From Risk to Resilience

Virtual Information Security Officers can help you fill immediate cybersecurity talent gaps, guide long-term strategy, and ensure compliance with evolving regulations.

The cybersecurity landscape is more complex and volatile than ever for credit unions.

According to the CyberArk 2024 Identity Security Threat Landscape Report, 93% of organizations experienced multiple identity-related breaches last year, and nearly 9 in 10 were targeted by ransomware.

These aren’t just statistics—they’re a wake-up call. The threats are real, and they’re growing. If you’re like many credit union leaders, you’re grappling with how to protect your institution, your members, and your reputation in an environment where the stakes keep rising.

One increasingly effective solution is to bring on a Virtual Information Security Officer (vISO)—an external expert who provides strategic cybersecurity leadership without the overhead of a full-time hire.

Whether you’re leading a small credit union with limited resources or a larger one looking for strategic insight, a vISO can help you close security gaps, meet regulatory demands, and build a more resilient organization.

The Talent Crisis: A Growing Barrier to Security

Despite the growing demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals, the global shortfall has now reached 4.8 million unfilled roles. That’s not just a hiring challenge—it’s a risk to your operations.

Smaller credit unions often struggle to attract and retain cybersecurity talent. Hiring full-time experts is expensive, and even when you do find the right people, they’re often stretched thin across multiple responsibilities.

Larger credit unions may have more budget flexibility, but even then, keeping up with the pace of change in cybersecurity is difficult.

A vISO gives you access to seasoned expertise without the overhead of a full-time hire. They can step in quickly, assess your current posture, and help you build a roadmap for improvement. You get the benefit of deep experience and industry-wide perspective without the long recruitment cycle or high salary costs.

Strategic Insight for Credit Unions of All Sizes

Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue. It’s a strategic imperative. As a leader, you’re responsible for ensuring your credit union is protected not only from external threats but also from internal vulnerabilities and governance gaps.

A vISO acts as a strategic advisor, helping you align your security efforts with your business goals. They bring insights from across the financial services industry, showing you how peer institutions are responding to emerging threats and regulatory changes. This benchmarking is invaluable as you make decisions about technology investments, risk management, and member trust.

And as your credit union grows, your vISO can scale with you. They’ll help you navigate new challenges—from cloud migration to third-party risk—ensuring that your security strategy evolves alongside your business.

Demonstrate Proactive Governance

Governance is a cornerstone of sound financial management. But recent changes like the 2024 update to the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF 2.0) have made it clear that governance must also be central to your cybersecurity strategy.

The updated framework elevates governance to a core function, emphasizing the need for executive oversight, risk tolerance alignment, and supply chain risk management. Regulators, including the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), are now expecting you to demonstrate proactive governance—not just reactive compliance.

A vISO helps you meet these expectations. They’ll work with you to define clear roles and responsibilities, conduct risk assessments, and prepare documentation for audits and incident investigations. They also ensure your board has the information it needs to make informed decisions about cybersecurity and risk.

The Threat Landscape: AI, Deepfakes, and Ransomware

Today’s cyber threats are not only more frequent, but they’re also more sophisticated. Credit unions are dealing with AI-powered phishing, deepfake scams, and ransomware attacks that can cripple operations. In fact, a single breach can cost millions in remediation, fines, and reputational damage.

The 2025 Unit 42 Global Incident Response Report: Social Engineering Edition found that 36% of all cyber intrusions between May 2024 and May 2025 stemmed from social engineering tactics, surpassing malware and software vulnerabilities. And IBM’s latest data shows that the average cost of a financial services breach is nearly $9.3 million. That’s why you can’t afford to just be reactive.

A vISO helps you stay ahead of the curve by implementing modern security frameworks like zero-trust architecture, multi-factor authentication, and AI-driven threat detection. They’ll also guide you in developing incident response plans and business continuity strategies, so you’re ready when (not if) an attack occurs.

Building Operational Resilience

Credit union leaders must integrate cybersecurity with broader governance practices, including business continuity, policy management, and third-party oversight. Many institutions still operate in silos, but that’s changing, and you should be part of that change.

Working with a vISO can help you break down silos. They’ll work with your teams to create a unified approach to risk management, ensuring that your cybersecurity strategy supports your overall mission. This integrated model not only strengthens your defenses but also enhances your operational resilience.

You’ll also be better prepared for non-cyber disruptions like geopolitical tensions, supply chain failures, or societal events that bad actors may exploit. A vISO helps you anticipate these risks and build contingency plans that keep your credit union running smoothly, no matter what comes your way.

Now Is the Time to Act

Cybersecurity isn’t just about protecting data—it’s about protecting your members, your reputation, and your future. You have a responsibility to ensure that your credit union is prepared for the challenges ahead. A vISO can help you do that.

Whether you’re looking to fill a talent gap, strengthen governance, or gain strategic insight, a vISO offers a flexible, cost-effective solution. They bring the expertise you need, when you need it, and help you build a security program that’s not just reactive, but resilient.

If you haven’t considered a vISO yet, now is the time. The risks are growing, but so are the opportunities to lead with confidence and clarity. Take the next step in your journey and let the GRC experts at Jack Henry™ help you proactively detect, mitigate, and prevent cybersecurity risks—while meeting IT regulatory requirements and member expectations.

Viviana Campanaro CISSP, Security & GRC Solutions Specialist, Information Security & Technology at Jack Henry™ provides subject matter expertise and sales support for Jack Henry’s Security and GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) Services. With 24 years of experience in information security and the financial services industry, Viviana has extensive knowledge of IT risk management and regulatory compliance. She is responsible for bringing education on cybersecurity and regulatory compliance-oriented products and services to financial institutions throughout the nation.