Virtual CISO (vCISO)

Why Your Organisation Needs Protection

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Top-tier cyber security expertise without the overhead of a full-time executive. Our experienced vCISOs bring a wealth of knowledge and industry best practices to your organisation, helping you assess vulnerabilities, develop robust security strategies, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements to strengthen your cyber security defences, minimise risks, and safeguard your business’s reputation and data.

Overview

With many organisations changing how they operate, there has been a significant move to remote working and an additional reliance on technology.

Now more than ever companies are seeing the need to employ a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). However, finding a CISO in this climate is tough; they’re hard to come by, and if you can find them, can be very expensive too. The alternative is to consider the services of a Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO).

vCISO works well when you need ongoing help, but you don’t really need a full-time experienced senior manager. The service normally takes the form of regular remote days (perhaps one or two days per month), combined with some flexible remote work where you need it, and can be tailored to your particular requirements and the complexity of your IT systems.

The Role of a vCISO

The vCISO is there to provide leadership and guidance where necessary, and to assist in developing and deploying effective information security protection. This allows you to manage the increasing threats and protect your organisation’s data.

With the right specialist manager, even just part-time, you can get the advice you need to address weaknesses before a breach occurs. The guidance you receive will include technology and associated processes, but also people factors (as these can be your greatest risks).

Our virtual CISO is there to deliver across a wide variety of senior management activities. These can include:

  • Assessing current risks
  • Supplier management
  • Briefing stakeholders
  • Assessing technical and process compliance
  • Formulating policy and process
  • Training and awareness
  • Certification management
  • Assessing new projects and technologies
  • GDPR advice
  • Security service scoping and supplier selection

Our service is tailored to whatever your business requires, whether you need support for a one-off project or regular oversight, our service can achieve what you need.

Helping You Grow

As your requirements grow, your vCISO is there to help you with technical recruitment, as assessing cyber security skills can be challenging without specialist help. If, in the future, you get to a position of needing a full-time senior manager then your vCISO can help you find the right person to take over.

Depending upon the technical complexity of your operations, the level of cyber security expertise you need may be different. However, a good starting point is to have a 10:1 ratio of IT to cyber security specialists. The following approach can be useful:

IT Team <10: The vCISO can give you regular specialist input and direction to your IT team (or external supplier) to ensure that you cover the basics and essential activities that prevent most breaches.

IT Team 10-20: At this point you should really be recruiting a full-time technical cyber security specialist. The person that can administer cyber security related technologies on a daily basis. Your vCISO can then offer them direction and be the link to the board/owners.

IT Team 20-30: At this size you will likely need two specialists to cover the day-to-day cyber security related technical administration, with appropriate monthly input, from your vCISO, providing direction, guidance and monitoring their effectiveness.

IT Team 30+: By this stage, you are very likely going to need a full-time manager. However, remember that your vCISO can help you recruit the person that will replace them. Depending upon the chosen individual, you may still elect for some ongoing involvement from your trusted vCISO – the exact amount is flexible for you to decide.

If you need the vCISO to get involved again at a future data, either as a one-off or as part of a new regular service, then this can easily be accommodated.

Why Daisy?

Daisy has more than 20 years’ experience in the detection, investigation, and resolution of cyber security incidents.

  • UK’s longest running, ‘full service’ information and cyber security provider
  • Unparalleled expertise
  • Comprehensive security solutions

Have you thought about…?

Penetration Testing
A ‘point in time assessment’, providing a snapshot of your security posture at the point of testing. As new security vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered and published, both penetration testing and vulnerability assessments should be conducted regularly. Most security specialists will recommend at least annual penetration tests.

Managed Detection and Response
Proactively identifies and mitigates cyber security threats by continuously monitoring and swiftly responding to potential breaches.