vCISOSecurity leadership · Strategy · Board reporting

Virtual CISO (vCISO)

Senior security leadership for organizations that need a CISO's judgment without a full-time hire.
Book a scoping call All services
At a glance
EngagementOngoing retainer
ShapeFractional · Interim · Project
Led bySenior security leader
OutputStrategy, program, and reporting
§ 01Overview
Virtual CISO (vCISO)
A virtual CISO gives you experienced security leadership on a fractional basis: strategy, risk management, and the program and reporting that boards, auditors, and regulators expect. The same engineers who run the technical work lead the program.
§ 02What's included
What the service covers.
Engage any item on its own, or combine them into a single engagement.
01
Security strategy and roadmap
We define a prioritized security strategy tied to your business goals, risk, and regulatory obligations, and keep it current as both change.
02
Risk management
We identify and quantify your actual risks and maintain a risk register that lets leadership make decisions about priorities and spend.
03
Security program oversight
We build and oversee the security program: policies, controls, and processes that work in practice and hold up under audit.
04
Board and regulator reporting
We translate the security posture into clear, measurable reporting for boards, auditors, and regulators.
05
Audit and compliance leadership
We lead readiness and the audit relationship for SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIS2, and DORA, so compliance follows from the program rather than running as a separate scramble.
06
Vendor and team guidance
We advise on security hiring, tooling decisions, and third-party risk, so investment goes where it reduces the most risk.
§ 03How we approach it
A clear methodology, every time.
1
Assess
We establish your current security posture against the frameworks and threats relevant to your organization.
2
Define strategy
We set a prioritized strategy and roadmap tied to business goals and regulatory obligations.
3
Build and operate
We put the program, policies, and controls in place and run them alongside your team.
4
Lead and report
We lead the audit relationship and report the security posture to the board on a regular cadence.
§ 04What you get
Results you can act on.
Every engagement ends with documented findings and evidence, written for the technical team and for the board.
01Security strategy and prioritized roadmap
02Risk register with quantified exposure
03Policy and control framework
04Board-level reporting pack
05Audit and compliance readiness (SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIS2, DORA)
06Ongoing senior security leadership
FAQ
Questions, answered
What is a virtual CISO (vCISO)?
A virtual CISO is an experienced security leader engaged on a fractional or interim basis, rather than as a full-time hire. The vCISO owns security strategy, risk management, the security program, and reporting to the board, auditors, and regulators.
When do you need a vCISO instead of a full-time CISO?
A vCISO fits organizations that need senior security leadership and accountability but do not yet have the scale or budget for a full-time CISO, that are between CISOs, or that face a specific deadline such as an audit or a new regulatory obligation. You get senior judgment without a full-time cost.
How much does a vCISO cost?
A vCISO costs a fraction of a full-time CISO because the engagement is scoped to the time your organization actually needs. We define the scope and a fixed monthly fee on a scoping call, with no obligation, so the cost is predictable from the start.
What is the difference between a vCISO and a security consultant?
A consultant typically delivers a project and leaves. A vCISO carries ongoing accountability for your security program: they set the strategy, lead the audit relationship, and report to the board over time, the way a full-time CISO would.
Can a vCISO lead our SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIS2, or DORA work?
Yes. Leading readiness and the audit relationship for these frameworks is a core part of the engagement. Because the same team runs the technical testing, the controls are built to hold, not just to pass the audit.
Ready to engage a virtual CISO?
A senior security leader will scope the engagement with you on a 30-minute call.
Book a scoping call or email contact@raptoric.com