Should I Hire An In-House Cyber Security Team? The Pros and Cons Of In-House VS External Support
As technology advances, so does cyber crime, and when 95% of cyber security breaches are caused by human error, we can’t afford to make any more mistakes. If your current cyber solution is lacking, it might be time to re-analyse your existing security strategy. Or, if you’ve just started your journey to better protection, there’s a whole world of solutions out there. But which will come out on top – investing in an in-house team or seeking out external support? With advantages to both, read on to find out all you need to know before making that all-important decision.
So, you’ve decided to take your organisation’s security to the next level, great! But how do you know what’ll work best for you? Whether it’s hiring security experts to work in-house or investing in external support from an outsourced cyber security firm, there’s a lot to consider, and it all depends on the time and budget you’re willing to allocate and the goals you’re seeking to meet. Let’s dive deeper and look at what should be on the top of your radar when making the big decision.
Cyber security is ever evolving and methods of attack often change. Keeping security professionals on their feet at all times comes at a high price. To make that initial decision, there are 3 key points you’ll need to conquer first – money, time and needs..
This is a great place to start as ultimately, the budget you allocate will determine the extent of support you can receive. Whilst it might be tricky to put a number on it or invest in something that hasn’t necessarily happened yet, or you can’t yet see the benefit of, you’ll be better off for it (trust us!). When comparing the two types of support on offer, both are costly as they require specific expertise.
Hiring in-house requires extensive training, a complex set up and high salaries. Cyber-trained individuals are hard to come by, and if you can successfully source one, they are costly to keep. They need to be dedicated and well educated on the ever-changing world of cyber security, as it’s not a role you can float in and out of. Whilst, on the other hand, outsourcing is a more affordable solution that can cut costs that would be needed for recruiting and training internally.
An outsourced cyber firm will have everything ready to go, but as their capabilities stretch far and wide, and cyber criminals will strike at any point, you might need to splash the cash a bit more than you’d intended to.
In the case of cyber security, time is of the essence and critical to keeping your network adequately protected. Just like costs, time goes hand in hand with the budget. The more you invest, the more time you’ll receive. An internal team will require a few trained experts, plus technology that’ll need maintenance. Often, these internal hires are deemed “IT experts” and will be pulled from all directions to deal with other IT issues besides cyber security, which isn’t time efficient. If there are limited resources and other departments require more budget, cyber security could fall in priority and you could become an easy target!
Though, with an internal team, your organisation’s needs will come first so staff can react quickly, plus, offering greater control over your solutions where employees are easier to manage than third-party contractors whose resources are split amongst other clients.
But, with external support, you can free up time for your staff and have a better idea of what your invested time is going towards. Outsourcing is the fasted approach because of the severity of the situation, where security professionals are trained and ready to provide support imminently.
Every business has different needs, which, most of the time, are dependent on its size. Look at the size of your business, the complexity of your system, the reach of your network, and the amount of data you’re storing. Whilst large organisations might be harder to breach, there are greater entry points for hackers to exploit. Whereas small enterprises are less likely to invest in sufficient protection so are less aware of the threat involved, making them an easier target. The key point to remember is: cyber criminals can affect businesses of any size and type.
Hiring in-house would provide better visibility of operations and knowledge of your organisation’s needs, making threats could be easier to predict and mitigate. The DIY approach to security will allow your internal team to handle issues head-on and skills can be repurposed if there is demand internally.
On the flip side, external support will offer solid expertise and experience in the industry – these companies work with multiple clients with various setups and know how to protect against many types of attacks, so understand the need for bespoke solutions.
Our team at Infosec K2K are trusted, proactive and flexible, with a global reach to support clients wherever and whenever they need us. Depending on the stage you’re at in your cyber journey, the service(s) you require can differ, which is where we come in. Offering solutions for your unique requirements, we can assist those just starting who are wanting to bolster their defences with an expertly managed Security Operations Centre (SOC), those who’ve already got a solid plan in place but want to further highlight their commitment to security with assessments, certifications and accreditations, and much more.
If you’re looking to advance your cyber security solutions and want to invest in external support, look no further! Get in touch with our team today to find out how Infosec K2K can support you.