What is Staff Augmentation and why you should consider it?

What is Staff Augmentation and why you should consider it?

Cybersecurity Staff Augmentation, Its Benefits, and How It is Different from Managed Services

The demand for cyber security services is increasing. Companies are becoming aware of the importance of cyber security and protecting their data. Data breaches have become a common occurrence. Companies are looking for ways to ensure that their data is protected. Even if a company’s cybersecurity posture is analyzed through penetration tests, more specialized and comprehensive testing is frequently required. But most businesses lack sufficient resources to run such security initiatives.

That’s where cybersecurity staff augmentation comes in. It entails collaborating with third-party security professionals and advisors. This lets you create a team that is tailored to the demands of the company, that too with adaptability and scalability. It equips an organization with solutions that build the best tools, methods, and assessment frameworks. You can supplement your security staff with highly specialized individuals that will help you in accomplishing things that the team doesn’t have time or resources to do.

What is Staff Augmentation?

Staff augmentation is the process of engaging an existing workforce to bolster the strength of a cybersecurity team. In this process, a third party is engaged to assist your cybersecurity team. The service provider collects and analyzes the existing team to identify the gaps, and provide the right skills to bridge the gaps. This form of augmentation allows organizations to retain their in-house expertise while being able to tap into the expertise of a broader population. Companies can have greater access to the talent pool and be able to augment a single cybersecurity team with a large number of cybersecurity professionals this way.

Cybersecurity staff augmentation fundamentally works by reinforcing IT departments with security advisers who can be called in to examine a scenario that is beyond the skills of the company’s cybersecurity team. Cybersecurity staff augmentation works by collaborating with IT departments to test and address a variety of issues, including network firewalls, cybersecurity threats, security technologies, and even business policy updates.

The following cybersecurity roles are usually included in a security staff augmentation:

1. Virtual CISO
2. Security Analyst
3. Firewall Engineer
4. Endpoint Engineer
5. VAPT Expert
6. SIEM Expert
7. Threat Hunters
8. Incident Responders

Cyber Security Staff Augmentation vs Managed Services

There are some key differences between cyber security staff augmentation and managed service models. ​​The approach to staff augmentation centers on contractual hours. Managed services, on the other hand, constitute a whole project outsourcing strategy. The key difference is that in the managed service model, the company provides all the technology and infrastructure. For your augmented staff, you will have to mainly provide the infrastructure to manage the team as well as provide training to the augmented staff. Managed services on the other hand are complete outsourcing.

Cyber security staff augmentation helps an organization with the skills and knowledge required to handle certain cybersecurity threats. Managed services, on the other hand, is a service that manages all aspects of cybersecurity for an organization. The managed services provider has complete control over the project; on the other hand, you have complete control over the project with augmented staff.

Cyber security staff augmentation is a more cost-effective option for organizations that have the right platform, and technology in place. If you don’t have these two then better to go with Managed Security Services. Managed services are best suited for organizations that need round-the-clock monitoring and have a large number of employees in their IT departments.

Should you consider staff augmentation?

Staff augmentation is the best option for you,

• If you already have a Cybersecurity platform, tools, and technology in place, as well as a small team, but want to grow your operations to operate 24/7.
• If you want to develop a remote team culture to save money.
• If You’re seeking experienced experts who are familiar with your vision and goal. 

Benefits of Cyber Security Staff Augmentation

One of the great advantages of engaging a cybersecurity firm for staff augmentation is cost savings. You can engage a larger number of cybersecurity professionals at a lower cost. The company can also control the operational aspect of the engagement. In managed services, the cybersecurity provider decides when, how, and where the engagement takes place. This can be very time-consuming and costly.

Your organization might not be able to afford to keep some jobs open all year, but bringing in an expert when needed, and then parting ways with them after the project is completed can allow you to do the job without spending more money than necessary. Another great advantage of staff augmentation is scalability. The capability to scale is what differentiates staff augmentation from managed services. 

Conclusion

Organizations are constantly looking for ways to ensure that their data is protected. Cybersecurity staff augmentation is an effective and cost-effective approach to improving an organization’s cybersecurity posture. One can get the finest in cybersecurity manpower and experience without having to raise an overall budget.

We at SharkStriker have experience working with companies of all sizes. We make sure that you are both compliant and secure against all kinds of security attacks. Our staff of virtual CISOs and consultants is always up to date on the latest cyber threats. Let us assist you in maintaining your security posture and being the best in your industry.