Objective: Establish baseline cybersecurity practices to protect critical assets and reduce fundamental risks.

Coverage Focus: Basic security controls & risk management

Estimated vCISO Hours: 10–15 hours/month

Pricing: $2,000 – $4,000/month

Contract Duration: 3-month minimum commitment

Ideal For: SMBs needing foundational security controls to reduce cyber risk.

Introduction

In today's digital landscape, organizations must implement a structured and proactive approach to cybersecurity. The Essential Information Security Plan provides foundational security measures that help businesses identify, protect, and mitigate risks. This plan aligns with the CIS v8.1 and NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), ensuring a robust security posture. Below is a detailed breakdown of each component.

✅ Security Risk Assessment

A Security Risk Assessment is the cornerstone of any cybersecurity program. This process involves evaluating an organization’s current security posture to identify vulnerabilities in policies, processes, and technology. Using the CIS v8.1 and NIST CSF frameworks, the assessment focuses on:

🔹 Identifying critical assets and sensitive data

🔹 Evaluating security controls against industry standards

🔹 Detecting gaps in current security practices

🔹 Providing recommendations for risk mitigation

This assessment helps organizations prioritize security efforts and allocate resources effectively to address the most pressing risks.

✅ Gap Analysis for Compliance

Many businesses operate in regulated industries that require adherence to compliance standards such as SOC 2, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS. A Gap Analysis identifies how an organization’s existing security controls align with these requirements. Key activities include:

🔹 Mapping current security measures to compliance mandates

🔹 Identifying deficiencies in security governance

🔹 Creating a roadmap to achieve compliance

🔹 Establishing a framework for ongoing regulatory adherence

By addressing compliance gaps, organizations can reduce legal risks and build trust with customers and stakeholders.

✅ IT Asset Inventory & Security Baseline Setup

A well-maintained IT asset inventory ensures that organizations have visibility into their hardware, software, and network components. This step includes:

🔹 Cataloging all enterprise assets, including endpoints, servers, and applications

🔹 Establishing secure baseline configurations for systems

🔹 Implementing asset management policies to track changes and updates

🔹 Ensuring unauthorized or unpatched software is identified and removed

A strong asset inventory helps organizations enforce security policies and prevent unauthorized access to critical resources.

✅ Basic Security Policies & Procedures

Security policies and procedures form the backbone of a company’s cybersecurity strategy. This component involves the development and implementation of essential policies, including:

🔹 Acceptable Use Policy (AUP): Defines how employees can access and use company assets securely.

🔹 Incident Response Plan (IRP): Outlines steps to detect, respond to, and recover from security incidents.

🔹 Access Control Guidelines: Establishes user access levels, ensuring employees have the appropriate permissions to perform their job functions.

These policies help create a structured security culture, ensuring employees understand their responsibilities in protecting organizational data.

✅ Phishing & Security Awareness Training

Human error remains one of the leading causes of security breaches. To combat this, organizations must educate employees on cybersecurity best practices through:

🔹 Interactive security awareness training sessions

🔹 Simulated phishing exercises to test employees’ ability to identify phishing attacks

🔹 Training on social engineering tactics used by cybercriminals

🔹 Best practices for secure password management and multi-factor authentication (MFA)

By fostering a security-conscious workforce, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of successful cyberattacks.

✅ Quarterly vCISO-Led Cybersecurity Strategy Sessions

Empowering executive leadership with strategic cybersecurity guidance and risk management insights, including:

🔹 Executive-Level Security Briefings: Presenting key risk trends, emerging threats, and security posture updates to stakeholders.

🔹 Cybersecurity Program Refinements: Assessing and enhancing security policies, procedures, and technology implementations to align with evolving business needs.

🔹 Risk-Based Recommendations: Prioritizing security investments and initiatives based on threat landscapes, compliance obligations, and business objectives.

🔹 Incident & Breach Review: Analyzing past security incidents to extract lessons learned and improve response strategies.

🔹 Security Roadmap Development: Creating a long-term cybersecurity strategy that aligns with business growth, regulatory changes, and technology advancements.

Deliverables

✅ Asset inventory reports

✅ Secure baseline configurations

✅ Access control policies

✅ Monthly vulnerability scan reports

✅ Basic log monitoring and reporting

KEY CIS V8.1 Controls Implemented

✅ Security Risk Assessment - CIS Control 1 & 2
✅ Gap Analysis for Compliance - CIS Control 3
✅ IT Asset Inventory & Security Baseline Setup - CIS Control 1 & 2
✅ Basic Security Policies & Procedures - CIS Control 4, 5, 6
✅ Phishing & Security Awareness Training - CIS Control 14

Conclusion

The Essential Information Security Plan provides a foundational security framework that organizations can use to protect their assets and data. By implementing a Security Risk Assessment, conducting a Compliance Gap Analysis, maintaining an IT Asset Inventory, establishing Security Policies, and providing Security Awareness Training, businesses can significantly improve their cybersecurity posture. These components work together to create a resilient defense against evolving cyber threats, ensuring business continuity and regulatory compliance.