The move away from rigid, traditional team structures has been one of the biggest changes in the way we do business. Instead of hiring entire teams in-house at great expense, many companies today choose to work with fractional executives and virtual teams. The vCISO — Virtual Chief Information Security Officer — is a perfect example of this.
This comes with a ton of advantages, especially for smaller and more agile teams who want the benefit of an experienced CISO without the massive cost commitment. But the decision is always personal, and there are pros and cons to weigh.
Let’s take a closer look at what vCISOs do, how they differ from traditional CISOs, and which is the best choice for you.
CISO vs. vCISO — What’s the Difference?
Fractional executives — leaders who work with your company on a part-time, as-needed basis — are becoming more popular all the time. Fractional jobs increased by 57% between 2020 and 2022, and McKinsey & Co found that 35% of Fortune 500 companies are using this model in some way.
Here’s the difference — a traditional CISO is a full-time, hired member of your team. They work for you and only you, and lead your information security efforts — assessing your infrastructure and risks, building strategies, and making sure you have the right processes, tools, and people in place to remain secure.
A vCISO — like you’ll get with DYOPATH’s DYOGUARD solution — does the same kind of work, but the difference is that they don’t work in-house for your company. Instead, they work with you (and usually some other clients) on a contractual basis. This can save you significant money while still providing many of the benefits of a CISO.
CISO — Pros & Cons
Hiring your own CISO has its own unique advantages and disadvantages over working with a fractional professional. Let’s break them down.
The Pros of a CISO
Here’s why you might want to consider a CISO:
- They’re all yours. Your CISO works with you and you alone, allowing them to gain a deep understanding of your company, build strong relationships with your other team members, and grow with you long-term. They have skin in the game.
- After a while, they’re part of the furniture. CISOs can become an integral part of your company’s culture over time, becoming a highly trusted and respected point of contact for all relevant departments. This is more difficult for an external professional to achieve.
- They know you inside and out. Your own CISO will have a deep and finely-tuned understanding of how your company works, the risks it faces, and the ins and outs of your security.
Now let’s take a look at the drawbacks:
The Cons of a CISO
Here’s why an in-house CISO might not be such a good idea:
- They’re expensive. Hiring your own permanent in-house team member comes with a ton of costs like salary, benefits, recruiting costs, training costs, and physical office space.
- It can be tough to scale. As your company grows and your needs change, you may find yourself outgrowing your CISO and their skill set.
- No CISO is an expert in everything. Your CISO may be a great all-rounder, but there will always be areas where their expertise falls short and you’ll have to look for help from external experts.
Ultimately, you’ll need to look at your specific circumstances and work out if the pros outweigh the cons here. Certain companies will be an ideal fit for an in-house CISO.
Who Is an In-House CISO Ideal For?
Overall, CISOs are typically a good fit for companies who don’t have a mature, developed security infrastructure in place and want to hire a professional they can grow with and who can take ownership of their security needs.
CISOs are also best matched with larger companies with big budgets and complex security needs who are prepared to take on additional expense for a full-time hire.
vCISO — Pros & Cons
Now that we’ve explored the upsides and downsides of the in-house CISO, let’s take a look at the virtual CISO and how they fare in different areas.
The Pros of a vCISO
Here’s why many companies take the fractional route when it comes to their security officer:
- Cost savings. vCISOs can cost significantly less than CISOs since you don’t have to worry about all the additional expenses associated with a full-time hire.
- They scale well. As your company grows and your security needs change, it’s much easier to switch to a different vCISO or adjust your plan than it is to replace an in-house professional or hire new staff.
- Broad and specialist expertise. vCISOs often have wide-ranging knowledge and skill sets, and it’s also possible to bring in a new vCISO to consult on a specific problem.
vCISOs can bring significant advantages over their in-house counterparts, but there are potential pitfalls, too.
The Cons of a vCISO
Here are some of the potential downsides associated with a vCISO:
- They might not always be just down the hall from you, and in some cases you might need to schedule a call instead of simply firing off a message and expecting a rapid response
- They aren’t a full-time employee, so it might be harder to train them to the same level as your in-house staff. You may run into some challenges around granting them the same access and permissions as a full-time employee
- Your vCISO might not be in all the meetings a full-time employee would be, and they might not be able to maintain the same personal relationships and organizational context of a full-time team member
Who Is a vCISO Ideal For?
vCISOs can be a great choice for businesses of all sizes, depending on certain factors:
- Small companies with limited budgets can benefit hugely from the expertise of a CISO without the huge overhead costs.
- Medium-sized companies looking for a seasoned expert in a particular field such as compliance can gain a lot from a specialist vCISO.
- Large businesses can bring in a vCISO to share the load by managing specific program or supplement teams for fixed projects like HIPAA audits or ISO Certification.
What to Look for When Hiring a vCISO
So, if you’ve decided that a vCISO is the right option for you, how do you go about choosing one?
The most important factors here are relevant experience and compatibility. You ideally want to work with a vCISO who has the skills and expertise to solve your specific security problems, while also being a good fit for your culture. Compliance with the right regulations is also something a good vCISO — like our DYOGUARD solution — will treat as a priority.
On top of that, the best vCISOs are proactive. They’ll ask you all the right questions, take the initiative when it comes to plans and strategy, and be inclusive and collaborative when working with your internal teams.
DYOPATH’s vCISO Solution
Our DYOGUARD solution is designed to take care of your unique security needs and goals with a dedicated virtual CISO. We’ll handle all the important aspects of your security, from policy development to incident response planning, giving your teams the support they need to build a safe and resilient organization.
If you’d like to find out more about how DYOGUARD works and how we can help, book a call with us.
