strategy & governance consulting

From individual security initiatives to a coherent security strategy and governance

Security strategy and governance are about creating direction and coherence in security work. Based on business objectives, risk factors and regulation, we help you determine what needs to be protected, why and how. We can then work with you to translate that strategy into concrete actions within the organisation.

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Use your security strategy to navigate a complex threat landscape

Having a security strategy is one thing; using it to provide direction and coherence is quite another.

All major organisations have a security strategy. However, that strategy does not always encompass the many different dimensions that actually affect the security of an organisation. This can lead to uncoordinated initiatives and a lack of coherence.

When a security strategy fails to link business objectives, risks and regulation, it becomes difficult for management to prioritise what needs to be protected, why and how. A complex threat landscape and requirements such as NIS2 and DORA simultaneously heighten the need for governance and place clear responsibility on the executive management and board of directors.

We help you develop an integrated security strategy based on your business environment, your current platform, the threat landscape and specific regulations you must comply with. The governance structure then translates your strategic security initiatives into concrete governance principles and initiatives, ensuring the strategy is effective in day-to-day operations.

Our consultants have in-depth, practical experience of building security programmes and solutions across many types of organisations, and several have even held the role of CISO themselves. This opens up a wealth of experience from both the highest levels of business and the more technical implementations within operations; all of which comes together to create the foundation needed for stronger and more robust security.

Selected services within security strategy and governance

Maturity and gap analyses

We assess your security level against recognised standards and frameworks such as ISO 27001, NIST CSF and CIS18. You’ll gain a clear picture of where you stand today, where the gaps are greatest, and what should be prioritised first.

Security strategy in practice

We draw up a security strategy based on your business and risk profile and help translate it into concrete actions. The strategy must work in day-to-day operations and be actively used within the organisation.

Governance and accountability

We establish a governance structure with clear roles, responsibilities and decision-making processes, so that security work is embedded within management and decisions are taken in the appropriate manner.

Embedding within the organisation

We help the organisation make security part of everyday life. We work with you to drive the change so that these new processes and behaviours become embedded in the day-to-day life of both managers and staff.

Management of security programmes

We build and manage security programmes that bring all initiatives together into a single prioritised plan. Management can continuously monitor progress, impact and finances, and resources are allocated where the risk is greatest.

CISO-as-a-Service

We provide an experienced security officer on a part-time or full-time basis. This gives you access to senior expertise and a permanent point of reference, without you having to hire a full-time CISO.

how we work

Vaern's approach to security strategy and governance

How do we navigate a world of chaos?

This is what we are most frequently asked about as security consultants. And with good reason. It is difficult to keep track of threat landscapes, regulatory requirements and everything else on the agenda, whilst also running a business.

The starting point for Vaern’s security consultancy is the business conditions within which your organisation operates. How critical are your operations? What does your current platform look like? What is the threat landscape? Which regulations must you comply with? And so on. Based on this overview, we can either help you design a security strategy or refine the one you already have.

Once the security strategy is in place, the strategic security measures must then be translated into concrete governance principles and initiatives. It is the governance structure that ensures the security strategy actually achieves the desired effect, rather than just gathering dust in a desk drawer somewhere.

Vaern’s greatest strength in the field of security strategy lies in its consultants’ in-depth and practical experience. These are senior professionals who have helped build security programmes and security solutions in many different types of organisations, and who have often held the role of CISO themselves. Their expertise thus ranges from the highest levels of business management to technical implementations within operations. When both perspectives are represented within the same project, this ensures more robust security for clients.

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How does governance ensure that the security strategy is put into practice?

It’s all too easy for an organisation to accidentally stray from its security strategy when faced with sudden demands from the business, new legislation, threats or incidents, etc. That is why you need a strong governance structure; one in which the board and management define responsibilities, processes and rules. This makes it clear which decisions need to be made and who makes them, as well as when they should be made and how to follow them up.

A good governance model distinguishes between:

Those who manage security on a day-to-day basis.
Those who challenge and monitor the efforts.
Those who provide independent assurance that it works.

This is the ‘Three Lines’ approach, upon which most major Danish organisations base their governance today. It provides the executive management and the board of directors with a clear chain of command, making security a management discipline rather than a technical task. A well-functioning governance structure ensures ongoing reporting on security maturity, risk exposure and the impact of prioritised initiatives, so that the executive management and the board of directors can make decisions based on the same data as in other areas of the business.

Integrated security brings everything and everyone together in a single model

As the world becomes more complex and unpredictable, there is a growing need for security services that can strengthen organisational resilience. We deliver integrated security because shared objectives, coherence and coordination increase our ability to act and provide the best protection against security incidents.

Our eight security domains

FAQ

What is a security strategy?

A security strategy sets out the direction, priorities and objectives for your security work and forms a solid foundation, allowing the organisation to protect its assets, manage risks and comply with legal requirements. The security strategy itself is based on your business objectives, your risk profile and the legal requirements you must comply with. It is built around the critical processes, systems and suppliers upon which the organisation depends, and typically has a three-to-five-year timeframe with a plan for what needs to be implemented and when.

How are security strategy and risk appetite linked?

A security strategy only becomes truly operational once the executive management and the board of directors have determined the organisation’s risk appetite – that is, how much risk you are willing to accept in order to achieve your business objectives; or, where the line is drawn, so to speak. The strategy compares the organisation’s actual risk profile against its risk appetite and translates the difference into clear priorities for what needs to be protected first, how much should be invested, and what is deliberately chosen or excluded. The aim is to create a decision-making framework that focuses resources on clearly defined tasks and provides the entire organisation with a common language for security.

What is the difference between a security strategy and a security policy?

The security strategy sets the direction. It describes what the organisation intends to protect, why and in what order, and typically has a timeframe of three to five years. The security policy sets out the rules and requirements that everyone in the organisation must follow in their day-to-day work, for example how access is managed and how incidents are handled.

The two are interlinked but cannot replace one another. A policy without a strategy becomes a set of rules without priorities. A strategy without a policy becomes an intention to which no one is bound. In practice, the policy is one of the most important tools for translating the strategy into action, and both ISO 27001 and NIS2 require that management approve it.

What is CISO-as-a-Service?

CISO-as-a-Service means that you are provided with an experienced security officer on a part-time or full-time basis, rather than appointing a permanent CISO. This person takes responsibility for the security strategy, governance, risk management and reporting to the executive management and board of directors. They also act as a permanent technical point of reference for both management and IT.

This model is suitable for organisations that require senior-level expertise but do not have the scale to recruit a full-time CISO. This applies, for example, to medium-sized organisations subject to NIS2 or DORA, or organisations in the midst of a security programme that lack an experienced individual to drive it forward. The scope is agreed upon as required, and you can scale up or down as your needs change.

What is security governance?

Governance is the structure that translates the security strategy into practical management. It defines roles, responsibilities, mandates, policies, decision-making processes and reporting, and makes it clear who makes which decisions, who follows up, and how management is kept informed. The framework used is often an Information Security Management System (ISMS) in accordance with ISO 27001.

At the same time, a well-functioning governance structure creates a clear link between senior management and the board of directors, as well as the security organisation and the rest of the business. This makes security a management discipline rather than a series of isolated technical initiatives.

Why is governance important for cyber security?

Even a good cyber security strategy loses its effectiveness if there is no clear framework for translating it into action. New threats, incidents, business needs and regulatory requirements constantly change the organisation’s risk landscape and can shift priorities.

Governance ensures that changes are assessed within a common framework and that responsibilities, decisions and follow-up are clearly defined. This provides management with a better basis for prioritising security measures and allocating resources where the risk is greatest. For organisations covered by NIS2 or DORA, governance is also a legal requirement. Management must approve the risk management framework and oversee its implementation, and a structure is required to make this possible in practice.

How are security strategy, risk management and compliance interlinked?

The security strategy sets the direction. Risk management provides the basis for prioritisation. Compliance is about adhering to and documenting the requirements to which the organisation is subject. An important point is that compliance is a result of good security management and not an end in itself. Governance ties these areas together and ensures that responsibilities and decision-making are clearly defined.

Regulatory requirements such as NIS2 and DORA, and standards such as ISO 27001, should therefore not be treated as isolated projects. They must form part of the overall security model and support the business objectives and the risk profile on which the security strategy is based.

How do you put a security strategy into practice?

It takes more than just a strategy on paper. Strategic objectives must be translated into concrete initiatives with clear owners, priorities, resources and impact targets. These initiatives are typically consolidated into a single security programme with a prioritised plan, so that management can monitor progress, impact and finances in one place. And this requires change management, as the strategy only works when managers and staff change their behaviour in their day-to-day work.

The governance structure provides the framework for the work and ensures that there is ongoing monitoring of, amongst other things, security maturity, risk exposure and progress. In this way, the security strategy becomes an active part of the organisation’s decision-making and operations, rather than a document that is only dusted off once a year.

What responsibilities do the executive management and board of directors have regarding the security strategy?

The board of directors oversees the strategy and determines the organisation’s risk appetite. The executive management owns the security strategy, prioritises resources and ensures that responsibilities and reporting lines are clearly defined. This does not mean that management must make the technical security decisions. However, it must have a basis for decision-making that enables it to assess the organisation’s risk exposure, monitor developments and ensure that security measures support the business.

If you are covered by NIS2 or DORA, this is also a legal requirement. Management must approve the measures that manage the organisation’s cyber risks, oversee their implementation, and possess sufficient knowledge of cyber security to be able to assess risks and decisions. Management can be held liable if this does not happen.

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