How to Build a Small but Effective Cybersecurity Function in Your SMB
In the modern business landscape, cybersecurity isn’t just a concern for large enterprises. Small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are increasingly targeted by cybercriminals due to perceived vulnerabilities and an understood lack of resources (people, processes, and technology). Many SMBs lack the resources to build extensive cybersecurity teams with all of the pretty bells and whistles that are perceived to be the only way to combat the cybersecurity risks they face.
The good news is that with careful planning and strategic investment, SMBs can establish a small but effective cybersecurity function that protects their business, even with limited resources. This blog will guide you through creating a well-rounded cybersecurity function tailored to the needs of an SMB, including the key roles and benefits each team provides.
1. Security Awareness and Training
Security awareness and training involves educating employees about the importance of cybersecurity and equipping them with the knowledge to recognize and respond to potential threats. This function is typically handled by a dedicated security awareness manager or it is integrated into the responsibilities of an IT or HR professional.
This function is responsible for regularly conducting, or scheduling via third-party tools, training sessions on topics such as the basics of phishing, password management, and safe browsing practices, as well as on more specific topics like vendor security risk management, secure coding, and cloud security. Security awareness teams can be responsible for the development and distribution of content such as training modules, social posts on Teams or Slack, and email/blogs company-wide to ensure all employees are aware of their security responsibilities, how to recognize threats and risks, and what to do if they suspect an event or incident may be occurring.
The benefits of having a security awareness function is the immediate knowledge-sharing capability to all employees. Having an informed employee force, regardless of size, will reduce the likelihood of a security event occurring. It also helps to establish a culture of security within the company where employees consistently prioritize cybersecurity in their daily activities, reducing the occurrence of human error leading to security incidents.
2. Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC)
GRC is the framework through which organizations manage their governance (decision making), risk management, and compliance with internal policies and processes and laws and regulations. This function ensures that your SMB is not only secure but also compliant with relevant legal and regulatory requirements. In most cases, the GRC function reports into the Chief Information Security Officer, however there are instances where GRC fits under legal and compliance due to company size.
This team is responsible for the development and implementation of security policies and procedures that align with industry standards and regulatory requirements (e.g., SOC2, ISO27001, GDPR, HIPAA). They have team members skilled in conducting regular risk assessments across the organizational functions and product lines in order to identify and help those teams mitigate potential security threats. The GRC team also ensures ongoing compliance through consulting activities with functional departments and regular assurance reviews and assessments.
Having a GRC function provides your business with expertise in compliance with contractual, legal, and regulatory requirements, and can help avoid potential fines and penalties. They also help reduce the overall risk profile of your company by establishing robust frameworks for managing and mitigating security risks. The GRC Team stays on top of current industry trends, collaborates cross-functionally with technical and non-technical teams, and can provide transparent reporting to management on the risks they identify that may impact the business.
3. Security Engineering
Security engineering focuses on designing and implementing technical solutions to protect your IT infrastructure, applications, and data. This team might be as small as one security engineer who works closely with developers and IT staff to ensure security is baked into your technology stack. They help teams design and implement security controls such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption protocols, assist development teams in secure software development practices, including code reviews and penetration testing, and assisting teams in establishing the appropriate monitoring and alerting measures to respond and adapt to emerging threats.
Security engineering practitioners can have an immediate impact on operations through the enhancement of IT and engineering security postures by helping to establish and review processes to reduce vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cybercriminals. Their expertise establishes a strong foundation of security across a company’s technology stack, making businesses more resilient against evolving threats.
4. Security Consultant
Security consultants are external experts who provide specialized knowledge and guidance on cybersecurity matters. For SMBs, hiring a security consultant can be a cost-effective way to access high-level expertise without the expense of full-time staff.
These consultants provide a range of services such as conducting security assessments and audits to identify vulnerabilities and recommend improvements, providing strategic advice on the implementation of security measures and best practices, assisting in the development and refinement of your cybersecurity strategy, and more. Having access to expert knowledge and recommendations tailored to your specific business needs, can help to quickly identify and address security gaps. Ongoing access to specialized expertise can help your business stay ahead of emerging threats and continuously improve its security posture.
5. Security Operations Center (SOC)
A Security Operations Center (SOC) is the hub of your cybersecurity operations, and is responsible for monitoring and responding to security events and incidents in real-time. In an SMB, the SOC might consist of a small team or even a managed service provider (external third-party) that monitors your systems on your behalf.
The SOC provides continuous monitoring of your IT environment for security threats and anomalies. The team usually consists of an incident response manager and analysts who are eyes on glass monitoring for alerts that trigger security events and incidents. This function typically is responsible for updating threat intelligence based on company goals and objectives for their product/service and adapting internal security measures with the help of GRC and Security Engineers, accordingly.
Having a team, whether internal or external to your company, on hand to immediately detect and respond to potential security incidents helps in minimizing potential damage and cost. SOC capabilities are usually required for cyber insurance coverage and have begun to be mandated in customer contracts for SMBs; this is where a managed service provider (MSP) may be fit purpose.
6. Security Strategy
Having a dedicated security strategy professional that is responsible for the long-term planning and direction of company cybersecurity roadmaps is paramount in today’s ever changing technology landscape. These strategists ensure that the company’s security measures align with business goals and are scalable as the business grows. They provide clear direction and priorities for company cybersecurity efforts, ensuring that resources are used effectively. This function can be overseen by a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), virtual CISO (vCISO), or be integrated into the responsibilities of senior IT leadership, depending on a company’s size, budget, and requirements.
The security strategist develops a comprehensive security strategy that aligns with your business objectives, prioritize security initiatives based on risk and business impact, ensures that security investments are strategic and provides measurable value back to the company, and works collaboratively with other functions within the company to embed security more broadly across the company.
Conclusion
Building a small but effective cybersecurity function in an SMB is entirely achievable, even with limited resources. By focusing on key areas—security awareness and training, GRC, security engineering, security consultancy, SOC, and security strategy— and knowing that you can outsource these functions to managed service providers and consultants for a price that fits your specific needs, you can create a comprehensive cybersecurity program that protects your business both now and in the future. Each of these teams plays a crucial role in safeguarding your company. Security awareness and training empower your employees to act as the first line of defense. GRC ensures that your business remains compliant and manages risk effectively. Security engineering strengthens your technology infrastructure, while a security consultant provides expert guidance tailored to your needs, and the SOC monitors your environment in real-time, and a well-defined security strategy ensures that all efforts are aligned with your business goals.
