Most startup founders I know are usually idea rich, and time and money poor. To succeed, they need to be laser focused on what matters now, and leave the rest to worry about another day.
The question that arises is: When do startups need to think about security and privacy? And I think it’s much earlier than many founders think.
The Startup Journey
Let’s look at a typical startup journey (things may vary, obviously, every startup is different), and map the key security (and privacy) questions you should probably ask yourself as a founder/leader:
Diagram of a typical startup journey, with some key questions around security and privacy
So basically, yes, from day 1.
Ideation
At the beginning, your focus is on understanding the target market, developing the idea and creating interest.
Example: If your whole concept relies on stealing people’s personal information and selling it on the dark web, this might not go great for you (well, some on the dark web might disagree, but that’s a different story).
Seed Stage
During this stage, you are looking at refining and validating the idea, likely by building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and looking for some initial funds to help get this stood up.
Example: You’re starting a new crypto product, allowing people to securely and privately store their proof of purchase in the blockchain. Could you implement quantum resistant algorithms?
Startup Stage
The business is launched, the MVP is improved upon and operations begin. This is a particularly risky stage because technology and processes are not yet mature, and people are rushing to deliver a product to meet the next funding round’s requirements. Too many crypto startups got hacked at this stage (e.g., North Korean hackers have stolen billions in crypto by posing as VCs, recruiters and IT workers).
Growth Stage
The startup scales up and expands, which means more clients, more data. And possibly more investment rounds as needed.
Expansion Stage
Further growth and market penetration, possibly in different verticals or countries.
Exit
Time to cash in!
When do you have to think about security and privacy, then?
As we can see, there is work to do at every step of the way. And every step is important, for you, for your investors and for your clients.
What about money, though?
All the stages above tend to have a common denominator: Lack of funds. This should not be an excuse to take inconsiderate risks that could severely impact or even ruin your startup.
You don’t need someone full-time right away. But the cost of early mistakes can compound quickly.
I suggest you have someone who is here along the way. There are many experienced experts who can help you make pragmatic risk decisions around security and privacy and grow with you.
Check CISO vs vCISO vs fractional CISO for examples.
Related
- CISO vs vCISO vs Fractional CISO for choosing the right security leadership model
- Security vs. Compliance for why compliance is the floor and security sets priorities