Get Executive-Level Leadership without the Full-Time Cost with VLCM's vCISO Services

Get CISO-level expertise, strategic security guidance, and compliance support on your terms.

VLCM's Virtual CISO (vCISO) services deliver the leadership your business needs to manage cyber risks, meet regulatory requirements, and protect sensitive data — without hiring full-time.

Our vCISOs assess your security posture, build customized roadmaps for NIST, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and other frameworks, and provide ongoing strategic oversight that scales with your organization.

VLCM’s vCISO services include:

Risk Assessments + Security Strategy

Evaluate your current security posture, identify gaps and vulnerabilities, and create a tailored remediation strategy.

Compliance + Regulatory Guidance

Ensure compliance with industry standards like NIST, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI, CMMC, and more.

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Security Program Development

Build policies, a tailored Incident Response Plan, business continuity strategies, and governance frameworks.

Learn about creating an effective Incident Response Plan

Third-Party Risk Management

Identify vendor-related risks before they become your problem.

Employee Security Awareness Training

Reduce human risk factors with tailored security training programs.

How VLCM’s vCISO program works:

Step #1

Initial Cybersecurity Assessment

We start with a cybersecurity assessment to evaluate your organization's current security posture. This helps identify gaps, immediate risks, and compliance needs—laying the groundwork for smarter, more focused planning.

Step #2

Strategic Roadmap Development

Based on the assessment findings, we build a customized roadmap that prioritizes critical risks and compliance objectives. The plan is tailored to your organization’s size, industry, and long-term goals. This roadmap may include developing or refining your Incident Response Plan to ensure your team is prepared to act decisively when incidents occur.

Step #3

Ongoing vCISO Leadership and Support

Your dedicated vCISO provides continuous strategic oversight—helping guide security initiatives, update policies, support audits, and advise on emerging risks. Whether you need coaching, program development, or extra hands for key projects, your vCISO keeps your security efforts on track and aligned with business objectives.

vCISO vs. Full-Time CISO

VLCM’s vCISO services deliver the expertise, guidance, and strategic oversight of a traditional CISO—on a flexible model that works for your organization.

	VLCM vCISO	Full-Time CISO
Executive-level cybersecurity expertise	✔	✔
Strategic guidance + oversight	✔	✔
Flexible cost and engagement model	✔	❌
Immediate availability	✔	❌
Scales with your organization	✔	❌
Objective, vendor-neutral approach	✔	❌
No recruiting, onboarding, or churn	✔	❌
No training or certification costs	✔	❌

Built for Flexibility. Backed by Experience.

Choose the engagement that fits your environment. Whether you need a one-time assessment, ongoing advisory services, or a fully managed security program, we tailor our approach and services to align with your business objectives.

Fractional vCISO

Advisory support on a part-time basis

Full-Service vCISO

Comprehensive, ongoing security leadership.

We work with businesses across industries, adjusting scope and cadence to match your specific needs.

5 Key Benefits of Hiring a vCISO

Cost-Effective

Get CISO-level expertise without the full-time salary.

Scalable Support

Right-sized engagement models to fit your team.

Broad Industry Experience

Access cybersecurity experts with multi-industry insights and best practices.

Fast Ramp-Up

We deliver immediate value with strategic risk management, compliance, and security improvements.

Vendor-Neutral Strategy

Unbiased security recommendations aligned with your business objectives.

Built for Alignment

Tailored to your structure, risk appetite, and goals—so your security program supports your broader strategy.

Led by Experience

Executive-level leadership grounded in operational expertise across industries and regulatory frameworks.

Designed for Flexibility

Engagement models that adapt to your team, timeline, and evolving needs—no one-size-fits-all approach.

Driven by Outcomes

We prioritize measurable improvements—stronger posture, audit readiness, and smarter risk decisions.

Collaborative by Nature

We integrate with your internal teams to strengthen capabilities and accelerate progress with clarity and momentum.

Award-Winning Leadership

Partner of the Year Awards from SentinelOne and NetSPI highlight VLCM’s commitment to quality, collaboration, and helping clients be more cyber secure.

Additional Resources

Why a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment is essential for every organization

Discover why leading organizations treat cybersecurity risk assessments as a strategic advantage—not just a compliance requirement—and how this proactive approach protects revenue, strengthens trust, and positions your business for sustainable growth.

Get Your Cybersecurity Risk Assessment

A cyber risk assessment is a structured review of your organization's vulnerabilities and the threats most likely to exploit them. Results will highlight which threats can disrupt operations, damage customer trust, or create financial loss. It also gives executives clarity on where to prioritize defenses.

Creating An Incident Response Plan

When a cyberattack hits, every second matters. A well-structured Incident Response Plan minimizes damage, reduces costly downtime, and helps your team act fast—protecting your operations, reputation, and compliance standing. VLCM’s vCISO services help you build and maintain a tailored plan that keeps your organization prepared.

Cybersecurity Compliance Made Simple with vCISO Expertise

Keeping up with evolving cybersecurity regulations can strain even the most capable IT teams. VLCM’s vCISO services help cut through the complexity with clear guidance, so you can reduce risk, avoid costly missteps, and stay audit-ready.

Frequently Asked Questions:

A Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) is a seasoned cybersecurity leader who provides executive-level guidance and oversight on a flexible, on-demand basis.

Rather than hiring a full-time CISO, organizations can engage a vCISO to develop, lead, and manage their security strategy, compliance efforts, risk assessments, incident response planning, and more, all tailored to your business’s unique needs and budget.

This service is ideal for growing companies that need top-tier cybersecurity leadership but aren’t ready to hire in-house or for teams looking to supplement their current capabilities with outside expertise.

A traditional CISO is a full-time internal hire, while a vCISO offers the same level of leadership and expertise on a flexible, part-time or contract basis, making it more affordable and scalable.

A vCISO offers the strategic value of a senior security leader without the full-time cost or commitment. Some key benefits include:

Executive-Level Expertise On-Demand: Access experienced cybersecurity leadership without hiring a full-time executive.
Cost-Effective: You get senior-level strategy and guidance at a fraction of the cost of a full-time CISO.
Customized Strategy: The vCISO tailors your security roadmap to your unique risk profile, goals, and industry compliance needs.
Compliance & Audit Readiness: Expert support to help you pro-actively meet standards like HIPAA, PCI, NIST, and more.
Stronger Risk Management: Better visibility into threats, vulnerabilities, and third-party risks with a proactive approach.
Scalable Support: As your needs evolve, the vCISO can scale services up or down from a few hours a month to more hands-on leadership.
Board & Executive Reporting: Clear communication of security priorities to executives and stakeholders in business terms.

vCISO provides your business with experienced, strategic cybersecurity leadership helping you strengthen your defenses, align security with business goals, and reduce risk over time. Here’s how:

Strategic Security Planning: A vCISO will create a roadmap that aligns your security efforts with your business objectives, ensuring resources are focused where they matter most.
Risk Assessment: A vCISO will assess your current environment to identify gaps in your security controls, policies, and procedures and will prioritize the most impactful improvements.
Compliance: Many businesses operate in regulatory environments that require them to meet certain cybersecurity standards. A vCISO can help ensure the business is compliant with these standards and prepared for compliance audits or assessments.
Incident Response: A vCISO can develop and implement an incident response plan, ensuring that your business is prepared to respond effectively to a security incident. They can also assist in managing and recovering from incidents.
Stronger Governance and Policies: Your vCISO can develop or refine policies, incident response plans, and compliance frameworks that keep your business protected and audit ready.
Awareness and Training: Security isn’t just technology, it’s people. A vCISO helps build a culture of security through training, awareness, and executive coaching. Ongoing Monitoring and
Adjustment: Security threats evolve and your vCISO will provide ongoing oversight and updates to your strategy to ensure your business stays ahead of emerging risks.

A vCISO should bring a strong mix of strategic leadership, technical knowledge, and real-world experience across a range of security domains. Key areas of experience should include:

Cybersecurity Strategy & Governance: Proven experience developing and leading enterprise-wide security programs that align with business goals and risk tolerance.
Risk Management: Proven ability to identify, assess, and prioritize security risks, with a focus on implementing cost-effective strategies to mitigate threats while supporting business objectives.
Compliance: Deep knowledge of frameworks like NIST, ISO 27001, CIS Controls, HIPAA, PCI, and others, including hands-on experience with audits and assessments.
Executive & Board Communication: The ability to translate complex security risks into business language that executives and board members understand and act on.
Technical Expertise: A strong understanding of security architecture, cloud security, threat management, and modern technologies.
Policy, Process & Incident Response Development: Experience building and implementing security policies, playbooks, and response plans tailored to the organization’s size, industry, and risk profile.
Vendor & Third-Party Management: Knowledge of how to evaluate and monitor third-party vendors and technology partners for security risks.
Leadership & Team Mentorship: A background in leading security teams and mentoring IT or security staff to elevate internal capabilities over time.
Industry Specific Knowledge: Understanding of the regulatory and threat landscape in your industry. e.g., healthcare, finance, SaaS, manufacturing, etc.

The cost of a vCISO varies based on the level of engagement, your organization’s size, and your specific security needs but it’s generally far more cost effective than hiring a full-time CISO. A vCISO provides executive-level expertise and leadership, often for less than half the cost of hiring a full-time CISO (which can run $200K–$300K+ annually, plus benefits).