As I was spraying Pestie—a DIY pest spray subscription service—around my home this weekend (sun's out, spray gun's out), I was thinking about the correlation of this home perimeter defense to what CISOs and their teams do to keep their organizations secure.
Keeping pests out of your home and keeping cyber threats out of your organization might seem worlds apart, but there are surprising parallels between the two. Just as homeowners rely on services like Pestie to protect their spaces from unwanted intruders, cybersecurity professionals use strategic tools and methods to safeguard their organizations from cyber threats. Let's explore the correlation and what cybersecurity professionals can learn from a simple act like spraying for pests.
Step 1: Prevention is better than remediation
Pestie parallel: Homeowners use Pestie proactively, spraying their homes regularly to prevent infestations rather than waiting for pests to overrun their spaces. This consistent, proactive approach keeps threats at bay before they become a costly problem.
CISO takeaway: Similarly, cybersecurity teams understand the importance of proactive defenses. Firewalls, intrusion detection systems, regular patching, and endpoint protection act as the digital equivalent of preventive pest spray. Waiting for an attack to occur—like waiting for pests to infest your home—leads to higher costs and more damage.
Step 2: Customized solutions for the environment
Pestie parallel: Pestie sends pest-control solutions tailored to the homeowner's specific environment, accounting for factors like location, climate, and common pests in the area. A "one-size-fits-all" approach doesn't work when dealing with different kinds of threats.
CISO takeaway: Effective cybersecurity isn't a generic solution. CISOs must assess their organizations' unique threat landscape and implement solutions tailored to their industry, size, and risk profile. For instance, a financial institution may prioritize anti-fraud measures, while a hospital may focus on securing patient data under HIPAA. Context matters.
Step 3: Regular maintenance is key
Pestie parallel: Spraying once isn't enough. Pestie's subscription model ensures homeowners maintain a consistent schedule to prevent infestations over time. Skipping a spray creates an opportunity for pests to exploit the gap.
CISO takeaway: In cybersecurity, consistent maintenance is critical. Regular vulnerability scans, system updates, and employee training are essential to sustaining a strong security posture. Gaps in security processes, like skipping patches or delaying audits, create opportunities for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities.
Step 4: Visibility matters
Pestie parallel: Homeowners inspect their property for signs of pests—spider webs, nests, or trails—while spraying. This visibility helps them identify problem areas and apply the treatment more effectively.
CISO takeaway: Cybersecurity teams rely on visibility into their networks to identify threats early. Tools like Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems, endpoint monitoring, and network traffic analysis help identify "digital pest trails," like unusual login patterns or unexpected data transfers, so threats can be neutralized quickly.
Step 5: Outsourcing vs. DIY
Pestie parallel: Pestie empowers homeowners to take control of pest management themselves, rather than relying entirely on costly professional exterminators. While some may still turn to professionals for severe infestations, Pestie strikes a balance between cost and effectiveness.
CISO takeaway: Similarly, CISOs must decide when to manage security in-house and when to outsource to Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) or other third-party experts. For example, a smaller organization may outsource SOC operations, while a larger enterprise may build a robust internal team. Striking the right balance between DIY solutions and external expertise is critical.
Step 6: Adapting to new threats
Pestie parallel: Pests evolve; new species might emerge, and old ones may adapt to traditional treatments. Pestie adjusts its solutions accordingly, ensuring homeowners are always equipped to handle new challenges.
CISO takeaway: Cyber threats evolve constantly, with attackers using sophisticated tactics like ransomware-as-a-service or AI-driven malware. CISOs must stay ahead by adapting strategies, embracing innovations like zero-trust architectures, and continuously updating defenses to address emerging threats.
Step 7: Awareness and education
Pestie parallel: Pestie provides homeowners with clear instructions to ensure the product is used effectively. Knowledge about application techniques and pest behavior empowers users to get the best results.
CISO takeaway: Cybersecurity awareness training is the "instruction manual" for your organization. Just as an uninformed homeowner might misuse pest spray, an untrained employee is more likely to fall victim to phishing or social engineering attacks. CISOs must invest in educating their teams to recognize and respond to threats effectively.
Like a homeowner spraying Pestie to keep bugs at bay, CISOs are strategic defenders, proactively addressing potential threats and maintaining a healthy security posture. Both roles require vigilance, consistency, and a tailored approach to protection.
Cybersecurity leaders may not deal with termites or cockroaches—though bad actors can be considered pests, for sure—but they face persistent and evolving digital adversaries. By applying lessons from Pestie—prevention, visibility, customization, and adaptation—CISOs can transform security from a reactive exercise into a proactive, effective strategy that keeps their organizations resilient in the face of cyber threats.
About Pestie:
I swear by it and am nearing the end of year two as a customer. It is the first brand to make doing your own pro-grade pest control easy and affordable for anybody. Since its founding in 2019, Pestie has rapidly become a household name throughout the United States by revolutionizing the pest control industry with no door-to-door salespeople, no technicians, no insane markups, and ,most importantly, no bugs in your home—all for a fraction of the price of traditional pest control companies. Company website.
