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New York, NY – October 17, 2019 – New research from ALM Intelligence finds that leading cybersecurity consulting firms changed their go-to-market strategies and refreshed service portfolios significantly over the last year.  With the digital economy and emerging technologies changing the way organizations operate at every level, consulting firms’ adapted offerings to drive competitive advantage for their clients.  Digital trust and cyber resilience are now a core focus, moving well beyond the original goal of regulatory compliance, to that of staying ahead of the curve in a complex digital economy. Consultants are taking a holistic organizational approach to manage strategic risk and create value-added business outcomes.

“There has been a realization that technology is at most 20% of a necessary cybersecurity response.  People, process and technology including delivering agility, technology, culture change, and digital upskilling through a sprint approach after assessing each organization’s cyber risk and vulnerabilities and prioritizing the ‘crown jewels’ is what separates the leading consulting firms from others.” said Laura Becker, Analyst, of Management Consulting Research at ALM Intelligence. “Providers are helping clients to reach stakeholders across the organization to create a cyber-resilient organization with innovative approaches including co-development with clients and third-party ecosystems to provide the ‘right’ solution for each client to create the best return on investment while satisfying the Board/C-suite and the clients’ customers.”

ALM Intelligence explores how consultants are building on foundational capabilities in cybersecurity consulting to help clients by:

• Refreshing service offerings every 18-24 months and delivering with a sprint approach service model; offering options on pricing including subscriptions, retainers, and outcome-based, in addition to traditional fixed fee and time and material models
• Helping clients to shape the role of the modern CISO most importantly (and that of the CIO, CDO, CRO, CMO)
• Providing cybersecurity upskilling, and filling virtual CISO and DPO roles, to address skills gaps and talent shortages
• Focusing on and deepening capabilities for the “next big thing” which will be cybersecurity exposure in operational technology (OT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS)
• Offering value-added managed security services and as-a-service next-generation solutions using emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning and analytics to automate, investigate and contain threats and orchestrate responses (Managed Detection and Response (MDR) being a prime example)

Providers covered in the report include: Accenture, Booz Allen Hamilton, Bain & Company, BCG, Capgemini, CGI, Coalfire, Cognizant, Crowe, CrossCountry Consulting, Deloitte, EY, FTI Consulting, Herjavec Group, IBM, KPMG, Kroll, a division of Duff & Phelps, McKinsey & Company, Mandiant, a FireEye Company, Optiv, Protiviti, PwC, R9B (root9B), Secureworks, and West Monroe Partners. 

ALM’s Vanguard research series assesses firms in terms of their relative ability to create impact for their clients. In addition to its overall rating assessments of consulting providers’ depth and breadth of capabilities and best-in-class provider designations, this series includes detailed capability evaluations for each covered provider as well as a qualitative analysis of their consulting organization, approach, and service delivery model.

For more information or to obtain the full version of The ALM Vanguard: Cybersecurity Consulting, visit the ALM Intelligence website:  http://ow.ly/5VmT30pJfMD

About ALM Intelligence 

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About ALM

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