In 2023, there were over 2,200 cyber-attacks daily, and these persistent threats affected businesses of all sizes. Whereas cyberattacks in past years targeted larger organizations, cybercriminals are now targeting any organization with vulnerabilities. So, how do small to mid-size companies protect themselves from these attacks?
It is imperative that organizations fortify their security posture before threats occur, regardless of their size or budget. A vCISO can be a cost-effective alternative to a full-time Chief Information Security Officer and provides more security benefits than a traditional internal security team.
Providing a wealth of knowledge and experience, a vCISO is comprised of a full team of security professionals who can rapidly respond to threats. A vCISO goes beyond just remediating possible cyberattacks, they also provide strategic security guidance and planning in the areas of information assurance, governance, and risk management.
Why Should Organizations Implement a vCISO Solution?
In the past, cyberattacks were resource-intensive, so cybercriminals had to focus their limited resources on large, high-value organizations. Today, cyber criminals use automated, scalable, on-demand, artificial intelligence techniques to launch many sophisticated attacks against a high volume of targets, including smaller organizations.
A vCISO helps mitigate the risk of getting caught in this new spray-and-pray approach by:
- Providing a cost-effective approach to security
- Providing access to security leadership
- Reducing cybersecurity & compliance risks including those related to vendor risk, supply chain, and use of generative AI, which is fast becoming the new shadow IT.
- Improving organizational & IT capabilities
- Easily and quickly scaling cybersecurity solutions
- Aiding with new IT initiatives, such as migrating to the cloud
- Assisting during financial events, such as mergers & acquisitions, carve-outs, post-merger integrations, etc.
- Eliminating talent scarcity, especially for complex IT structures
What is the Purpose of a vCISO?
The purpose of a vCISO is multi-faceted and should be customized to the needs of the customer. vCISO’s are responsible for IT activities, such as:
- Security risk assessments
- Compliance readiness
- Vendor risk management
- Continuous improvement
- Incidence response readiness and coordination
- Internal communications regarding risks, threats, status changes, etc.
Who is a Good Fit for a vCISO?
Organizations turn to a vCISO option when they have serious security or compliance concerns, but also face budget constraints that do not allow them to hire a full-time CISO. A vCISO may be a good fit for:
- Organizations who have failed an audit or compliance deadline after spending a great deal of money and resources, with little to show for it.
- Clients imposing compliance requirements through RFPs to win business.
- Security and compliance conscious organizations that have experienced high turnover or have wasted money on security (shelfware) tools that were not properly integrated and utilized.
- Organizations in highly regulated environments that have limited resources.
The RKON Difference
RKON’s On-PAR Virtual Chief Security Officer provides skilled security
leadership to implement and maintain our proactive approach to IT governance framework, while simultaneously advising on security risk, developing security policies, guidelines, and controls with the goal of protecting the business and ensuring IT objectives are met.
Our approach includes three steps: preparedness, assurance, and response.
Preparedness: Position your organization to meet strategic imperatives for expense management and growth. Manage risks and issues quickly to ensure the digital integrity of your organization is continuously monitored and maintained.
Assurance: Provide assurance that your organization has appropriate and cost-efficient measures in place. We ensure these measures meet compliance expectations with regulatory and industry requirements.
Response: Your organization must be primed to manage incidents with a prompt response to assess and remediate the risk. In addition, ensuring the remediation and recovery services are the most appropriate and cost-efficient solution.
RKON creates a foundation for addressing compliance, identifying risks, driving a sustainable security architecture, and reporting metrics to executives. 
Our experienced team of Virtual Chief Information Security Officers (VCISOs) can be contracted for a short-term compliance project or a long-term security framework improvement plan, starting from as low as $2,500 a month and structured to work within the budget constraints of the customer.
Get a diverse cybersecurity team without the financial commitment to a full-time CISO.
Want to speak to a security expert? Let’s talk!
