In the immediate aftermath of a significant cyber incident, when systems are compromised and data is at risk, one of the first actions any organisation takes is to call an external cybersecurity company. These experts are brought in to manage the crisis, investigate the breach, and begin the arduous process of recovery. This raises a critical question: if specialists are essential for the clean-up, why are they so often overlooked when it comes to building the defences to prevent the disaster in the first place?
Many businesses choose to rely solely on internal resources for their security, only to discover during an incident that the challenge is far greater than they anticipated. You can choose to engage a cyber expert now, under controlled circumstances, or be forced to call them later to help after you have been hacked. Let us explore why a proactive partnership with a specialist cybersecurity vendor is a prudent strategy in today’s digital age.
The Power of Perspective: A Wider View of the Threat Landscape
One of the most significant advantages an external cybersecurity partner offers is their breadth of experience. An internal IT or security professional, no matter how skilled, has a perspective limited to the threats targeting their own organisation. They see one set of attack patterns, one type of adversary, and one specific IT environment.
In contrast, a cybersecurity consultancy sees it all. It is a fact that cybersecurity third parties are exposed to a vastly greater number and variety of attacks than an internally employed cyber person. By working with hundreds of clients across diverse industries, they witness emerging threats, novel attack techniques, and widespread campaigns that a single organisation might never encounter on its own. This collective experience allows them to anticipate threats more effectively and implement defensive strategies that are tested against a much broader range of real-world attacks.
Specialist Knowledge for a Specialised Field
For many organisations, particularly those with limited budgets, the responsibility for cybersecurity falls to a single individual who may also be juggling other IT responsibilities. While their efforts are commendable, cybersecurity is not a part-time discipline. It is a complex and constantly evolving field that demands dedicated focus.
Cybersecurity vendors are, by definition, specialists. Their teams are composed of experts who live and breathe security. They are dedicated to:
- Penetration Testing: Ethically hacking systems to find vulnerabilities before malicious actors do.
- Cyber Security Audits: Assessing your entire organisation against established best practices and international standards like ISO 27001 and NIST.
- Incident Response: Having a prepared plan and the expertise to execute it when an incident occurs.
- Continuous Training: Staying ahead of the latest threats and technologies to provide up-to-date advice.
Relying on a single person with limited exposure to the wider threat landscape is a significant risk. Everyone can make mistakes, and without the peer review and extensive experience a vendor provides, those mistakes can go unnoticed until it is too late.
A Prudent Investment in Your Defence
While some may view an external partnership as an additional cost, it is more accurately described as a strategic investment. Maintaining an in-house team of cybersecurity specialists with diverse skills is often not financially viable for most organisations. Partnering with a vendor provides access to an entire team of experts—auditors, penetration testers, and security consultants—for a fraction of the cost of hiring them directly.
An external partner provides an independent and unbiased assessment of your security posture. They can validate the work of your internal team, offer a fresh perspective, and help you prioritise your security investments to achieve the greatest impact. This collaborative approach, combining internal knowledge with external expertise, is a powerful combination for building a resilient defence.
Your Partner in Cybersecurity
Ultimately, the choice comes down to being proactive or reactive. You can wait for an army of cyber attackers to test the defences managed by one person, or you can strengthen those defences now with the support of an experienced team.
Finding a trusted cybersecurity vendor before you need one is one of the most important decisions you can make. It allows you to build a relationship, familiarise them with your environment, and steadily improve your protections. Even if you simply keep their contact details on hand, you will be in a much stronger position when an incident occurs.
At Vertex, we believe in being your partner in cybersecurity. We provide the expertise and support to help you build a robust security foundation. Whether you are looking to audit your current defences, test for vulnerabilities, or develop a comprehensive security strategy, we are here to assist.
Do not wait for a crisis to find your expert. Contact Vertex Cyber Security today to learn how we can help protect your organisation.