This year, virtual CISOs must start changing the industry. For a long time, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have been neglected by the cybersecurity industry. But small and medium-sized businesses need a security leader who can help them navigate the maze of cyber risks and develop practical strategies that align with their unique and evolving business objectives.
Unfortunately, small businesses can't afford to hire an experienced, full-time CISO. They are often tempted to ignore the risks or buy shiny tools that don't meet their overall needs. Before investing money in a security solution, it's important to understand the risks and develop clear goals that support your overall business goals.
This is the role of the CISO. It's about setting direction and establishing a foundation for a cybersecurity program that meets board and executive expectations.
But there aren't enough CISOs, and their time is at a premium. Hiring a CISO can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, which is far more than most small businesses are willing to commit to. But you don't actually need a full-time CISO. An hour or two may be best for teaching, leadership, and strategy development. This is where the fractional/virtual CISO (vCISO) community can play a role.
Experienced CISOs have a few extra hours each week and are willing to take on new challenges, as long as it doesn't affect their regular work. Many retiring CISOs still want to contribute, but don't want to spend long hours managing all the operations and details. They would rather use their experience to provide guidance and help organizations avoid costly pitfalls.
It fits perfectly.
Experienced leaders provide guidance at a fraction of the cost while maintaining flexible commitments with short-term contracts. Everyone wins.
vCISOs can demonstrate leadership without being tied down to demanding operational aspects. By dedicating a few hours a week, vCISOs help SMBs benefit from experienced cyber risk leadership with the direction, focus, and understanding of evolving risks. This allows SMBs to make informed business decisions that properly consider cybersecurity factors. Practical benefits include effective prioritization and efficient allocation of resources for an optimized cybersecurity posture based on your unique needs.
There are risks in the vCISO market. Two things to note:
First, be wary of vCISO services offered by security vendors masquerading as impartial advisors. Often this is just a ploy to get customers to buy the parent company's products or services. These people are effectively used as sales channels and are motivated to persuade small businesses to buy their products. They don't necessarily have the customer's best interests in mind. Instead, look for a vendor-neutral vCISO that works with your existing products and provides recommendations tailored to your actual needs.
Second, while many people claim to be experienced cybersecurity leaders, they actually lack the practical experience needed to be a successful vCISO. To be clear, vCISO is not an entry-level job. In fact, it's the opposite.
Experienced cybersecurity leaders can quickly understand key risks and business needs, develop a set of strategic plans customized for a specific organization, and help executives quickly understand and make informed decisions. Communicate effectively with executives to help make decisions. vCISOs must be properly vetted to ensure they can deliver quality results within a very limited time frame. Otherwise, your money will be wasted!
If you are interested in how vCISOs can help your business, sector, and different people, please contact me directly or Please visit my website. We need to be intentional about supporting the SMB community. Let's work together to make this year a turning point that strengthens small businesses and enhances their digital security and competitiveness!
*** This is a syndicated blog of the Information Security Strategy Security Blogger Network written by Matthew Rosenquist. Read the original post: https://infosecstrategy.blogspot.com/2024/05/unlocking-smb-cybersecurity-rise-of.html
