meeting compliance requirements. An organization can bring a vCISO onboard for a fraction of the cost of a full-time CISO, and an experienced vCISO will likely require little or no training. A vCISO can be an effective option for businesses that:
- Don’t have the budget for a full-time CISO
- Are struggling to hire and retain cybersecurity staff
- Want an outside perspective on gaps and vulnerabilities in their existing security program
Here are some benefits of having a Virtual CISO on your team:
- Low-cost Leadership and Expertise:
Bringing a vCISO on board is a cost-effective way to add valuable cybersecurity expertise to your organization. Organizations can customize their vCISO partnership to fit their business needs, paying for only the hours of service it requires. The scope of work can be crafted to focus on tasks that are the top priorities. - Development of a comprehensive information security strategy:
A vCISO partnership allows your organization to leverage the skills and knowledge of seasoned cybersecurity professionals. They will be able to use their experience working with other organizations’ security programs to craft a strategy and a long-term roadmap that best meets your organization’s operations and needs. - Increased visibility into cybersecurity governance, risk, and compliance:
Bringing in highly trained professionals from outside your organization to analyze your existing cyber security program will help identify vulnerabilities you didn’t know existed, allowing for mitigation of the resulting risk. A vCISO can lead the way in implementing new policies, procedures, and remediation plans to make your business resilient to current and future cyber-attack methods.
A vCISO can also play an important role in ensuring your organization is meeting the controls necessary to obtain or maintain security certifications like SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI, and HITRUST. - Improve security business enablement and culture:
A robust cyber security program implemented and maintained with the assistance of a vCISO will prove your business’s commitment to protecting customer data; enabling you to meet customer security requirements and ultimately win more business.
Working with a vCISO will show your staff the importance of cyber security, installing a culture of compliance throughout the organization. - Enhance communication and collaboration among IT, security, and executive teams:
Your vCISO will work closely with many departments within your business. Security, IT, and leadership teams will gain valuable cyber security knowledge from the communication and collaboration with an experienced security professional.
CompliancePoint has a full team of knowledgeable and experienced cyber security professionals that can serve as a vCISO for your organization. Contact us today at connect@compliancepoint.com to learn more.
Finding a credible expert with the appropriate background, expertise, and credentials can be difficult. CompliancePoint is here to help.
