Jul 03 2024

10 Clear Signs Your Business Needs a Cybersecurity Consultant—And What to Expect

Category: cyber security,Selling cyber security — disc7 @ 8:37 am
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-clear-signs-your-business-needs-cybersecurity-what-svyac/

You Can’t Keep Up with Emerging Threats or Technologies

Business Impact: Staying ahead of emerging threats and technologies is essential for protecting your business from cyberattacks. Falling behind can leave your business vulnerable to breaches, resulting in data loss, financial damage, and reputational harm. A cybersecurity consultant can help you stay current and implement the latest defenses, ensuring your business remains secure and competitive.

Expectation: CEOs should expect cybersecurity consultants to provide continuous education and training programs for their staff, ensuring the team stays updated with the latest cybersecurity trends and technologies. This empowers employees to recognize and respond to threats more effectively and reinforces a culture of security within the organization.

You Need an Impartial Security Assessment

Business Impact: Internal disagreements about security protocols can lead to inefficiencies and increased risk. An impartial assessment from a cybersecurity consultant can provide clarity, help to align your team and ensure that security measures are effective and unbiased. This can lead to a more cohesive security strategy and a more robust overall security posture.

Expectation: CEOs should expect cybersecurity consultants to conduct regular third-party security audits. These audits maintain an unbiased perspective on the company’s cybersecurity posture, uncover hidden vulnerabilities, and ensure that security measures evolve with the changing threat landscape.

You’re Lacking Innovation in Your Security Strategies

Business Impact: Innovation in security strategies is vital to staying ahead of cyber threats. A consultant brings fresh perspectives and innovative solutions that can enhance your existing security measures, leading to improved efficiency and effectiveness. This can result in cost savings, better resource allocation, and a more robust defense against cyber threats.

Expectation: CEOs should expect consultants to help establish a dedicated innovation team within the security department. This team should explore and integrate new technologies and methodologies, collaborating with the consultants to bring cutting-edge solutions to the organization.

You’re Unable to Meet Your Security Goals

Business Impact: Failing to meet security goals can expose your business to risks and hinder growth. A consultant can help identify the root causes of these challenges and provide actionable insights to achieve your objectives. Meeting security goals can enhance your business’s credibility, reduce the risk of breaches, and support overall business growth.

Expectation: CEOs should expect cybersecurity consultants to implement a structured framework like the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. This framework guides the security strategy and goal-setting processes, helping to identify gaps, set realistic goals, and track progress effectively.

Your Business Isn’t Growing, and You Don’t Know Why

Business Impact: Stagnant growth can indicate underlying security issues that are not immediately apparent. A cybersecurity consultant can conduct a thorough analysis to uncover hidden problems and provide solutions. Addressing these issues can remove barriers to growth, improve operational efficiency, and enhance your business’s financial performance.

Expectation: CEOs should expect cybersecurity consultants to perform a comprehensive security health check during the business strategy review. This health check identifies unseen security issues that may be hindering growth, and addressing them can streamline operations and enhance overall performance.

You’re Stalling on Implementing New Security Measures

Business Impact: Delaying important security initiatives can leave your business vulnerable and impede progress. A consultant can provide the expertise and resources needed to implement new security measures promptly. This can improve your security posture, reduce risk, and enable you to confidently take advantage of new business opportunities.

Expectation: CEOs should expect cybersecurity consultants to develop a clear, phased implementation plan for new security measures, prioritizing critical vulnerabilities first. This plan should include milestones and timelines to ensure steady progress and accountability.

You’re Working Outside Your Expertise

Business Impact: Focusing on areas outside your expertise can lead to suboptimal decisions and wasted resources. By hiring a cybersecurity consultant, you can ensure that specialized tasks are handled by experts, allowing you to focus on your strengths. This can lead to better decision-making, increased efficiency, and a higher quality of security measures.

Expectation: CEOs should expect cybersecurity consultants to establish a strategic partnership to handle specialized tasks. This ensures reliance on expert advice and services, allowing the CEO to focus on core business activities and leading to better overall outcomes.

You Lack In-House Security Expertise

Business Impact: A lack of in-house cybersecurity expertise can leave your business vulnerable to attacks and regulatory non-compliance. A consultant can fill this gap, providing the necessary skills and knowledge to protect your business. This can enhance your security posture, ensure compliance with industry regulations, and reduce the risk of costly breaches.

Expectation: CEOs should expect cybersecurity consultants to help implement an MSSP to supplement in-house capabilities. An MSSP provides continuous monitoring, threat detection, and response services, ensuring robust security even with limited internal resources.

You Have Tunnel Vision Regarding Security Issues

Business Impact: Working too closely on security problems can limit your perspective and lead to missed solutions. A consultant brings fresh eyes and can identify issues and solutions you might overlook. This can lead to more effective problem-solving, reduced risk, and improved overall security.

Expectation: CEOs should expect cybersecurity consultants to host regular brainstorming sessions with cross-functional teams. These sessions encourage diverse insights into security challenges, helping to uncover innovative solutions and prevent oversight.

You’re Working on a Time-Sensitive Security Project

Business Impact: Urgent security projects require expertise and efficiency to ensure success. A consultant can provide support to meet tight deadlines and achieve project goals.

Expectation: CEOs should expect cybersecurity consultants to utilize project management tools and methodologies like Agile to manage time-sensitive security projects efficiently. These tools streamline workflows, enhance collaboration, and meet critical deadlines without compromising quality.

FAQ’s

How do you verify the credentials and experience of a cybersecurity consultant?

To verify a cybersecurity consultant’s credentials and experience, you can:

  1. Check Certifications: Look for reputable certifications like CISSP, CISM, CEH, or others recognized in the industry.
  2. Review Past Projects: Ask for case studies or examples of past work that demonstrate their ability to handle challenges similar to yours.
  3. Seek References: Contact previous clients to get feedback on their experiences with the consultant.
  4. Interview Thoroughly: Conduct in-depth interviews to assess their knowledge, approach, and how they keep up with industry changes.
  5. Assess Continuous Learning: Inquire about their commitment to ongoing education and professional development.

What are the typical costs associated with hiring a cybersecurity consultant?

The cost can vary widely based on factors such as the scope of work, the consultant’s experience, and the duration of the engagement. Typical costs might include:

  1. Hourly Rates: Ranging from $150 to $500+ per hour.
  2. Project-Based Fees: Project fees can range from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands, depending on the complexity.
  3. Retainer Agreements: Monthly retainers can range from $5,000 to $20,000 or more for ongoing support.
  4. Discussing and agreeing on the fee structure upfront is essential to ensure it aligns with your budget and expectations.

What are the common red flags when interviewing potential cybersecurity consultants?

Some red flags to watch out for include:

  1. Lack of Specific Experience: They must provide detailed examples of past projects or relevant experience.
  2. Overemphasis on Certifications: While important, certifications alone don’t guarantee practical expertise.
  3. Poor Communication Skills: Inability to clearly explain complex concepts or their approach to your specific issues.
  4. Vague proposals lack details about how they will address your needs or what deliverables you can expect.
  5. Unrealistic Promises: Guarantees of absolute security or immediate fixes are often unrealistic and should be scrutinized.

Can you provide examples of successful cybersecurity consultant engagements?

Examples of successful engagements include:

  1. Incident Response: A consultant helped a mid-sized company recover from a ransomware attack by quickly identifying the breach, containing the threat, and restoring data from backups, minimizing downtime and data loss.
  2. Security Program Development: A consultant worked with a healthcare provider to develop a comprehensive security program, achieving regulatory compliance and significantly reducing the risk of data breaches.
  3. Vulnerability Assessment: For a financial services firm, a consultant conducted a thorough vulnerability assessment, identifying and addressing critical security gaps that previously went unnoticed, enhancing overall security posture.

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How do cybersecurity consultants stay updated on the latest threats and technologies?

Cybersecurity consultants stay current by:

  1. Continuous Education: Regularly attend training sessions and webinars and obtain advanced certifications.
  2. Professional Networks: Being active in professional organizations like (ISC)², ISACA, and others, which offer resources and networking opportunities.
  3. Industry Conferences: Participating in conferences such as Black Hat, DEF CON, and RSA Conference to learn about the latest trends and technologies.
  4. Research and Publications: I read industry publications and research papers and participated in cybersecurity forums and discussions.

Hands-On Experience: Engaging in ongoing practical work and simulations to apply new techniques and tools in real-world scenarios.

  1. This commitment to continuous learning ensures they can provide up-to-date and effective security solutions.

In what situations would a vCISO or CISOaaS service be appropriate?

CyberSecurity Consultants Playbook

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Tags: Cybersecurity Consultant

Nov 08 2022

Taking cybersecurity investments to the next level

Category: cyber security,Selling cyber security — DISC @ 12:14 pm
Taking cybersecurity investments to the next level

Recently, the Forgepoint team announced a new alliance with global banking leader Santander to increase cyber investment worldwide, specifically in Europe, Israel, and Latin America. Santander will also be the primary investor in Forgepoint’s next fund, slated for 2023, with a nearly $300 million goal.

This was the perfect reason to connect with Alberto Yépez, the co-founder and Managing Director of Forgepoint Capital. In this Help Net Security interview, the former Trident Capital leader offers insight into innovation in the cybersecurity market, M&A activity, pitching to VCs, and more.

When you look at today’s cybersecurity industry landscape, what drives innovation?

Innovation is always driven by a need. What does the market need right now? What do customers need? How can the ecosystem adapt to serve those needs? Innovation provides solutions that expedite answers to problems, and successful businesses are built when they do this.

Today’s rapidly changing macro environment combined with the demands of an evolving threat landscape makes this the perfect time for company building. Now, businesses that did not satisfy needs will no longer survive, while those that do will thrive.

The cybersecurity market is prone to mergers and acquisitions. How will this impact the future of the market?

While we may see a wave of consolidation, which is expected given the amount of venture financing committed to cybersecurity in the last few years, organizations now face the decision to either raise more funding in a challenging environment as valuations normalize or seek an acquisition, as growth investors shift away due to market conditions.

Public and larger private companies will continue to buy startups that are innovative and leading-edge, filling gaps in their current offerings to offer wider, more integrated solutions. These companies provide new capabilities that address new threats and give them access to high-growth market segments while helping them stay relevant.

Ultimately, M&A activity will have a positive impact on the industry because large enterprise customers benefit from integrated solutions that reduce the total cost of ownership of these solutions. Customers also benefit from these integrated services as they help meet critical enterprise needs and ease the strain caused by the global shortage of cybersecurity professionals.

Company founders spend a lot of time preparing their pitch, but it can take a long time to get VC, even with massively successful products. What advice would you give to those getting ready to talk to VCs?

I advise founders to take a long-term mindset and remember that fundraising is a people-driven industry. While initial timelines may achieve certain funding goals, securing funding means building real relationships and creating a network of trusted partners. Taking the time to do this well will have an immediate impact upon your success.

In a competitive fundraising environment, VCs have to make quick decisions. To do that, we depend on both our own experience, as well as the experiences of our network and our close connections who we can rely on to provide strong counsel. An introduction to a startup from a trusted friend with relevant expertise and background is one of the most productive relationship builders – for both sides.

These trusted relationships will open the right doors for founders, then it’s all about how you tell your story to the VC. The clarity and direction of your thinking can tell a lot about the company’s market position and opportunity you’re out to tackle, as well as your future priorities. Here, introspection and self-awareness shine.

Having a people-driven mindset is helpful because it has multiple natural side benefits. Networking requires us to build relationships with individuals beyond the short-term, casting a net that can include VCs as well as future startup customers or potential hires. Networking with VCs may also suggest you meet with others and while these introductions may not be directly about fundraising, they can help you get exposure to potential customers, team members, and advisors for input on your tech, business, and model. This leads to opportunities to learn and refine your approach from diverse perspectives.

What do you value most in an entrepreneur you want to invest in?

The traits that I find most important in entrepreneurs are subject matter expertise and the know-how to execute. Prior experience as an entrepreneur with a track record of building commercial offerings successfully commercialized and adopted by customers will allow for deep domain knowledge of the sector that they’re working in, which is very important when scaling organizations. In my experience, serial entrepreneurs typically have a leg up compared to first-timers.

That being said, all of this doesn’t matter if an entrepreneur doesn’t know how to lead. The ability to recruit and retain high quality talent, and then continuing to work with them to grow as the organization expands is a very important trait that is paramount to the success of any organization.

What advice would you give to European and Israeli companies trying to get funding in the US?

Forgepoint partners with emerging companies from Croatia to Mexico, Madrid to Tel Aviv, and has been actively tracking thousands of companies worldwide. It is abundantly clear that the cyber ecosystems across Europe, Latin America and Israel have an incredibly rich talent pool, strong demand signal and robust capital accessibility – and that cybersecurity is a growing, global problem.

While the current macro environment is challenging, organizations looking to get funding in the US will succeed if their product and complete offering solve a demonstrated need in the market. When it comes down to it, it’s all about five fundamentals:

  • Large market opportunity
  • Differentiated offerings that are hard to replicate
  • Sound go-to-market strategy
  • Ensuring the right team is in place
  • Product market fit as demonstrated by early customer traction

Israeli and European companies trying to get funding in the US should be able to clearly speak to these fundamentals, demonstrating how they’ll incorporate the US into their go-to-market and growth plans as they partner with investors, form channel alliances, and further develop their businesses. Thinking this through can be enormously helpful in identifying which VCs to approach – which will bring value and help augment your business.

Start-Up Secure: Baking Cybersecurity into Your Company from Founding to Exit

Start-Up Secure: Baking Cybersecurity into Your Company from Founding to Exit by [Chris Castaldo]

Tags: cybersecurity investments, Forgepoint Capital, investment, Start-Up Secure

Feb 07 2022

Critical Infrastructure Attacks Spur Cybersecurity Investment

Category: cyber security,Cyber Strategy,OT/ICS,Selling cyber security — DISC @ 12:40 pm
Critical Infrastructure Attacks Spur Cybersecurity Investment

The attacks on critical industrial systems such as Colonial Pipeline last year pushed industrial cybersecurity to center stage. And with the threat of war between Russia and Ukraine, experts warned nations that a global flare-up of cybersecurity attacks on critical infrastructure could be looming. In late January, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) put critical infrastructure organizations on notice: Take “urgent, near-term steps” to mitigate the risk of digital attacks. The alert cited tension in eastern Europe as the catalyst for possible attacks against U.S. digital assets.

Critical Infrastructure Under Attack

Unfortunately, critical systems have long been under significant attack. In fact, an overwhelming 80% of critical infrastructure organizations experienced ransomware attacks last year, according to a survey released today by PollFish on behalf of cyber-physical systems security provider Claroty. The survey, completed in September 2021, gathered responses from full-time information technology and operational technology (OT) security professionals in the United States (500 professionals), Europe (300) and Asia-Pacific (300). The industries surveyed include IT hardware, oil and gas (including pipelines), consumer products, electric energy, pharmaceutical/life sciences/medical devices, transportation, agriculture/food and beverage, heavy industry, water and waste and automotive.

Globally, 80% of respondents reported experiencing an attack and 47% of respondents said the attack impacted their operational technology and industrial control systems environment. A full 90% of respondents that reported their attacks to authorities or shareholders said the impact of those attacks was substantial in 49% of cases.

Attacking Digital Transformation

Cybersecurity Investments

Effectiveness of National Cyber Policy to Strengthen the Security and Resilience of Critical Infrastructure Against Cyber Attacks

Tags: Critical Infrastructure Attacks

Apr 15 2021

Why taking the cybersecurity initiative can win you business

Category: cyber security,Cyber Strategy,Selling cyber security — DISC @ 2:34 pm
Why taking the cybersecurity initiative can win you business

Consumers seem somehow unable or unwilling to protect themselves. But our research reveals an interesting knock-on effect from this: consumers welcome organizations who take the security initiative – and actively move their business to them.

Good security is good for business

This situation is a huge opportunity for organizations to make security a differentiator. Our research reveals that consumers value companies they perceive as more secure, with 64% saying they would recommend a large organization that they think makes a big effort to keep their data secure. A business with clearly visible cybersecurity will reassure consumers and create confidence in its digital products and services, carving itself a competitive advantage.

Why taking the cybersecurity initiative can win you business

Cyber Shop - Home | Facebook

Tags: cybersecurity initiative

Jul 07 2019

How To Sell Cyber Security To Your Board

Category: Selling cyber security — DISC @ 10:48 am

How To Sell Cyber Security To Your Board – via Steve King



How to Sell Cyber Security



[pdf-embedder url=”https://blog.deurainfosec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Talking-cybersecurity-to-board.pdf” title=”Talking cybersecurity to board”]



Todd Fitzgerald’s book,

Information Security Governance Simplified:

From the Boardroom to the Keyboard, presents 15 chapters of advice and real-world experience on how to handle the roll out of an effective program …. Todd has taken the time to include for the reader some practical security considerations for managerial, technical, and operational controls. This is followed up with a discussion on how legal issues are impacting the information security program.
#TomPeltier, CISSP





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Tags: Selling InfoSec to the board