Virtual CISO Services
A Virtual CISO (vCISO), also known as a Fractional CISO or CISO as a Service, provides part-time security leadership for startups, SMBs, and community banks: strategy, compliance, incident response, and board reporting, without the cost of a full-time executive hire.
Strategic security leadership without the full-time CISO cost.
You need security leadership. But you can't afford a full-time CISO.
I get it. You're scaling. Investors are asking questions. Auditors are circling. Your team is drowning in security tasks they don't understand.
But hiring a full-time CISO is expensive. And finding the right person takes months.
Not sure if you're at that stage yet? Read our guide: You Think You Might Need a CISO? Here's How to Tell
You need someone who:
- Actually knows what matters (and what's just noise)
- Can talk to your board without the buzzwords
- Builds programs auditors respect
- Won't sell you a bunch of tools you don't need
What You Get
Strategic Security Leadership
- ✓ Security program strategy & roadmap
- ✓ Risk assessments that make sense
- ✓ Board & investor presentations
- ✓ Vendor security reviews
Compliance Guidance
- ✓ SOC 2 Type II prep & readiness
- ✓ Policy & procedure development
- ✓ Audit prep & support
- ✓ Right-sized controls (not overkill)
Need SOC 2? Read our complete SOC 2 guide →
Incident Response
- ✓ Incident response planning
- ✓ Breach response support
- ✓ Tabletop exercises
- ✓ Crisis communication guidance
Recently experienced a breach? Learn about our Post-Incident Advisory services →
Team Support
- ✓ Security training for your team
- ✓ Guidance for engineering leads
- ✓ Security tool selection
- ✓ On-call advisory when you need it
Avoid buying tools you don't need: Security Theater vs. Real Security →
How It Works
Discovery Call (20 minutes, free)
We talk about where you are and what you need. No sales pitch.
Initial Assessment
I review your current security posture, compliance status, and biggest risks.
90-Day Roadmap
You get a clear plan. What to fix first. What can wait. What's just noise.
Ongoing Partnership
Monthly retainer. Regular check-ins. Always available when something breaks.
Virtual CISO vs Fractional CISO vs CISO as a Service
These terms all mean the same thing: part-time, outsourced security leadership. The industry uses them interchangeably:
- Virtual CISO (vCISO): The most common term. Emphasizes remote/flexible engagement.
- Fractional CISO: Highlights that you get a fraction of a CISO's time at a fraction of the cost.
- CISO as a Service (CISOaaS): Frames it as an on-demand service rather than a hire.
- Outsourced CISO: Emphasizes external expertise brought into your organization.
- Part-time CISO: The simplest description of the engagement model.
Regardless of what you call it, the value is the same: strategic security leadership, compliance expertise, and board-ready communication without the $300K-$500K cost of a full-time CISO hire.
This Is For You If...
You're a startup raising Series A/B and investors are asking security questions you can't answer
You need SOC 2 for a big customer deal but don't know where to start
You're a community bank needing FFIEC exam prep and board-level security reporting
Your IT team or MSP handles operations but you need strategic security oversight
You can't justify a full-time CISO salary but need security leadership
You want someone who speaks plain English, not security jargon
Related Services
Compliance Consulting
Need SOC 2, ISO 27001, or HIPAA certification? Get audit-ready without vendor upsells.
Learn more →Post-Incident Advisory
Recently experienced a breach? Get strategic guidance to prevent recurrence and rebuild trust.
Learn more →Security Consulting
Project-based security work: architecture reviews, vendor assessments, questionnaire support.
Learn more →Community Banks
Practical security for community banks: FFIEC compliance, examiner readiness, MSP oversight.
Learn more →