Guide: How Service Providers can Deliver vCISO Services at Scale

From ransomware to breaches, from noncompliance penalties to reputational damage – cyberthreats pose an existential risk to any business. But for SMEs and SMBs, the danger is compounded. These companies realize they need an in-house Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) – someone who can assess risks and vulnerabilities, create and execute a comprehensive cybersecurity plan, ensure compliance and safeguard business continuity. Yet unlike large enterprises, most don’t have the budget to bring a full-time experienced CISO on board.

To bridge this gap, managed service providers (MSPs), managed security service providers (MSSPs), and consulting firms offer virtual CISO (vCISO), or ‘CISO-as-a-service’ services.

The model is simple: instead of hiring a full-time CISO, SMEs and SMBs pay a subscription or a retainer to gain access to expert cyber assistance in the form of a virtual CISO. Staffed by seasoned veteran executives, vCISOs offer C-level assistance in devising and implementing strategies to prevent breaches, reduce risk, and mitigate the consequences of attacks.

The challenge is scaling vCISO services cost-effectively. vCISO duties not only require a high-level of security and executive expertise, but they are also time-consuming. A vCISO needs to take the time to thoroughly assess the existing environment, evaluate all potential threats and areas of vulnerability, and come to an understanding of the risk profile of the organization. This labor-intensive process makes it difficult, if not impossible, for many MSPs, MSSPs and consultants to raise the volume of vCISO services they can effectively deliver.

In a new guide titled "How MSPs, MSSPs, and Consultants Can Scale vCISO Services to Boost Revenue and Upselling Without Adding to Existing Resources," vCISO platform solution Cynomi offers an explanation of why vCISO services are so difficult to scale and how service providers can overcome these barriers to achieve high margins at scale.

The white paper covers:

1. Why exactly CISO services are in high demand
2. What the CISO’s role in the organization?
3. Why hiring a CISO is do difficult and expensive
4. How vCISO services can compensate for the CISO labor shortage
5. Barriers to achieving long-term vCISO services success
6. How to scale vCISO services
7. Emerging AI-powered platforms that automate vCISO services

Unlike more academic papers, this white paper provides hands-on guidance to MSPs, MSSPs and consultants about how they can successfully scale up vCISO services – without adding personnel or expensive infrastructure. This facilitates boosting vCISO revenues and overall profitability, while making it feasible to upsell vCISO services to a wider range of their clientele.

Download the guide here

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