Virtual CISO (vCISO): Services, Advantages, and Hiring Tips

Presently cybersecurity fortification is a specialized field that requires a professional with in-depth comprehension of the industry and real-time experience. However, there is a scarcity of personnel with great skills in the cybersecurity sector. And those who have such extraordinary skills are high in demand. The concept of Virtual CISO (vCISO) is proving to be an escape route to filling the void. 

The Virtual Chief Security Officer plays the role of a senior-level expert. A vCISO aids in designing, implementing and administering the vigorous cybersecurity architecture inside an organization. Plus, they are responsible for making all the major decisions related to information security. A CISO (here vCISO) takes care of all cybersecurity aspects, for instance, information security strategy and policy. This incorporates threat activity reporting, regulatory compliance, cyber insurance procurement, cyber-attack recovery planning, HR Management, stakeholders onboarding, incident response planning, etc. 

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the companies shifted to remote settings, which caused misaligned networks and enabled the cybercriminals to take advantage of that loophole. 2020 has witnessed a 358% hike in malware attacks compared to 2019 and cyber-attacks increased by 125% globally through 2021. 

As per stats of December 2022, investment fraud proved to be the most costly form of cyber invasion. About $70,811 were lost per cyber victim. But a qualified CISO or vCISO can save companies from facing such huge losses.

What is vCISO?

The requirement for information security is skyrocketing. Still, there are so many organizations that struggle hard to find a qualified professional that fits in the role. However, a vCISO is an expert-level professional who is suitably qualified to handle all the information security aspects remotely. 

A vCISO is a senior-level authority contracted by a firm to cater to and manage its cybersecurity requirements and compliance programs respectively by using robust resources. A vCISO holds years of rich experience and learns deployed technology of the client organization. Plus, it establishes relationships with C-suite, IT team, and other executives. 

A vCISO uses its knowledge and industry experiences to craft, deploy, manage, and deliver core information security shielding that every firm requires in place.

vCISO Services 

A Virtual Chief Information Security Officer or vCISO is a contracted or outsourced security advisor or guardian.  However, their key responsibilities may vary for different organizations. These are a few vCISO services that every organization may need to secure to ensure cyber security. 

The Virtual CISO services are: 

• Offer leadership in risk management, threat activity reporting, security governance, and business recovery.
• Assists in creating cyber security strategies and resiliency programs.
• Provide expert assistance in the integration of cyber security into the business strategy, culture & policy.
• Provide expert viewpoints in risk assessments and regulatory compliance.
• Administers the development, dispatch, and running maintenance of cyber security programs.
• Delivers industry expert-level services (HIPAA, Regulatory compliance, NIST, SOC 2, PCI DSS, and various other standard compliance.)
• Serves as a security liaison to security auditors and examiners.

Advantages of Having A vCISO By Your Side

In the epoch of increasing cyber attacks, organizations must be required to have a vCISO by their side to whiff the security concerns away. 

• Fills the Void: The sudden departure of any business’s existing Chief Information Security Officer may put the business’ information at risk. In such a scenario, hiring a seasoned CISO or vCISO fills the void. Additionally, they prevent the organization from operation shut down or potential cyber threats. Also, enables the business to run at a smooth pace.

• Cost-Effectiveness: Recruiting a contracted vCISO can save a bunch of dollars. It happens because businesses don’t need to provide vCISO with company resources or setup, which generally consumes lots of money. Plus, vCISO charges for a particular period of time they work – think they worked for 40 hrs or less in a month. The company will be responsible to pay them for 40 hrs or less only.

• Mature Cybersecurity Schemes for Enterprises or Mid-Scale Firms: Hiring a suitably qualified CISO can cost a fortune to enterprises or mid-scale businesses. Additionally. they don’t even possess enough resources to appeal to a high-in-demand CISO. In this regard, a Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) can create mature cybersecurity schemes for such organizations. 

• Developing A Compliance Program: Firms, with or without CISO, may not have expertise on a particular compliance mandate and struggle with implementing proper compliance programs. A vCISO is a qualified professional with industry experience and thorough knowledge who creates compliance mandate policies and processes to protect company information. 

• Re-aligning Cyber Trends: Whatever the business was doing in the cybersecurity field 6 months ago may not necessarily be effective currently. The vCISO may have a look at the client’s security strategy, budget, and how it is spent to get an idea of everything and spend the budget wisely. 

Tips on Hiring A vCISO 

Undoubtedly virtual CISO consulting services can cater to all your cybersecurity needs but hiring a suitably qualified vCISO will benefit you in so many ways. We are sharing some hiring tips for businesses so that they fill the role with the right fit. 

• Hire an experienced vCISO to ensure there is no room for error.
• Appoint a vCISO with a great market reputation.
• When thinking of recruiting a vCISO, rely on an agency more than an individual.
• Don’t run after a vCISO with sky-high charges. 
• Rely on a vCISO that fits your requirements in terms of budget, security needs, and placement needs (for instance, interim or full-time).

Kratikal, your trusted cybersecurity partner, has been added to the list of companies that offer virtual CISO services in the USA. We believe in offering efficient vCISO services at cost-effective prices. Our experts hold competitive experience in the specific field. They are fully potent to cater to all your cyber security requirements. 

Kratikal is a leading cybersecurity solution and services provider with years of rich experience in the industry. We utilize industry-sound tools for pentesting and the best practices for compliance audits. Pentesting services we provide are – AppSec Pentest, Network Pentest, Cloud Penetration Testing, and Medical & IoT Devices Testing. Our compliance audits services are – Statutory Compliance & Regulatory Compliance.

Get in touch with us right away for further discussion or drop a comment below: 

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Prachi Tiwari

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