By now, most organizations probably recognize the need for some type of information security officer. Cybercriminals have infiltrated every industry, and news of cyberbreaches seems to frequent the headlines of every major newspaper. The sheer volume of these incidents alone highlights the need for increased security measures, but a consideration of the costs associated with a breach (often millions of dollars) is what truly makes an information security officer a necessity. For many organizations, the issue is no longer whether they will hire a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) but when and how. As businesses explore CISO hiring options, many consider hiring a virtual CISO (vCISO) rather than add another member to their staff. But how do you know if a vCISO is right for you? Here are some common obstacles to hiring a CISO that a virtual option eliminates:
The cost advantage of a vCISO.
CISOs are rare and in high-demand, so a CISO salary averages around $340,000, not including other benefits. A vCISO, on the other hand, typically involves a monthly subscription at a fraction of the on-site CISO cost.
Overcoming CISO talent shortages.
Because CISO is a fairly new title and the supply of CISOs is limited, some smaller regions may not attract individuals qualified to work as a CISO. Organizations in these regions that want and can afford a CISO cannot find and retain top talent. A virtual CISO eliminates this barrier by providing remote access to a team of CISOs that protects your organization.
Unbiased security assessment.
A CISO hired by your organization provides an essential defense against cybercriminals, but your CISOs perspective may occasionally be influenced by their ties to the company. A virtual CISO provides an objective and unbiased assessment of your organization’s security standing. For this purpose, a vCISO becomes an asset even to an organization that employs an in-house CISO.
Unmanageable workload.
In some cases, hiring one CISO may not be sufficient to cover the entirety of an organization’s information security needs. However, hiring an additional CISO or IT support staff is an expense some organizations cannot or will not incur. For these organizations, a virtual solution would complement their CISO to ensure all security needs are being adequately met.
Consistency and reliability with a vCISO team.
When one CISO leaves, forcing your organization to hire a new CISO, there will inevitably be a transition period where your new CISO adjusts to the company’s systems and implements some of his or her own. While an occasional change might go mostly unnoticed, if your organization has a high CISO turnover rate, these adjustment periods could become a source of frustration. Because a virtual CISO employs a team of vCISOs all working to protect your organization, the likelihood of frequent disruptive changes to your organization’s security procedures remains low.
A vCISO can function as a more practical or cost-effective version of a CISO or become a value-adding partner for your information security team. If you believe your organization could benefit from a vCISO, find out more about Magna5’s vCISO solution.
