How Virtual CISOs Are Reshaping SMB Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity has become a central business pillar these days. Unfortunately for small and medium businesses, hiring a full-time head of cybersecurity is expensive and time-consuming. Typically, these positions attract highly-qualified candidates, and a small company might struggle to entice such talent. The rise of virtual CISOs or vCISOs is changing this picture quickly. Companies of all sizes can now hire top-notch talent and receive best-in-class services to upgrade their security postures.
Here’s how vCISOs are changing cybersecurity.
Reducing Cybersecurity Costs
CISOs currently earn an average salary of $200,000 annually in the United States. This figure is a huge burden on most small to mid-sized businesses, and vCISOs are bridging this gap. Most virtual CISOs operate consulting businesses, allowing them to offer cost-effective cybersecurity services.
This trend has become popular enough for a wave of vCISO platforms to launch recently. For instance, platforms like Cynomi help vCISOs gain an end-to-end view of their clients’ security posture and help them quickly assess threats.
The result is a professional cybersecurity setup that is cost-effective for smaller companies. From a company’s perspective, they can rest assured that they’re receiving the expertise they need and are not left hanging in the event of a data breach or cyber threat.
Easy Scaling
Cybersecurity is changing quickly. Thanks to the evolving nature of most threats, small companies must remain on their toes when installing a cybersecurity program. This issue is further compounded when the business grows.
Growing businesses are vulnerable to cyberattacks since their systems often lag growth. Configuration errors, misaligned systems, and improper patching offer easy attack surfaces for malicious actors. Virtual CISOs help companies spot these threats quickly and mitigate them.
As a result, a company can grow at its own pace while ensuring its infrastructure is always protected. Even more importantly, growing companies can hire professionals suited to their unique growth needs.
For instance, a professional experienced in dealing with small businesses might struggle to handle the security needs of a larger company. Some sectors, such as defense contracting, need special cybersecurity measures that can drive costs up quickly.
The vCISO approach, such as the ones offered by Under Defense, helps companies locate and source professionals that can fulfill the company’s unique needs. Thus, a growing organization is always secure.
Virtual is Always Flexible
Hiring a full-time security expert can be expensive and also create inflexibility. The hiring company is wedded to its security expert, in essence. Locating a new person is time-consuming and expensive. Thus, the cost of hiring the wrong CISO can be prohibitive.
The virtual CISO model is helping small companies overcome this hurdle. Small businesses can hire and evaluate vCISOs in a real-world environment before deciding to commit to their services over the long term. The contractual nature of the position makes it easy for firms to replace talent, should they be inadequate.
Most vCISOs also offer highly flexible work situations such as “on-call” services. Under this arrangement, a company can contact its vCISO at any time, depending on the urgency of the situation. Best of all, a company can hire talent worldwide, and not limit itself geographically.
Thus, small businesses can install robust security practices, irrespective of their size.
More Upskilling Opportunities
While companies benefit from the vCISO explosion, security professionals are also reaping the benefits. Security skills are in high demand and differ from traditional development career lines. Security professionals can now upgrade their skills through certification courses and test themselves in real-world environments without having to worry about losing their current positions.
The rise of vCISOs has thus allowed small businesses to hire people across the security spectrum and choose the solutions that suit them the best. The security industry has also benefited from the increased CISO talent across the board.
Increased talent levels are especially relevant since cyber threats are ever-evolving. Companies can draw from a wider talent pool to combat these threats as a result.
Better Security Postures, Irrespective of Size
The rise of virtual CISOs is leading to a security upgrade in companies of all sizes. Experienced security professionals can now offer their services to more companies than ever. Small businesses can access top-notch security services despite lacking the budget to hire a professional full-time.
The rise of the virtual CISO is the latest trend in an ever-evolving industry. Only the future will tell how this trend evolves. However, companies of all sizes can now rest assured that their security postures are robust, even if they lack the budget of their bigger competitors.
