Why You Need a VCISO
It’s no longer enough to have an appointed vCIO (virtual Chief Information Officer) if you want your organization cyber-ready.
Computers and technology in general aren’t your specialty, so that’s why you hired the outside expertise of a vCIO. With their help, your organization’s IT (information technology) needs are now met, and you might even have an organization-wide technology roadmap for the next few years that doesn’t break your budget.
You might believe that, because you have a vCIO, your cybersecurity risk is non-existent. Unfortunately, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Why isn’t having a vCIO enough?
Your vCIO, while maintaining the technological backbone of your organization and providing help for employees who need it, cannot guarantee cyber safety. They are not thoroughly trained in all the ins and outs of cybersecurity; they are hired to help you optimize and budget your business’s general technology needs. That’s not to say that the ability to develop and implement an affordable, strategic technology plan is something to take for granted; a vCIO is a valuable member to have on the team when solving technology pain points.
Cybersecurity in the modern day is not something general technology awareness can cover anymore.
Having a vCIO isn’t enough to ensure your organization is cyber-ready, and it must be recognized. You need someone who has the resources, training, knowledge, and experience to specialize in finding vulnerabilities in your organization’s systems and can enact a cybersecurity program based on their investigation.
Luckily, there’s now a specialized designated role for vCIOs with an in-depth background on cybersecurity.
You need a virtual CISO (Chief Information Security Officer)
Cybersecurity is one of the most crucial aspects of an organization’s lifespan and reputation.
Like a vCIO, the vCISO is an extensively trained and certified security expert hired to guide different organizations and businesses through best security practices and roadmaps.
As we transition to a more online-based workplace in the wake of COVID-19, the demand for a vCISO has skyrocketed. More and more businesses are falling victim to threat actors and cyber criminals looking to exploit unforeseen weaknesses in cloud security and employee readiness. The types of online threats businesses face have only grown more sophisticated, advancing rapidly to dodge typical one-size-fits-all cybersecurity approaches.
It’s hard for most people to keep up, suffice it to say.
Hiring internal help, if you don’t have it already, can consume more of your budget than necessary. Rather than the lengthy process of onboarding a new employee, it’s worth considering hiring a vCISO and starting the program with a risk assessment.
With a risk assessment, your vCISO can develop a comprehensive, full-detail cybersecurity plan that adheres to the needs of your entire organization. These plans can include new security policies, cybersecurity training courses, business continuity planning, asset management, disaster recovery procedures, logging and reporting practices, regulatory compliance, and more.
There’s strength in numbers
As ransomware and social engineering schemes evolve past lengthy passwords and key cards, security will need special attention invested in it. If your company is realistically able to keep a vCIO and a vCISO at the same time with separately designated responsibilities, it would lead to the strongest outcome for your technology and the overall safety of your business data.
Want to learn more about ways to protect your organization’s data from threat actors? Visit us at our blog.