What is CISO as a Service (CISOaaS)?

What is a CISO as a Service (CISOaaS)? 

Organisations can access an experienced CISO on a temporary or project basis, as and when needed, without retaining their services on a full-time contract.

With a shortage of qualified cyber security experts across many industries, it can be challenging for some organisations to meet their objectives - especially in a timely and cost-effective manner. CISOaaS allows organisations to scale their resources to meet their needs without committing the significant resources required to hire an internal IT leader.  

How Does a CISO as a Service Work?

CISOaaS provides organisations with access to an external Chief Information Security Officer. This covers the usual responsibilities of a CISO, namely: executive‑level cyber security leadership, owning security strategy, risk, governance, and assurance, without being a full‑time in‑house executive.

CISOaaS is ideal for companies that need experienced, high-level security guidance but may not have either the budget to hire a full-time employee, the resources to train an internal CISO or the requirements for a permanent senior IT professional.

Instead, businesses can tap into the knowledge and skills of a senior IT professional when they need that level of support and allocate the budget elsewhere when they don’t.

What to Expect from CISO as a Service

Bridewell’s CISO as a Service helps your organisation to:

• Define and own the organisation’s cyber security strategy and roadmap.
• Establish and maintain security governance structures
• Support or lead response to major security incidents
• Provide executive oversight of security operations, vulnerability management, security tooling and architecture, and cyber risk management activities.
• Produce clear, risk‑based security reporting for senior leadership.
• Act as the bridge between technical teams and non‑technical stakeholders.

CISO as a Service vs. an In-house CISO

CISO responsibilities can be performed by an internal, dedicated professional or outsourced as a service. Both in-house CISOs and CISOaaS can prove valuable for organisations depending on their specific requirements:

Pros and Cons of CISO as a Service 

CISOaaS is a service best suited for small to medium-sized businesses with a limited budget or where you require temporary work. Larger organisations with a more complex infrastructure and data asset profile may require a full-time dedicated CISO to gain a deeper knowledge of their unique requirements and risks.

However, teams needing temporary or project-based support may be better suited to CISOaaS. This might include helping an in-house cyber security team to scale up its resources to protect against sudden influxes in security threats or to update its existing cyber security practices.

CISOaaS can support organisations seeking:

• Cost-effective hiring where you cannot justify hiring a permanent CISO.
• Access to the expertise and experience of a CISO who has worked in cyber security across multiple industries.
• Scalable CISO services.
• Compliance with current cyber security regulations.
• The ability to free up internal resources through outsourcing their cyber security leadership management
  

Is CISO as a Service Worth It? 

CISOaaS can prove a cost-effective investment for small to mid-sized businesses requiring the support of a senior IT professional with specific security needs.

Accessing a CISOaaS offers experienced cyber security advice and leadership to guide a team of experts, while saving on the costs associated with adding a full-time CISO to your payroll.

Outsourcing your requirements to a dedicated CISO allows them to focus on the unique responsibilities of a CISO. This alleviates the challenges many organisations face in having their Head of IT or CTO pulled onto CISO tasks. It also frees up internal resources to deliver the day-to-day operational work, while the CISOaaS drives the strategic leadership objectives.

CISO as a service vs Virtual CISO vs Fractional CISO

CISOaaS gives organisations access to the full suite of CISO services on a contractual basis, involving strategic planning and compliance management.

A Virtual CISO is similar to a regular CISOaaS. They are part-time and offer similar services, but remotely. They’re often employed if a company needs only a handful of specific needs met.

Fractional CISO is often used in tandem with a Virtual CISO but emphasises a part-time role split among multiple clients.

Bridewell's CISO as a service 

Bridewell offers CISOaaS, providing access to a flexible, experienced cyber security professional to help develop your organisation's cyber security strategy and improve its overall security posture.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What does CISOaaS stand for? 

CISOaaS stands for Chief Information Security Officer as a Service. It offers companies access to experienced external cyber security professionals, to benefit from expert guidance while operating a scalable contract and only paying for what they use.

What is the difference between a field CISO and a CISO?

A field CISO works with external clients or customers to deliver cyber security consultancy services. A traditional CISO instead works within an organisation – in-house or as a service – to meet its own cyber security requirements.

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