How to talk to execs about security funding
September 1, 2010 by Sam NarisiPosted in: In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, Security
Keeping company networks secure is a big part of IT’s job. But these days, departments often don’t get the funding they need to stay on top of the latest threats.
What can you do to help reverse that trend? Here are some tips provided by Michael Davis, CEO of Savid Technologies, at the recent Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas:
1. Learn from another industry
When companies invest in security, what are they really buying? Insurance, says Davis. So IT pros can take cues from insurance salesmen when making their cases. One tactic to borrow: Use concrete scenarios to illustrate your point.
Don’t focus on big-impact cases that have only a small chance of happening. Execs care more about high-probability threats. You can bring up stories about other companies, but focus on threats your particular organization has dealt with or narrowly avoided in the past.
2. Assemble a committee
While IT does the brunt of the security work, it can’t be the only group making decisions. A Savid study found that projects run by IT without input from the rest of the company were often aborted. The most successful projects were headed by a committee featuring representatives from IT, upper management, finance and other stakeholders.
3. Leverage users’ skills
When you’re ready to make your push, find an ally in marketing or sales to go over your presentation with you. They know more about persuasion than IT folks. If you find someone who cares about technology, he or she should be more than willing to help.
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Tags: Black Hat, budget, communication, Security
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