Crucial Point has delivered economical cyber security including CISO-as-a-Service for a decade. We know the technology, know the regulatory environment, know how to protect data, and know economical defense is critically important. We leverage this knowledge in the defense of our clients and assist in shaping agile defenses that mitigate risks in the face of shifting threat environments.
We provide analysis of architectures, solutions, products and strategies associated with cybersecurity. We seek out disruptive and economical cyber security technologies which hold the potential of providing significant risk reduction and propose proven solutions for countering your most advanced persistent threats. Our deep experience in real-world defenses also informs our ability to inform your strategic decision making around M&A (we have a special focus on Due Diligence for cybesecurity M&A).
We can be leveraged for external review and independent assessment and analysis or as a member of your leadership team via our agile and scalable CTO-as-a-Service solution.
Our full spectrum services include a variety of specialized security services, including technical security countermeasures (TSCM) and other advanced technology solutions.
Crucial Point is led by Bob Gourley, an experienced, award winning CTO with a proven track record for delivering value for others. Our associates are hand-selected performers with a wide range of technology experience ready now to serve your mission needs.
Crucial Point is frequently cited as experts in cybersecurity, and for good reason, we have learned our lessons the hard way, by directly engaging with clients to mitigate risks in the face of continuous adversary action. Some recent reporting is below.
Please contact us for more information, we would love to put our team of experienced professionals on your side.
In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream
The following was published in Via Satellite: In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream Bob Gourley, Crucial Point Complexity is the enemy of cybersecurity. Complexity introduces risk in ways that are hard to predict. The more complex a system is, the easier it becomes for adversaries to attack, and…
Crucial Point CTO Provides Best Practices for Cybersecurity in the Digital World
Crucial Point CTO Bob Gourley was featured in an AT&T report titled Cybersecurity experts talk about the digital world where he provided context including: Cultural shift In order to get the most out of a new, powerful, protected network, entire organizations need to work together to make better security processes…
Crucial Point Provides Context For Vox: It’s not just elections Russia hacked the US electric grid
Bob Gourley of Crucial Point provides context and commentary on cybersecurity threats and actions to mitigate threats and is frequently contexted to provide insights for journalists seeking expert insights. Gourley was featured in the Vox report on It’s not just elections: Russia hacked the US electric grid The article gives…
Protecting Your Personal Information: There are things you can do now to enhance your home defense
Protecting your personal information is tough! But everyone is interested in this now which gives us hope that more awareness of problems will help motivate everyone to raise defenses. A trend we have noticed in engagements across multiple sectors of the economy is an absolute thirst for information on best…
Put A Team of Experts On Your Side With Crucial Point’s CISO-as-a-Service
Crucial Point’s leadership has spent years working across multiple sectors of the economy and in government agencies helping organizations protect what matters most. We know the threat, know best practices and know the importance of keeping your security program focused on enabling your business objectives. Our CISO as a Service…
InfoWarCon 1-3 Nov 2018 in Leesburg, VA
InfoWarCon is a great conference! Since the early days of the information age this event has been bringing together thought leaders from across eclectic groups into a dynamic, thought-provoking event designed to help chart the course for the future of information warfare. For 25 years this collective of thought leaders…
Opinion piece in TheCipherBrief.com Sanctions for NotPetya? You Betcha.
Crucial Point founder and CTO Bob Gourley published an opinion piece in TheCipherBrief.com titled “Sanctions for NotPetya? You Betcha.” It concludes with: In selecting real sanctions, policymakers have a range of options that can deliver real messages while keeping us off an escalation ladder with a nuclear power. Some options…
NBC News Cites Bob Gourley on Password Security
NBC News included context from Crucial Point founder and CTO Bob Gourley in a 29 Dec 2017 piece titled “The top 5 worst passwords of 2017 (and how to chose one that’s secure).” How Can I Remember These Secure Passwords? It’s not easy. That’s why so many people reuse the…
Global Connected Aircraft Conference: 8-10 June in Chantilly VA
The 2015 Global Connected Aircraft Conference will be held 8-10 June 2015 in Chantilly Virginia. Of particular interest to those of you who fly (which is all of you isn’t it?) will be a 10 June panel diving into cybersecurity. There are definite cyber threats to aircraft, including aircraft in…
Leveraging The FFIEC Cybersecurity Assessment Tool (CAT) To Improve Corporate Culture and Raise Security Posture
You know compliance does not equal security. We wonder if the folks who write all these compliance rules believe that, but we know you know it. Still, if you do it right, you can use compliance reviews and evaluations to help you reduce risk. The art form is to find…
Cyber Sat Summit: 7-8 Nov in Tysons Corner
The Cyber Sat Security in Aerospace Summit of 7 and 8 November is focused on the ever-evolving threat of cyber attacks in the satellite and aerospace industries. CyberSat 2017 is the first event of its kind, dedicated to assessing the ever-evolving threat of cyber attacks in the satellite and aerospace…
Technology Due Diligence for Mergers and Acquisitions Now Requires Cybersecurity Assessment
Historically due diligence assessments before Mergers & Acquisition (M&A) transactions have focused on traditional risk areas that could pose a significant financial risk, like issues of tax, employment, compliance with regulatory environments, intellectual property protection, and of course contracts. Now that technology is a part of every firm’s business model…
The Cost Of Cyber Crime Is Growing: Apply economical mitigation strategies to protect your business
In cybersecurity it is hard for stakeholders to get a picture of the full impact of cybercrime. Two reports this week are the latest to take a crack at it. One of the reports is from McAfee in collaboration with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). It shows that cybercrime…
Guest Post At WhiteHawk: The Most Important Factor in Addressing your Organization’s Cyber Risk
Crucial Point founder and CTO Bob Gourley published a guest editorial at WhiteHawk.com on the topic of organizational cyber risk mitigation. This post, based on years of operational experience, begins: Over the last two decades I have participated in cyber risk assessments across many economic sectors, including in government, the…
The Cyber Threat: Best selling cyber intelligence book updated for 2018
The Cyber Threat, the bestselling book from pioneer of cyber threat intelligence Bob Gourley, has now been updated for 2018. The book provides up to date insights into the threat actors in cyberspace including their history and current tactics. The book is full of information of use to executives in…
Security experts talk insider threats
So much of the noise today seems to still focus on the adversary/hacker breaking the perimeter and accessing a network. While a huge problem, I wanted to shed more light on the insider threat problem and better understand some potential trends. I interviewed three experts providing perspective from the technical,…
Intel Inside? TheCipherBrief Experts Debate Threat in New Chip Flaw
Bob Gourley is a member of the cyber advisory board of TheCipherBrief.com He was interviewed on the topic of the flaws recently announced in Intel and AMD chips. The following is from that interview: Cybersecurity researchers have discovered two major software vulnerabilities in the Intel microprocessors inside the vast majority…
Featured in TheCipherBrief.com Network Take: A Welcome Cyber Disclosure
From: Network Take: A Welcome Cyber Disclosure The Cipher Brief Cyber Advisory Board’s Bob Gourley commented on the Trump administration’s new process for disclosing software vulnerabilities it has detected – the first time a U.S. administration has revealed its internal rules, aka the Vulnerability Equities Process. This is a significant improvement and clarification of…
Bob Gourley Featured on Constellations Podcast
Satellites, Cyber Threats and Sun Tzu Bob Gourley, Co-Founder and Partner of Cognitio Bob Gourley shares his thoughts on the latest cyber threats affecting satellites and space. He discusses everything from encryption, forensics, connected aircraft to the NIST framework. To listen see: KratosComms.com For more on this or any other…
Know The Threat To Beat The Threat: Recorded Future Podcast
Our guest today is Bob Gourley, author of the book “The Cyber Threat: Know the Threat to Beat the Threat.” Earlier in his career, Bob spent 20 years as a U.S. Navy intelligence officer. One of his last assignments with the military was as director of intelligence for the first…