You can’t justify investment without first understanding what’s at risk—and how well it’s currently protected.
Before asking for more funding, you need to show what you're protecting, how well it's protected today, and how past investments have been used. This builds credibility, objectivity, and financial awareness into your business case from the start.
This section guides you through developing a clear snapshot of your cybersecurity program: what assets matter, what’s exposed, what’s already been spent—and what the current story tells leadership.
Start by identifying the critical assets your organization depends on. These may include:
Customer data, financial records, proprietary IP, source code
Core systems like ERP, HRIS, cloud platforms, or CI/CD pipelines
High-risk user groups (e.g., admins, developers, third-party contractors)
Non-human identities and privileged access pathways
Pro Tip: You don’t need to build a full CMDB—just map enough to show leadership what’s on the line and why it matters.
Use categories that align with business impact:
Operational disruption
Financial loss or fraud
Reputational damage
Regulatory exposure
Next, identify how well those assets are currently protected. Consider:
Which controls exist (MFA, least privilege, segmentation)?
Which are enforced consistently—and where are the gaps?
Are risks concentrated in specific business units or geographies?
Pair this with known audit findings, red team results, or SPI 360 assessment data if available.
Don’t try to over-quantify here. Your goal is to show informed awareness—not perfection.
This is where you combine technical context with financial transparency.
Start with the budget vs. actual tracking discussed in Section 3:
What has the cybersecurity team been funded to do?
Where has that money gone—tools, people, services?
What outcomes or improvements have been delivered?
Look for patterns:
Recurring gaps or shortfalls
Overreliance on contractors or reactive spending
Areas where prior investments didn’t yield expected value
Framing tip: Be honest but constructive. Highlight lessons learned and how this next ask is more focused, strategic, or disciplined.
This baseline becomes your starting point for cost-benefit analysis:
What’s already in place—and what’s missing
What’s being spent—and what’s working
What risks are already known—but not yet resolved
These insights set the stage for benchmarking, trade-offs, and scenario planning in the next sections.
What are the 3–5 most critical assets or systems this initiative will protect or support?
How well are those currently protected—and where are the known or suspected gaps?
What story does your budget vs. actual spending tell—and how does that support or undermine your case?