Why Hiring a Virtual CISO (vCISO) is the Smart Move

Finding a qualified Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) who will be a reliable resource is a challenge, and retaining one even more challenging. Protecting company information, data, and end users is a must. That’s why Thrive has created a Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) program, which helps companies fill the gap between business strategy and security operations.

There are several ways in which a company can benefit from hiring a vCISO to assist with strategy, guidance, and oversight. This emerging role provides an outside voice committed to getting the job done efficiently, avoiding internal politics, and eliminating the need for a lengthy search for a CISO.

Why Hire a vCISO?

It’s the dream of every organization to have a long-tenured CISO in their C-suite: a cybersecurity expert capable of driving innovation. That being said, it’s not always the reality.

Larger companies may dedicate time and effort to recruiting and training a CISO, as their resources allow them to do so. Plus, these larger organizations tend to have room in the budget to attract what a CISO commands in salary. That being said, challenges still exist – the average CISO tends to only stay with a company for just about two years according to Nominet, and small- to medium-sized companies may need the services of a CISO, but might not be able to afford one in a full-time role.

As many organizations have an immediate need to address security concerns, it can be difficult to have to wait six to nine months to recruit, onboard, train, and fully immerse a CISO in their role. A vCISO can hit the ground running immediately, be an objective outsider, and provide near-immediate value.

CISOs may also not have the desired combination of business and technical capabilities, struggling to find the balance that is required to manage both business policies and cybersecurity needs – simply put, there aren’t many “unicorn” CISOs available.

Benefits of Hiring a vCISO

When hiring a CISO, organizations have access to an expert, but it tends to be just one person in the role. With vCISO services, an entire team of experts is working to implement a cybersecurity plan and responding to potential threats.

Thrive designs its vCISO services and customizes an Information Security Program that complements business strategy and risk tolerance. In the Discovery stage, we identify what policies and procedures are in place, review internal and external partners, and better understand the current state of affairs.

After acquiring that information and insight, a Risk Assessment is performed, which in turn allows us to create a Current State Analysis document that shows existing deficiencies that should be addressed immediately. In the Development phase, we design and develop a program that’s tailored to the organization. Of course, this is not just a one-time solution – information security is an ongoing effort and the threat landscape is always evolving. We constantly revise our clients’ Information Security Programs to meet regulatory, audit, and compliance regulations.

Our vCISO services fit small- and medium-sized businesses, along with mature organizations requiring assistance with specific policies and governance requirements.

Is a vCISO the right fit for your organization? Speak to our team to learn more about this emerging role and why vCISO may be the best fit for you.