vCISO is estimated to cost around 35% of a full-time CISO. S/He needs to understand the organization’s risk appetite and deduce that if necessary. A good vCISO will adapt quickly, grasp the client’s business environment, and brings the skills and abilities to develop a cyber security strategy in line with the client’s business strategy. They usually require very little training and can hit the ground running, covering tasks from tactical to strategic. That could be anything from establishing a security program to defining security policies and attaining compliance with myriad standards and regulations.

The critical part of the vCISO’s role is to identify and explain how much risk an organization has around cyber security and develop strategies to reduce this risk level is appropriate. Sometimes it makes sense to transfer that risk to others in the supply chain, and it is the responsibility of the vCISO and the client to agree on those aspects.

This model of a vCISO is ideal for start-ups, small and medium businesses, and other businesses in growth mode. In the end, cyber security is a people business, and vCISOs need to win the hearts and minds of the people they work with. They should be viewed as partners to help the organization be secure and identify its resource needs – be it additional training, people, establishing new processes, budgets, etc.

At Anvaya solutions, we act as a trusted partner to support our customers in achieving the business goals they seek from their cybersecurity program businesses. With our highly skilled security professionals, we can help your organization identify, manage, and reduce your overall risks and be in compliance with required laws and regulations.