Strategic security leadership at a fraction of full-time cost.
Everything a full-time CSO would provide - strategic security planning, risk management, compliance oversight, and executive security reporting.
Align your technology investments with business goals
Optimize IT spending and manage vendor relationships
Ensure your organization meets security and compliance requirements
Translate complex IT topics into executive-level insights
Lead technology initiatives that drive business value
Establish IT governance frameworks and policies
Not all vCSOs are created equal. We bring strategic depth, security expertise, and compliance rigor to every engagement.
We bring defense contractor-level strategic planning and security rigor to every engagement - ensuring your IT strategy supports compliance, security, and business goals simultaneously.
Get executive-level IT leadership at 20-40% of a full-time CIO salary. We provide strategic guidance without the overhead of a full-time executive.
Our vCSOs have 25 years experience across defense, healthcare, manufacturing, and professional services - bringing best practices from diverse industries.
We start with your business goals and work backwards to technology solutions - not the other way around. Technology should enable business outcomes.
Choose the right level of strategic security leadership for your business size and needs.
4-8 hours/month
Ideal for: Small businesses (10-25 employees) needing periodic strategic guidance
16-24 hours/month
Ideal for: Mid-market businesses (50-100 employees) with active security initiatives
40+ hours/month
Ideal for: Larger organizations (100-200 employees) or those undergoing transformation
Why SMBs choose virtual CSO services over full-time hires
Most SMBs save 60-80% by choosing vCSO services over full-time hires while gaining broader expertise.
A vCSO provides the same strategic security leadership and guidance as a full-time CSO, but on a part-time, fractional basis. This allows SMBs to access executive-level security expertise without the $200K+ cost of a full-time hire. Our vCSOs bring the added benefit of cross-industry experience from working with dozens of clients across different sectors.
A vCSO provides strategic security oversight and leadership, while your IT team or MSP handles day-to-day operations. Think of it as the difference between a CEO (strategy) and operations manager (execution). If you have an internal IT manager, the vCSO provides security mentorship and strategic direction. If you use an MSP, the vCSO ensures they're meeting your security needs and holds them accountable.
Most clients start with 8-16 hours per month for ongoing security strategy and vendor management. Organizations undergoing major changes (cloud migration, compliance initiatives, rapid growth) may need 24-40 hours/month. We'll assess your needs during discovery and recommend an appropriate engagement level. You can always adjust as needs change.
Yes. Our vCSOs have deep compliance expertise, particularly with CMMC, NIST 800-171, HIPAA, and SOC 2. We'll develop your compliance roadmap, coordinate with assessors, and ensure your security strategy supports your compliance goals. This is especially valuable for defense contractors pursuing CMMC certification.
Monthly hours include strategic security meetings, vendor calls, email/phone consultation, research and planning work, executive reporting preparation, and board presentation development. We track time transparently and provide monthly reports showing how hours were spent. Most clients find they get 2-3x the value compared to hiring internally.
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Download FreeSchedule a free consultation to discuss your business goals and how a vCSO can help you achieve them.