Budget season is upon us, and everyone in your organization is fighting for their piece of the pie. Each year, each department has a favorite project that they present as absolutely critical to profitability, business continuity, and quite possibly the future of humanity itself. And there is no doubt that some of them are maybe mission critical. But as cybersecurity professionals, we understand that deploying a viable CTEM (Managing continuous threat exposure) program actually there is.
In any given year, investments in cybersecurity are a tough budget sell—they’re hard to quantify and don’t always translate to increased revenue or reduced costs. In today’s climate of belt-tightening, even more so. Despite the budgets for cyber security likely to grow this year According to Forrester, it’s still important to make sure today so that CTEM does not fall down the list of budget priorities.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to keep CTEM on your budget radar.
But first, here are a few reasons why CTEM is objectively critical
The CTEM approach marks a major shift in cybersecurity because it helps organizations move from simply responding to threats to proactively staying ahead of them. Rather than simply reacting after an attack, CTEM emphasizes continuous monitoring. This enables cyber commands to identify and address potential vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
As we know, cyber attacks are not only getting smarter and more frequent – they are also happening faster than ever. The time between discovery and exploitation of vulnerabilities is almost non-existent. CTEM equips organizations to keep pace with this fast-paced cycle. Basically, it checks security defenses in real-time and helps them adapt as new threats emerge.
What makes CTEM particularly effective is its deep understanding that every organization has a unique risk profile. CTEM helps security organizations tailor their approach to the specific threats that matter most to their organization. That’s why CTEM isn’t just a useful addition to cybersecurity—it’s critical. Organizations using CTEM are better positioned to anticipate risks, proactively defend against cyber threats, and avoid costly breaches.
What’s more, it provides continuous visibility into an organization’s attack surface, allowing for real-time identification of new vulnerabilities and exposures. This proactive approach allows organizations to eliminate threats before they can be exploited. You get an opposition playbook that allows you to prioritize and reduce risk more effectively. It goes beyond simple vulnerability assessment and provides context-aware prioritization that considers factors such as asset importance, threat intelligence, and exploitability. This ensures that resources are focused on the most critical risks. It also allows organizations to take a proactive approach to risk mitigation by addressing vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. This reduces the probability of successful attacks and minimizes their consequences.
CTEM also helps security and IT teams collaborate and communicate more effectively, break down silos, and take a more unified approach to risk management. And it uses current threat data to understand the latest trends and attack tactics and adapts the testing process. This leads to more effective risk mitigation and helps you predict where threat actors might strike next.
Finally, and very importantly in the context of this argument, CTEM reduces the costs associated with security breaches by proactively detecting and remediating them. This means you get the most out of limited security budgets.
Presentation of the CTEM elevator
Okay, great. Now you know why CTEM is so important, but how would you explain CTEM if you found yourself in an elevator (preferably a fairly long ride, say from the first floor to the 100th floor) with your CFO? Here’s how the argument might go:
We all agree that simply responding to cyber threats or ongoing cyber attacks is not an option. That’s why CTEM is a fundamental game changer in cybersecurity. This helps us proactively identify and fix vulnerabilities before they turn into costly disasters. And this proactive approach not only strengthens our defenses – it saves serious money over time.
Consider the following: With CTEM, we reduce the financial risks associated with data breaches, regulatory fines, and potential lawsuits. In addition, we will eliminate the staggering costs of recovering from an attack – such as forensic investigations, public crisis management and system recovery. Each of these elements individually can easily cost more than implementing CTEM.
But CTEM doesn’t stop there. With a more resilient cybersecurity posture, we keep critical systems up and running by preventing disruptions that would otherwise hurt productivity, reduce profits, or even jeopardize the company’s future. CTEM isn’t just a win for the security team—it’s protection for the entire organization. This enhances our brand reputation because it ensures that our customers, partners and stakeholders can trust us with seamless delivery.
And let’s not forget: CTEM is built to evolve. It’s future-ready, adapting to new threats as they emerge, so we’re never caught off guard. By investing in CTEM today, we are not only protecting against current risks; we are building a foundation for sustainable growth and sustainability in the future.
So that’s the argument. But since you can’t count on quality CFO time in the elevator, here are nine tips to help make sure your CTEM program gets the attention it deserves.
9 tips to keep CTEM on the budget radar for 2025
- Focus on business risk management, not just threats: Present CTEM tools as a way to address overall business risks, not just as a remedy for individual cyber threats. Emphasize how it supports key business goals, rather than focusing solely on individual assets.
- Determine the savings potential: Demonstrate how CTEM can reduce costs by reducing the risk of fines, reducing the burden on IT, or even reducing cyber insurance premiums.
- Use recent incidents as evidence: Look to recent security incidents affecting similar companies to highlight the potential risks of opting out of CTEM. Real-life examples can emphasize the importance and timeliness of your initiative.
- Use internal data: Prove your case with internal data about previous threats or attacks and their consequences. This grounds your offer in the specific context of the organization, making it more compelling and relevant.
- Check existing tools: Review and explain how optimized and effective your current security tools are. Illustrate how this new initiative will enhance or integrate your current capabilities.
- Highlight industry trends: Show how other leading companies are taking similar steps. Demonstrate that others in your sector are advancing with these safeguards and emphasize the need to keep up with industry standards.
- Compare options: Explore multiple solutions by comparing features and cost. Regardless of price, be prepared to justify why your choice is the best fit for the organization’s needs.
- Personnel needs plan: The CTEM program requires qualified professionals. If you offer in-house training or work with a managed security service provider (MSSP), make sure your staffing and skills development strategy is ready.
- Make a clear implementation plan: Specify a specific implementation schedule and expected results. Establish clear measures of success and outline when the organization will begin to see returns.
Bottom line
As we approach the 2025 budget negotiations, a well-presented case for CTEM practically comes into its own. Cyber threats don’t just strike harder – they strike faster. And the cost of doing nothing can be staggering. The industry trends are clear: companies are investing more resources in proactive security because it’s not just about “patching things up.” Pa positioning CTEM as a cornerstone of your risk management, you’re not just protecting the organization’s assets – you’re protecting the organization’s bottom line and increasing its resilience. Prioritizing CTEM in the budget isn’t just a smart move—it’s an investment in the company’s long-term stability and security.
Note: This article was expertly written and contributed by Jason Fruge, Resident CISO at XM Cyber.
