Welcome back to our recent blog series about TEAM International’s Studios—a brand-new innovation we introduced this year to transform and elevate the way we deliver business and IT solutions to global market leaders. Worth mentioning that we created TEAM Studios as a comprehensive, forward-looking foundation for service provisioning to:
Leverage each Studio’s unique expertise to deliver tailored solutions for customers’ specific business challenges.
Provide a technical organizational focus.
Introduce a one-stop platform for IT specialists to collaborate and stay abreast of the latest advances in tech.
Implement fine-tuned frameworks for mentoring, training, and upskilling of new talent.
Encourage professional development through continuous education and certification.
Monitor and assess tech trends and market dynamics.
Manage technical resource assignment and bench strategy.
We previously talked with Dmytro, the Global Director of TEAM's Managed & Professional Services Studio, to give you some insights into how we work in cloud and IT infrastructure management. Today, we continue to explore how our other Studios work, sitting down to chat with Sergiy P., our CIO/CISO and Global Director of the Information Security Studio. After all, regulatory demands grow each day, and cyber threats keep skyrocketing. So, it’s time for every company to strengthen its digital risk management strategies and implement robust data protection solutions. Here is how TEAM handles this challenge for worldwide industry leaders.
Introducing TEAM International’s Information Security Studio
TEAM: Sergiy, thanks again for sparing some time to meet with us. So, to kick off this journey, tell us about the concept of your Studio. How was the idea behind its creation born?
Sergiy: Hi, guys, for sure, no worries. I’m always happy to talk about our Information Security Studio (IS). So, you know this already, but the concept is aligned with the transformation of how TEAM International structures its service offerings. Meaning, we chose the strategy of focusing on specific tech and business areas, including emerging ones or those that frequently don’t get enough attention but are still vital. As a result, we now offer digital solutions via Studios, where each specializes in a particular discipline. My domain, the IS Studio, is one of them.
Why did we create it? For years, information security and regulatory compliance have been an important matter for us as a trusted IT provider. We serve numerous customers with various compliance and data security needs, yet TEAM also works with hundreds of job candidates, full-time employees, and contractors from various countries globally. This means we must adhere to the respective data privacy protection regulations. So, we responded to those requirements by applying the best information security and data protection practices and world-class cybersecurity solutions. Hence, we’ve built a robust information security and compliance framework for ourselves first. It turned out to be so mature standard-wise that we managed to get certified with ISO 27001 in 2023.
At that point, we realized that over the years we’ve gained valuable, diverse knowledge and hands-on experience in building information security systems, which could be incredibly helpful for our customers, offered either as separate information security services or in combination with other Studios’ solutions.
A new era of flexible information security solutions for businesses of all sizes
TEAM: By the way, since you’ve touched on this subject, let’s tell our readers a bit about IS Studio’s services. How do you guys solve our customers’ industry challenges?
Sergiy: Well, we live in times when the threat landscape evolves rapidly, attacks become more sophisticated, and data protection regulations get tighter and tighter. So, traditional security measures are no longer sufficient. That’s why our IS Studio delivers integrated, top-down solutions that align governance, risk management, and compliance with customers’ business strategies, ensuring protection, operational efficiency, and cost-effectiveness across all organizational levels.
We tackle challenges of all kinds for global market leaders, from streamlining business and security initiatives via proper governance and ensuring compliance with all required regulatory requirements to applying tailored risk management, information security, and compliance programs. If we were to be more specific, our line of service offerings includes:
Governance, Risk Management, Compliance
Information Security and Compliance Programs
Risk Management and Data Protection Impact Assessments
Information Security Services
Cloud Infrastructure and Network Security
Application Security
TEAM: Amazing, it’s really far more than just basic cybersecurity solutions for business. So, what would be your input if we were to summarize the mission and vision that the Information Security Studio follows?
Sergiy: Well, our Studio’s mission is to ensure that TEAM’s customers and talents are safeguarded with our advanced IT security solutions, from business-focused risk management to cloud and application protection. And when it comes to our vision, we assist small and medium-sized businesses with preventing breaches caused by fragmented compliance, weak security governance, or limited in-house capabilities. By offering end-to-end protection across IT infrastructure and networks, we aim to simplify data security management and ensure businesses stay compliant, secure, and confident. Moreover, our global experts extend customers’ IT capacities and strengthen their security governance with continuous, round-the-clock service delivery.
TEAM: Okay, and following suit, it’d be really interesting to know what principles/practices you use in your work that define your Studio. Can you share with us how you approach service delivery and customers’ unique needs?
Sergiy: The key principle will be a structured top-down approach we follow, from Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance down to specific security controls design and implementation. The idea is to have a strategic view of a customer’s company to offer relevant solutions. That means we’re capable of providing both strategic and effective tactical services. Our major approach is providing real value to TEAM’s customers. We listen to the needs and pain points, assess current security posture, take into account all aspects of a company’s operations, and understand the compliance landscape and risks. Then, our Studio selects the best-fit specialists and contractual models. We transparently communicate all findings and progress to customers, flexibly adjusting our strategy to deliver better value.
For instance, we can:
Break the scope of work down into phases—assessment, controls implementation, surveillance, and more.
Apply suitable contract models—Time & Materials, Dedicated Teams, or Fixed Price.
Select the best team composition—auditor, project/deliver manager, engineers in various fields, and so on.
Rethinking information security services with a Studio approach
TEAM: And besides providing security services you’ve mentioned earlier, can you tell us how your team manages complex challenges when there is a need to combine security with something else (e.g., AI implementation) for customers?
Sergiy: Apart from obvious Cybersecurity as a Service or alignment between business and security, there are always cases when something new "arrives" at an existing Information Security and Compliance System. I wouldn't differentiate AI specifically, as it has its own peculiarities. I'd focus on a proper supplier management process where each supplier of every service is evaluated not only from the value-for-business point of view but also from security, compliance, and integrability.
Some of the questions here might be:
Does a supplier have a sufficient security posture?
How will our compliance posture be affected by adding a particular supplier?
What data will be exchanged, and how will it be protected?
Tailored information security and cybersecurity services, on customers’ terms
TEAM: Proceeding with versatility. Modern businesses in various industries seek hybrid IT solutions nowadays. Let's say, aligning security controls to numerous industry standards and government regulations while keeping security efforts and costs at a reasonable level. What are TEAM's capabilities in providing such a mix of solutions for different strictly regulated domains, such as healthcare, oil and gas, and banking?
Sergiy: Indeed, it’s not viable to consider every aspect separately. And it's not a secret that many security/compliance regulations have a certain set of underlying best practices that overlap. In other words, by applying a number of relevant controls, we can simultaneously cover the majority of requirements for several regulations. For instance, encryption and strong authentication are required by every such regulation.
The art here is to identify all the applicable regulations and translate their requirements into actionable information security plans, then understand the business context and select the proper set of controls and processes that don't overlap. With such unification, it’s possible to build an effective Information Security and Compliance Program at a reasonable cost, where ‘reasonable’ resonates not only with initial cost but also with the following ongoing maintenance over the years. Again, we’re talking about the value concept, i.e., maximum outcomes at reasonable pricing.
Another important aspect is to be able to integrate information security into business processes and tools so that it represents a minimal burden for users and still serves its defensive purpose. While it sounds very logical, actual implementation might require quite an effort and knowledge. Unification and integration are our primary focus here.
Beyond protection: Risk management that enables business growth
TEAM: Now, to the juicy part. We just have to ask—what’s the most challenging part of what you guys do at the Studio?
Sergiy: Oh, that’s a tricky one, for sure! One of the hardest parts is probably changing people's perception of information security and compliance. In many cases, business owners mainly perceive it as some additional cost they have to allocate in their budgets, which is technically accurate. However, this cost is highly insignificant compared to the business reputation damage and other consequences of materialized risks. What could go wrong if security isn’t sufficient? Data leaks, regulatory non-compliance proceedings, service interruptions, and the list goes on. In worst-case scenarios, it can lead to legal penalties and even business closure.
Luckily, the perception of the robust information security concept has improved in the last years, and it has even become a must-have for some organizations. Thus, for online/cloud services, such accreditations as ISO 27001 and SOC2 are a must to gain the trust of your end users. In this, our Studio helps customers align the context of their businesses to those security controls that are really relevant, not excessive or extra-costly. We identify and implement only those solutions that they will actually use to improve their bottom line.
TEAM: Can we discuss any particular projects that stand out or interesting problems we tackled?
Sergiy: Surely, there was a case when one of our customers, a famous sporting goods retailer, had to integrate its platform with another sports fashion retailer. So, it posed some reasonable risks, and our team faced the need to ensure the security and compliance of our customer's systems and data. That included handling the entire user lifecycle management; establishing regular, proactive security reporting and monitoring; identifying opportunities to automate manual processes and streamline security and compliance tasks; collaborating with stakeholders to address security and compliance issues; and more. It was a multi-layered project where keeping up with emerging threats was as essential as managing the already existing scope of risks.
TEAM: Well, it’s what we do best, right? So, how did your team achieve the key goals?
Sergiy [smiles]: Can’t argue with that, yes. In data security, we protected the customer's sensitive data from unauthorized access and breaches. For operational efficiency, our Studio streamlined the customer’s security and compliance processes, reducing manual effort and improving response times by proactively identifying and addressing potential risks. Then, we handled integration challenges, ensuring adherence to compliance regulations during the integration phase with the new retailer and meeting all industry standards for data security and privacy to avoid potential fines and penalties.
Staying ahead of industry trends, we adapted to new requirements and technologies to maintain a strong security and compliance posture throughout the entire project. Moreover, we also educated and supported the customer’s employees on security and compliance best practices, ensuring higher awareness of the issues enterprise-wide.
What makes our information security and managed cybersecurity services different
TEAM: Rounding up our conversation, Sergiy, why is your Studio a top choice for our customers? They opt for TEAM’s security services instead of our competitors’ ones, so there must be a reason.
Sergiy: Totally, and not just one. The thing is, we don’t just provide generic services in the field of cybersecurity, cloud, and application security, or out-of-the-box malware protection solutions. We tailor every scope of work to meet customers’ unique goals with maximum efficiency. So, yes, I think our major difference is in the value-driven approach I mentioned. We take a strategic look at customers’ businesses, listen to their needs, assess security posture and risks, and only then offer the most suitable, cost-effective solutions. TEAM’s Information Security Studio brings together the entire range of everything needed to handle customers’ projects end to end—elite engineering talent, proven risk management practices, and industry-leading IT security solutions, working in perfect harmony to safeguard business operations 24/7.
Risk management as a strategic asset
TEAM: And last but not least, let’s touch on some basics of the most significant modern challenges in the information security landscape that our customers usually face. How do TEAM International’s security experts become game-changers when it comes to tackling them?
Sergiy: I’ll share a surprising observation on this matter. Even companies with a good security posture, including those with accreditations in security fields, keep struggling. Our hands-on experience proved that they still need a much deeper dive into specific controls, far deeper than it’d be sufficient for merely complying with certain industry standards. It means, for instance, having omnidirectional regular risk reassessments followed by robust treatment plans, automating IT/security processes, introducing application security assessments, and implementing additional controls. Where omnidirectional means taking into account various risk categories, such as regulatory compliance, data protection, cyber threats, human error, environmental factors, and more.
TEAM: Thank you so much for this insightful talk, Sergiy. It definitely showcases that we’re far more than just an average cybersecurity solutions provider.
Sergiy: Indeed, we are. That's what we always try to stress—your company's security isn't just about a set of cybersecurity tools. It’s a comprehensive suite of practices, competencies, strategies, and programs that ensure your business’s safety in all areas of operations.
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So, this is a wrap-up for our Information Security Studio. Want to know more about it still? Visit our website page or contact us for a free consultation. No strings attached, no obligations. We can just discuss your security needs and get to know each other.