vCISO and Security Teams
If you're concerned about cyber security but can't justify employing a full time Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Information Security Manager or security teams, Spritzmonkey can provide a consultant on a contract service basis.
Our consultant(s) will work within your organisation, providing all the skills and knowledge required to support your security framework. This service can be provided on or off site with the added benefit that your Spritzmonkey virtual CISO (vCISO) or team will not need to become involved in any organisational politics and will focus on the best solutions for your business.
SMEs in particular are unlikely to need a full-time CISO and may try to recruit a specialist and find them other things to fill their time. Alternatively they may ask another employee to cross-train into information security when they are not experts. By choosing us you gain expert level assistance immediately without the expense of recruitment or training.
Our information security consultancy services will enable your business to operate securely and safely.
Please contact us to arrange a telephone or face to face appointment to discuss your information security needs.
Actual tasks will be determined by needs and agreed with the customer on an ongoing basis.
vCISO
A typical vCISO (sometimes called CISOaaS) role covers:
Leadership for Information Security
Risk assessment
Management of security programmes
Security incident response planning and investigations
Policy review and implementation
Staff training on security awareness
Subject matter expert to provide advice to business on information security
Internal audit
Point of contact for third parties on security e.g. supplier due diligence checks
Point of contact for regulators and other interested parties
By choosing us, you gain expert level assistance immediately without the expense of recruitment or training. All contracts are tailored to the needs and size of the customers organisation and if you are a growing business our services can scale with you.
Security Team
Security team tasks might include:
Zero day checks
Security issues review and incident handling
Internal pen testing
Cloud security reviews
Source code checks
Network scanning
Security architecture advice
Threat modelling
Threat intelligence
System hardening
Security training
Ad hoc advice and expertise
Security Programme Development
Spritzmonkey are highly-regarded as consultants providing bespoke advice to businesses on strategies to combat the threat of cyber security. A cyber security attack can be costly to your business’s reputation and finances and can debilitate your IT system. As well-rounded cyber security experts, we will provide dedicated advice during our consultation to help you ensure that your enterprise is fully prepared for any malicious attacks or accidental breaches.
We will take an overview of your IT security infrastructure and the related technical and non-technical processes and management capabilities to identify your requirements, before presenting our recommendations for cost-effective improvement programmes targeted at tightening and transforming your digital defences.
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vCISO Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
+ What is a vCISO?
A virtual CISO is an outsourcing arrangement where you get access to a specialist CISO from a service provider on a part-time basis. The vCISO will undertake all of the duties of a CISO at a fraction of the cost of a fulltime employee.
+ What is a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)?
A Chief Information Security Officer (sometimes called Chief Information Security Officer as a Service or CISOaaS) is the top official in an organisation who takes care of information security and data security.
+ What does a vCISO do?
A vCISO will work within your organisation providing all the skills and knowledge required to support your security framework. This service can be provided on or off site and may involve various tasks such as risk assessment, management of security programmes, security incident analysis to prevent reoccurrances, staff security awareness training, supplier risk assessments, and advice to the board on information security risk.
No two businesses are the same, so our approach is to provide flexible tailored services. From the outset, we aim to build open and honest relationships with clients. By listening to you and adopting a flexible straightforward approach, we work with you to understand your business, how it works and its culture. That way, no matter what industry you are in, we can tailor our services to suit your needs and fit in with how you and your teams work.
+ Does my business need a vCISO?
Every day, there is a news story about the latest data security breach. Guarding the privacy of company information, user information, and customer data should be a top priority for all companies. Failure to architect a security strategy around these objectives can have disastrous consequences on the reputation and profitability of your organisation.
Who is ensuring that you have appropriately assessed risks and implemented cost-effective countermeasures? Who is helping you decide what risks to tolerate and not spend company time and money addressing? Who is advising your Board of Directors on cyber threats? A vCISO will act as your trusted advisor and will not have an agenda to sell any technology or solutions to you that is often the other case with other service providers.
If you outsource your IT, you probably still need a CISO. Is your IT provider taking care of all the cyber risks across your whole organisation? Do you trust them to provide impartial advice? Do they benefit if your risk assessment decides you need newer, better, bigger, flashier security technology?
+ How much does a vCISO cost?
Costs vary depending on the nature of your organisation, the scope of tasks that you wish to outsource to the vCISO and how much time we need to spend delivering those services to you. Our contracts are usually based on a monthly fixed service charge so that you know how much you will pay and there are no surprises. If you prefer flexibility we have also agreed flexible day-rate contracts with some customers. Please contact us for a chat and we will be happy to listen to your needs and find a cost-effective service that fits what you want.
+ Should I hire a CISO or vCISO?
If you have the scale to employ a full time information security specialist (CISO) or even better a security team then you will already have this covered. For everyone else, a vCISO is a very cost effective way of ensuring that you have access to specialist resource to protect your business from information security and cyber risks. If you outsource your IT, do not assume that your IT provider has this covered - often this will not be the case.
+ What Types of Companies Use a vCISO?
vCISOs are becoming common across many industries, including technology, marketing, insurance, retail, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Companies that use a vCISO are typically trying to solve one of two problems: money or time. Companies that are on a budget or can't justify the full cost a full time employee will benefit from lower costs. Companies that have an immediate need won't need to advertise for the right candidate, conduct interviews, wait for the selected candidate's notice period to run out, and get them onboarded and up-to-speed as with a permanent employee - a vCISO is ready to go.
+ Why should I choose Spritzmonkey for my vCISO services?
Spritzmonkey’s committed, experienced, and supportive consultants can provide in-depth technical knowledge and experience so you and your customers can be confident that you are secure.
From the outset we aim to build open and honest relationships with clients. By listening to you and adopting a flexible straightforward approach, we work with you to understand your business, how it works and it’s culture. That way, no matter what industry you are in, we can tailor our services to suit your needs and fit in with how you and your teams work.
Our consultants have backgrounds in IT and Cyber Security across many different sizes and types of organisation; we have the knowledge of best practice guidance and current threat landscape to understand the standards and apply them effectively to your business in a way that maximises the benefits.
Spritzmonkey, BSI Associate Consultant, are certified to Cyber Essentials and IASME Governance Standard Gold and are members of a number of relevant trade organisations including CyberExchange.
+ What areas of the country do you cover?
We work with customers all over the UK including those in East Anglia, the South East, South West, Midlands, and North of England.
We have also worked with international clients with offices in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
+ Why do companies hire a Virtual CISO?
Companies that use a vCISO are typically trying to solve one of two problems: money or time. Companies that are on a budget or cannot justify the full cost a full time employee will benefit from lower costs. Companies that have an immediate need will not need to advertise for the right candidate, conduct interviews, wait for the selected candidates notice period to run out, get them onboarded and up-to-speed as with a permanent employee - a vCISO is ready to go.