Just as you would not try to run your business’s accounting department without hiring anyone trained in accounting, or to run a company’s legal department without hiring or otherwise engaging any lawyers, you should not try to manage your organization’s cyber-risk without the help of a cybersecurity expert. Cybersecurity is complex – and attackers certainly have expertise. You need knowledge and experience on your side as well.

Joseph Steinberg is one of only a few cybersecurity experts who actually have many years of experience both managing cyber-risk and overseeing the management of cyber-risk, and who comes armed with relevant cybersecurity and management knowledge that is both broad and deep. He can help your management team create a proper cybersecurity program for your company – and/or help your board ensure that management is adequately and appropriately managing cyber-risk without overlooking critical factors,

By regularly assessing risks and adapting to new security challenges, cybersecurity experts like Joseph Steinberg can help you ensure that your organization maintains a secure environment that minimizes the impact of cyber threats, and that safeguards your data, finances, reputation, and operations.

The responsibilities of a cybersecurity specialist vary based on the specialist’s role – in the modern era, there is no “one size fits all” job in the cybersecurity field. In the book Cybersecurity for Dummies written by cybersecurity expert Joseph Steinberg there is an entire chapter about cybersecurity careers that explains the different roles and responsibilities of various types of cybersecurity experts.

Note that it is rare for a cybersecurity expert to have cybersecurity knowledge and/or cybersecurity experience that is both broad and deep – out of over 150,000 certified people, for example, Joseph Steinberg is one of only a few dozen cybersecurity experts to hold the 4 ISC2 certifications CISSP, ISSAP, ISSMP, and CSSLP.

Not all cybersecurity specialists assess vulnerabilities as part of their jobs. Those cyber security experts who do perform vulnerability assessments in order to help identify and correct deficiencies before those weaknesses are exploited by evil-doers, however, often use a combination of manual and automated tools to conduct assessments of architectural mistakes and technical vulnerabilities – such assessments may include performing general risk assessments, penetration tests, and vulnerability scans. Furthermore, cybersecurity experts can help identify human weaknesses through various forms of social engineering tests.

A well-known cybersecurity expert, Joseph Steinberg focuses his offerings in several areas:

1. Keynote speaking – It should come as no surprise that cybersecurity expert Joseph Steinberg, who is a popular Lecturer in the graduate school of professional studies at Columbia University, is a dynamic cyber security keynote speaker who has captivated audiences, small and large alike. Steinberg is known worldwide both for offering unique perspectives and for his entertaining style of delivery; audiences learn quite a bit during his talks, and enjoy doing so.
2. Expert Witness services – Joseph Steinberg has served as an expert witness in numerous cases, and his record of success (to which many attorneys can attest) serves as a clear testament to his being an ideal choice to serve in the capacity of a cybersecurity expert witness. Steinberg focuses primarily on cases related to cybersecurity and/or privacy, including matters related to data breaches, alleged privacy violations, patent infringement, theft of trade secrets and other confidential information, and charges of alleged cybercrimes.
3. Board Member – Joseph Steinberg serves as a cybersecurity-focused and cyber-risk focused board member and/or advisor for various organizations around the world. Steinberg helps his clients maintain and improve information security, comply with oversight requirements, and become more successful in general. The vast majority of cybersecurity experts do not have knowledge or experience overseeing the management of cyber risk – Steinberg is one of the few who do.
4. Advisor to management – Steinberg also advises businesses and governments around the world vis-à-vis cybersecurity matters. When serving as an advisor to senior management, Steinberg is known to provide executives with an impartial, trusted, and expert opinion – helping senior business leaders and government officials both foresee future risks, as well as properly execute on current and planned cybersecurity initiatives. Steinberg helps his clients maximize their organizational cybersecurity posture and maturity — including by helping executives prepare their organizations to better weather future cybersecurity incidents. Steinberg also helps organizations craft cybersecurity policies, and helps management communicate such policies and other cyber-security related matters to their teams in clear, concise, and simple-to-understand manners. At times, Steinberg also serves as an advisor to founders and others working at startups and other earlier-stage companies that are seeking to rapidly grow — leveraging his decades of experience as an executive in the cybersecurity field to help make other businesses successful.
5. Marketing campaigns – As one of the cybersecurity experts with the largest online audiences, Steinberg leverages his experience, credibility, and influence to help cybersecurity businesses and others grow brand recognition and sales pipelines.

If you were sick with a dangerous disease, would you fight it alone – or would you get advice from a doctor (or multiple doctors)?

If you were charged with a serious crime, would you represent yourself – or would you hire an attorney experienced in defending the accused?

If you were being audited by the IRS and accused of tax fraud, would you represent yourself, or would hire an accountant experienced with IRS audits?

So, why, if you are experiencing a cybersecurity incident would you even consider trying to handle the matter alone, and without the expertise of a cybersecurity professional?

A proper cybersecurity expert, of course, has the training and experience necessary in order to help you to handle security breaches effectively. Experts can help you contain the damage, identify the causes, document as necessary, prevent further compromise, ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, and properly preserve evidence in case of litigation.

Only a small percentage of cybersecurity specialists have expertise related to compliance and regulatory matters. Cybersecurity experts like Joseph Steinberg have decades of experience dealing with regulatory issues and compliance, and, can help senior management ensure that it is properly addressing compliance needs, and help boards oversee managements performance in such regard.

If your organization is subject to regulatory standards that include various security-related aspects – for example GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA, SEC Safeguarding Rule, and/or GLB you definitely need a cybersecurity specialist’s help – such professionals can assist in designing policies and procedures, implementing appropriate controls, and conducting ongoing and/or periodic audits to ensure that the organization remains in compliance with relevant laws.

Trends change over time – so rather than answer that in a FAQ, I should probably occasionally write articles discussing the then-current trends.

In the modern world, it is hard to imagine that there are any organizations that do not need a cybersecurity specialist! Do you have computer systems and/or confidential information? If the answer to that question is “Yes” – which it most certainly is – you need a cybersecurity specialist.

The tools and technologies that cyber security experts use varies dramatically based on the roles in which they work. Please see the answer to question 2 above.