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vCISO

Senior security leadership on retainer — strategy, board and investor reporting, risk management, and compliance oversight. The judgement of a seasoned CISO without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.

Overview

Executive security leadership, fractional.

Many organisations need security leadership long before they can justify a full-time CISO. Our virtual CISO gives you that seniority on a retainer — setting strategy, owning risk, and speaking credibly to your board, customers, and investors.

We build and maintain your security roadmap, run your risk-management process, oversee compliance, evaluate vendors, and coordinate during incidents. When investors or enterprise customers run due diligence, you have a security leader who can stand behind the answers.

Ideal for organisations between 20 and 500 people — especially those fundraising, scaling, or selling into regulated markets.

“Board-ready security leadership, sized to where you are.”


Responsibilities

What your vCISO owns.

Senior security judgement applied where it has the most impact.

01
Strategy & Roadmap

A pragmatic, risk-based security strategy and roadmap aligned to your business goals and growth stage.

02
Board & Investor Reporting

Clear, credible reporting that translates security posture into risk and business terms for leadership and investors.

03
Risk Management

A living risk register and treatment plan, with risk accepted, mitigated, or transferred by informed decision.

04
Compliance Oversight

Direction and oversight across ISO 27001, SOC 2, and sector frameworks, keeping certifications on track.

05
Vendor & M&A Due Diligence

Security evaluation of key vendors and support through fundraising, customer, and acquisition due diligence.

06
Incident Coordination

A steady hand to lead the response and communications when a serious incident occurs.

Aligned to: NIST CSF ISO 27001 CIS Controls Board Governance

How we work

Our engagement process

Every engagement follows the same five phases — scoped clearly, with no surprises in delivery.

Phase 01
Scoping

Objectives, time commitment, and reporting lines agreed in writing before any work begins.

Phase 02
Evaluation

Assess your current posture, risks, and obligations to set priorities.

Phase 03
Implementation

Drive the roadmap forward, chair governance, and steer day-to-day decisions.

Phase 04
Reporting

Regular board-level reporting on risk, progress, and the decisions that need to be made.

Phase 05
Finalising

Continuous oversight, and a clean handover whenever you hire a full-time CISO.


FAQ

vCISO FAQ

Common questions about scope, cost, and timing.

What is a vCISO?
A virtual Chief Information Security Officer — senior security leadership on a part-time retainer, providing strategy, risk management, board reporting, and compliance oversight without a full-time hire.
How much does a vCISO cost?
A vCISO retainer is typically €3,000–6,000 per month depending on the time commitment and scope. Use our estimator for a tailored figure.
Who needs a vCISO?
Organisations of roughly 20–500 people that need security leadership — often when fundraising, scaling, or selling into regulated markets — but cannot yet justify a full-time CISO.
How many days a month do we get?
It is a flexible retainer scaled to your needs, agreed up front and adjusted as you grow.
How is a vCISO different from a full-time CISO?
You get the same seniority and judgement at a fraction of the cost and commitment, with the breadth of a team behind them.
Can a vCISO support due diligence and the board?
Yes — board and investor reporting and customer/M&A due diligence are core parts of the role.
Does the vCISO own our compliance?
They provide strategy and oversight across frameworks like ISO 27001 and SOC 2, coordinating delivery with our compliance team.
Can we hire a full-time CISO later?
Yes — we hand over cleanly whenever you are ready to bring the role in-house.

Lead with confidence.

A 30-minute scoping call costs nothing. A security gap at due diligence costs considerably more.

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