How Businesses Are Using Outside Experts to Close Security Gaps They Can’t Fill Internally

The more complex tech stacks become, the more at risk businesses are for data breaches. This was true 20 years ago, as software integrations became a core component of professional operations. It’s even more true now, in an age where every app imaginable has AI integrations that few businesses fully understand.

As risk exposure increases, so too does the level of responsibility held by businesses, both big and small.

The problem is that many companies can’t justify an internal cybersecurity department. They also lack the expertise to adequately address their cybersecurity needs without professional help.

Where does that leave them? At the mercy of consultants.

In this article, we take a look at what types of outside support are necessary in the modern age of digitalisation.

Overview

How important is cybersecurity? Short answer: very important.

This is obvious for businesses like Marriott, which retain the personal and financial information of millions of people. When they experienced a cybersecurity breach, it resulted in billions of dollars in losses and considerable damage to their reputation.

But the need for cybersecurity isn’t limited to multinational corporations. Let’s say you own a local lawn care service.

You’re not Marriott-big, but after 10 years, your business is finally approaching seven figures. Considerable? Absolutely. Risky? Just as much.

You now have hundreds of customers, all of whom are billed automatically after each service through your tech stack.

Automated billing is a useful tool, but it also increases your level of risk exposure. You are now responsible for hundreds, if not thousands, of people’s credit card numbers. Cybersecurity is important for this simple reason: the more technology we use to simplify business processes, the more personal data is retained by companies of every size.

There are legal duties tied to this information, as well as sensible business precautions that need to be taken into account.

In the next few headings, we take a look at what kinds of professionals can help insulate your business from cybersecurity-related risk.

Step 1. Assess the Legal Risk

Businesses that reach a certain size—though this will vary based on industry—most likely need to consult a lawyer, regardless of their cybersecurity risk. The bigger your company gets, the more important it is to remain compliant with labor laws, customer policies, tax regulations, and other legal requirements.

This isn’t to say that these factors aren’t relevant for small businesses as well. It’s more that until you reach a certain size, no one is really scrutinising compliance. Once your business grows large enough to face real risk for noncompliance, you also have the resources to address it.

If you handle lots of sensitive customer information—as in the example from the previous heading—it’s a good idea to consult a lawyer to ensure you’re managing that data in accordance with state and federal regulations.

While many people panic at the thought of consulting a lawyer, short-term consultations are often more affordable than expected. The work they put in may be sufficient to keep you compliant for many years. With an upfront investment of a few thousand dollars, you could save yourself tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential risk exposure.

Step 2. Review Your Cybersecurity Technology

Most companies—and many individuals—have basic firewalls that are adequate for addressing the majority of cybersecurity needs. However, the bigger and more complicated your digital presence becomes, the more extensive the solutions required to protect you.

A cybersecurity consultant can assess your current tech stack, identify gaps, and recommend more comprehensive solutions.

There are even professionals known as ethical hackers who will test your cybersecurity defenses to identify exactly how a cybercriminal might gain access. These experts are particularly useful for pinpointing where your highest levels of risk exist in practical terms.

Step 3. Work on Systemising Cybersecurity

While technology is an important component of staying safe online, it’s ultimately the actions of individuals that have the greatest influence on your business’s security.

When you hear about companies like Marriott, Yahoo, or Facebook experiencing data breaches, it’s easy to think, if it can happen to them, what’s the point of me even trying to stay safe? That defeatist attitude overlooks why those companies had breaches in the first place.

What do most of the biggest cybersecurity scandals in recent history have in common? They were almost universally caused by human error.

In fact, the Marriott breach referenced earlier happened as the result of a simple phishing email. When one person opens a bad link, visits a phishing website, or even works from an unsecured Wi-Fi network, that can be all it takes to open the door to a cybercriminal.

Systemising your cybersecurity processes is an important step toward eliminating human error.

Develop a set of processes and safeguards to protect sensitive information. This can include:

• Multi-factor authentication
• Automated sign-outs after periods of inactivity
• Password management policies that employees may dislike at first but will adapt to over time

These processes can be difficult to fully implement without experience in cybersecurity. Fortunately, many consultants are available to help refine these systems and deploy them in a way that fits your business’s unique needs.

Step 4. Treat Cybersecurity Like the Never-Ending Process It Is

It’s important to recognise that cybersecurity is a constantly evolving process that needs to be routinely refreshed. Cybercriminals continually change their techniques, and malware adapts to new crime prevention tools. If you’re not consistently reinforcing cybersecurity principles, one of two things will happen:

• Your team will grow complacent. They’ll get used to the idea that their activities are safe, having seen no negative consequences in the past. Complacency leads to relaxed standards, which can open the door to small but deeply impactful mistakes.
• Your team will continue to care about cybersecurity, but the measures they’re taking to prevent a breach may no longer be effective. A person whose understanding of cybersecurity ended in 2003 won’t really know what it takes to stay safe online in 2026.

The point is that without regular training and updates, your business is exposed to unnecessary risk.

The best way to ensure cybersecurity remains a priority is to both ingrain principles and reinforce them regularly.

Hold quarterly training sessions, post policies around the office or in company newsletters, and make your expectations clear. It also helps to explain why these policies matter to your business.

Cybersecurity can feel tedious, but connecting it to actual risk factors helps employees understand the importance of the new tasks you’re asking them to perform.

Conclusion

If this all sounds expensive, stressful, or overly complicated, understand that cybersecurity isn’t as hard as you might initially fear—especially once you’ve leveraged the help of a professional.

The actual investment of time and money will vary based on your business size and level of risk exposure.

In reality, many of the most impactful cybersecurity recommendations are fairly intuitive and easy to comply with.

The key is to tackle them consistently and with sincere effort. There’s no such thing as a perfect cybersecurity strategy, but with attention to detail, you can go a long way toward insulating your business from risk.