Companies Need a CISO: Why & When
A CISO Provides the Security Leadership You Need
Unfortunately, we are witnessing an unparalleled increase in threats, more sophisticated cyberattacks, and new compliance requirements that often lead to security teams becoming continually overextended. As such, there is simply too much at stake from a brand reputation and business continuity standpoint to tack on ‘security leadership’ to the current list of responsibilities. The question of whether to hire a CISO to focus on leadership, strategy and overall optimization of your security program is an important one. When do most organizations take the leap?
Unfortunately, we are witnessing an unparalleled increase in threats, more sophisticated cyberattacks, and new compliance requirements that often lead to security teams becoming continually overextended. As such, there is simply too much at stake from a brand reputation and business continuity standpoint to tack on ‘security leadership’ to the current list of responsibilities. The question of whether to hire a CISO to focus on leadership, strategy and overall optimization of your security program is an important one. When do most organizations take the leap?
Sending up the CISO Signal
As a cybersecurity services firm, our advice is always to be proactive when it comes to security, but we find that’s not usually the case. Most organizations don’t launch their security team with a CISO off the bat, but rather a compelling event typically drives the need for a CISO. We’ve uncovered five of the most common changes in the environment that make the need to hire a CISO clear.
Reactive Reasons to Hire a CISO
While not recommended, we understand many organizations prioritize hiring a CISO until a compelling event occurs. Some of the most common compelling events that drive organizations to realize they need to hire a CISO include:
- Cybersecurity breach
You are in the midst of a security breach and need immediate support in regard to remediation, elimination of threat persistence, and prevention of future violations.
- Company merger / acquisition
Security systems, protocol, and technology need to be carefully united when two organizations become one.
- Regulatory changes
Your organization is required to comply with a governmental compliance standard such as PCI, HIPPA, or the FFIEC.
In these cases, a CISO is generally hired to “put out the fire.” However, there’s an even better approach; being proactive when it comes to the consideration of a CISO.
Proactive Reasons to Hire a CISO
Companies that take proactive steps toward hiring a CISO tend to be more mature, or their business tends to have a larger need for security. Some of the proactive reasons to hire a CISO include:
- Growth – Your organization is growing and there is a clear need to better prepare for new threats, regulations and challenges.
- Experience – Your current team may not have the knowledge or skills to tackle security leadership from an executive standpoint.
Folks in this category proactively reach out to bring in a CISO, develop a security strategy, and follow a framework. The compelling event is not a security breach or regulatory requirement, but rather they have realized that hiring a CISO is the best way for them to achieve success as an organization moving forward.
A Practical Solution: Fractional CISO
Whether you find your organization proactively considering a CISO or reactively dealing with an alarming situation, the fact remains that hiring a CISO comes with its challenges. Proven CISOs are rare and highly sought after, making hiring one both an expensive and daunting task. Alagen’s solution is the fractional CISO, also known as the vCISO (virtual Chief Information Security Officer).
The fractional CISO is the best alternative to hiring an internal CISO because you get all of the expertise and leadership you require, without the cost and trouble of attracting talent from this limited pool of professionals. These engagements, referred to as CISO as a Service, are scaled to meet the unique goals of your security program. Common focus areas of a fractional CISO include:
- Program development and management
- Board-level coalition building
- Policy and standards development
- Maturation of various programs:
- Compliance
- Governance
- Security awareness
- Security metrics
- Goals
Learn more about CISO as a Service as a smart alternative to a direct-hire CISO. We look forward to discussing how a virtual security leader can help you achieve your critical security initiatives.