CISO INSIGHTS

Your security program should have a pulse.

Guides for CISOs and founders on running a security program you can see, measure, and prove.

For CISOs14 min read

Vulnerability Assessment, Penetration Test, Red Team: Three Different Things, Three Different Invoices

VA, pentest, and red team are not synonyms. A CISO's guide to what each one actually delivers, when you need each, and how vendors blur the lines.

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For CISOs12 min read

How a solo CISO can start NIS 2 and ISO 27001 without help (and actually measure the work)

A practical ISO 27001 and NIS 2 readiness playbook for small security teams. Day-by-day, week-by-week. From zero to certified in 4-6 months without Big 4 consultants.

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Technical Briefing20 min read

The MCP Attack Surface: A Technical Briefing for Security Leaders

What Model Context Protocol is, the attack categories that have emerged in the past year, and how a CISO should think about governing it.

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Identity Security22 min read

OAuth Consent and Device Code Phishing: The Microsoft Attacks Your Training Does Not Cover

A technical breakdown of OAuth consent phishing, device code (PIN) phishing, and Adversary-in-the-Middle attacks against Microsoft 365 and Entra ID. How they work at the protocol level, why MFA does not stop them, and what to do about it.

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For CISOs9 min read

One Monday with Elena: How a CISO Actually Uses Aertous

A narrative walkthrough of a CISO's real Monday, from board prep and auditor emails to vendor renewals and workforce engagement. Including the parts that do not work perfectly yet.

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For CEOs8 min read

The Real Cost of Not Having a Security Program (It's Not the Breach)

Most CEOs think the biggest cybersecurity risk is getting hacked. The real cost hits long before any breach — lost deals, compliance scrambles, burned-out CISOs, and valuation haircuts.

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Application Security18 min read

npm Malware and Supply Chain Attacks: A Practical Security Guide for Engineering Teams

How npm supply chain attacks work in 2026, why engineering teams are vulnerable, and what concrete actions you should take to secure your dependencies, CI/CD pipelines, and software supply chain.

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Security Operations16 min read

Incident Response Plans, Playbooks, and Data Breach Reporting: A Practical Guide

How to build an incident response plan, create playbooks for common scenarios, and handle data breach reporting under GDPR, SOC 2, and ISO 27001. A practical guide for CISOs and security teams.

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Compliance14 min read

Vendor Risk Management, Contract Assessment, and DPAs: A Practical Guide

How to assess vendor security, review contracts, manage DPAs, and track subprocessors. A practical guide for CISOs, CTOs, and startups preparing for SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR.

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Startups12 min read

SOC 2 for Startups: How to Get Compliant Without a Security Team

A practical guide for startup CTOs and founders to achieve SOC 2 compliance in weeks, not months. Covers costs, timeline, controls checklist, and how to stay audit-ready without hiring a compliance team.

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Frameworks14 min read

ISO 27001 vs SOC 2 Type II: Which Should Your Company Pursue First?

A practical comparison of ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II for startups and SaaS companies. Covers key differences, costs, timelines, overlap, and how to decide which framework to pursue first.

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For CISOs12 min read

Why GRC Tools Fail Security Teams (And What Actually Works)

Most GRC platforms were built for large compliance teams. Here is what they get wrong, why traditional approaches break down, and what modern security teams actually need.

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