When should a small business bring in a cybersecurity consultant?
Short answer
Bring in outside help when you need an independent risk assessment, are preparing for a customer security questionnaire or certification such as SOC 2 or ISO 27001, are adopting AI tools that touch customer data, or have had an incident. A good consultant leaves you with a prioritized plan your team can run.
The details
Ask for a defined scope, a written deliverable and examples of the kind of report you will receive. Avoid anyone promising complete security, which no one can deliver.
Useful next reads and tools
- Work with Ian Job · page
Terms explained
- ISO/IEC 27001
- ISO/IEC 27001 is the international standard for an information security management system (ISMS), against which organizations can be independently certified.
- Risk assessment
- A cybersecurity risk assessment identifies assets, threats and weaknesses, estimates likelihood and impact, and prioritizes how to treat each risk.
- SOC 2
- SOC 2 is an attestation report from an independent CPA firm on a service organization’s controls relevant to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy.
Sources
Related questions
- What is a cybersecurity risk assessment?
- Where should a small business start with cybersecurity?
- How much should a small business spend on cybersecurity?
- Are small businesses really targeted by hackers?
- How do I train employees on cybersecurity without boring them?
- What security policies does a small business need?
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