Operate — Fractional Executive Leaders
Virtual Chief Information
Security Officer.
Experienced cybersecurity leadership on-demand — guiding your security strategy, managing compliance, and strengthening your defenses without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.
$270K+
Average full-time CISO cost.
A vCISO delivers the same at a fraction.
The Role
What Is a Chief Information Security Officer?
The Chief Information Security Officer is the executive responsible for an organization’s entire information and cybersecurity program. Once a purely technical role, the CISO has evolved into a strategic business leader — sitting alongside the CEO and board, translating risk into business language, and driving resilience as a competitive advantage.
Today’s CISO owns security strategy, compliance, incident response, vendor risk, privacy, and governance. 40% of boards will have a dedicated cybersecurity oversight function by 2025 (Gartner), making CISO-level leadership a boardroom expectation, not just an operational one.
With average U.S. CISO total compensation reaching $250,000–$500,000+ annually, most organizations cannot compete for, or justify, a full-time hire. A Virtual CISO provides the same strategic expertise at a fraction of the cost, embedded in your team, and ours are powered by a team of deep expertise.
Core CISO responsibilities
Security Strategy — Develop and own the enterprise cybersecurity program, aligned to business objectives and risk appetite
Risk Management — Identify, assess, and prioritize cyber risks; translate them into business impact for executive and board audiences
Compliance & Regulatory — Ensure ongoing alignment with SOC 2, ISO 27001, CMMC, HIPAA, GDPR, and sector-specific requirements
Incident Response — Lead planning, testing, and execution of breach response; minimize downtime and regulatory exposure
Vendor & Third-Party Risk — Govern the security posture of contractors, suppliers, and technology partners
Board & Investor Reporting — Communicate security posture, risk metrics, and program maturity in terms the C-suite and board can act on
Security Leadership in Practice
CISOs who successfully navigate the C-suite are viewed as strategic business executives that truely understand what moves the business forward. This is the standard we bring to every relationship.
Why a Virtual CISO
Strategic Security Leadership Without the Full-Time Overhead
The cybersecurity talent market is one of the most competitive in the world. Most organizations need CISO-level expertise but cannot attract, afford, or justify a full-time hire. A vCISO from Assessed Intelligence closes that gap immediately.
More than just a cost play, a vCISO brings breadth that a single hire cannot. Behind every Assessed Intelligence vCISO is a full team of specialists across cybersecurity, AI, law, and compliance.
On-Demand
Engaged immediately — no lengthy recruitment, onboarding, or procurement delays when risk events hit
Scalable
Scope expands or contracts with your program — from light advisory to embedded hands-on leadership
Cost-Effective
A fraction of a full-time CISO salary — with access to a broader team of domain specialists behind them
Battle-Tested
Real-world experience from enterprise, government, healthcare, and high-growth environments
Broader Than One Hire
Every vCISO engagement draws on Assessed Intelligence’s full team across cybersecurity, AI governance, legal, and compliance — capabilities no single executive can match alone
How a vCISO Operates in Your Organization
From the Boardroom to the Trenches
A vCISO is not a vendor. They operate as a trusted member of your leadership team — embedded into your organization, understanding your environment, and acting with the full authority of an executive leader.
Executive & Board Level
Your vCISO attends board meetings, presents risk posture in business terms, and provides the security credibility that investors, auditors, and regulators expect from a public-facing executive.
- Board-level security briefings and risk reporting
- Investor and M&A due diligence support
- Insurance and cyber risk quantification
- SEC, regulatory, and audit liaison
Program & Operations Level
Day-to-day, your vCISO runs your security program — overseeing policies, controls, compliance workflows, vendor reviews, and security operations. They bridge leadership intent and technical execution.
- Security program management and KRI tracking
- Policy development, review, and enforcement
- Compliance readiness and audit preparation
- Vendor and third-party risk oversight
Incident & Crisis Level
When a security incident occurs, your vCISO activates immediately — leading response, managing regulatory timelines, communicating with legal and PR, and directing technical containment.
- Incident command and response coordination
- Breach notification and regulatory response
- Forensic and legal liaison management
- Post-incident review and remediation
What We Provide
A Full-Spectrum vCISO Service
Our vCISO service covers every dimension of cybersecurity leadership. From strategy and compliance to incident response and team development. Each engagement is tailored to your organization’s maturity, industry, and risk environment.
Operate
Security Strategy & Program Design
End-to-end security program ownership — from maturity assessment and roadmap through policy development and control implementation.
- Security program design and maturity roadmap
- Risk-based prioritization and investment planning
- Policy, standards, and control framework development
- Zero Trust Architecture planning and adoption
Compliance & Regulatory Readiness
End-to-end compliance program management across all major frameworks — from readiness through audit and certification.
- SOC 2 Type I & II readiness and support
- ISO/IEC 27001 implementation and audit prep
- CMMC, HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA/CPRA alignment
- Evidence collection and control documentation
Risk Assessment & Management
Continuous risk identification, assessment, and prioritization — producing findings that leadership can act on and auditors can verify.
- Enterprise and system-level risk assessments
- Threat modeling and attack surface analysis
- Ongoing risk register and KRI dashboard
- Cyber risk quantification for board reporting
Incident Response Planning
Build and test incident response capability before you need it — so your team can execute under pressure when an event occurs.
- Incident response plan development and testing
- Tabletop exercises and simulation
- Breach notification and regulatory coordination
- Post-incident review and lessons learned
Vendor & Third-Party Risk
Govern the security posture of your extended ecosystem — so your vendors, contractors, and technology partners don’t become your vulnerabilities.
- Vendor security assessment and due diligence
- Third-party risk program design and operations
- Contract and SLA security review
- Ongoing vendor monitoring and reporting
Team Development & Culture
Build security capability and culture across your entire organization — so security becomes embedded in how your team operates, not bolted on after the fact.
- Security awareness and training programs
- Developer and engineering security coaching
- Hiring advisory and team structure guidance
- Cross-functional security accountability frameworks
Who We Work With
Organizations That Need Security Leadership Now
A vCISO is the right solution when your organization needs executive security leadership but isn’t ready for — or can’t compete for — a full-time hire. More than 40% of new CISOs now come from non-technical backgrounds, reflecting how broad and strategic the role has become.
Regardless of industry or size, the question is no longer whether you’ll face a cyber event — it’s whether you’ll be prepared when it happens.
Organizations we serve
Growth-stage companies scaling operations and entering regulated markets for the first time
Startups preparing for SOC 2 or ISO 27001 to close enterprise deals and satisfy investor diligence
Organizations facing regulatory scrutiny needing immediate compliance leadership and documented controls
Companies in M&A processes requiring security due diligence, gap analysis, and governance documentation
Enterprises between CISO hires needing continuity, program oversight, and board reporting during transition
Nonprofits, healthcare, and public sector that need enterprise-grade security on constrained budgets
Executive Support
Supporting CIOs, CTOs & CPOs in Navigating Security Governance
Security governance doesn’t live in one executive’s lane. Your vCISO works directly alongside the technology and privacy leaders who carry the most governance weight — helping each of them succeed in their specific role.
CIO
Chief Information Officer
The challenge
CIOs need security aligned with IT roadmaps — not bolted on afterward. They need the CISO to reduce friction in digital transformation, manage vendor and cloud risk, and ensure compliance doesn’t become a blocker to modernization.
How your vCISO helps
Your vCISO integrates security into IT strategy from the start — translating security requirements into infrastructure decisions and ensuring audit readiness across the full technology estate.
- Aligning security controls with IT architecture and cloud strategy
- Joint vendor and third-party risk assessment processes
- Compliance integration into IT project governance
- Shared incident response and business continuity planning
CTO
Chief Technology Officer
The challenge
CTOs need security embedded into the engineering lifecycle — not a late-stage review that delays releases. They also face pressure to demonstrate security posture to enterprise customers during sales cycles and due diligence.
How your vCISO helps
Your vCISO builds security into the development process — from secure coding standards and DevSecOps practices to customer-facing documentation that closes enterprise deals faster.
- Secure development lifecycle and DevSecOps program design
- Security review integration into product release workflows
- Customer and partner security questionnaire support
- Penetration testing and vulnerability management programs
CPO
Chief Privacy Officer
The challenge
CPOs own data privacy compliance — GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA/CPRA — and find that privacy and security obligations are increasingly inseparable. A data breach is a privacy incident. A security control failure is often a regulatory violation.
How your vCISO helps
Your vCISO bridges security and privacy — ensuring technical controls support regulatory obligations and that breach response processes satisfy notification requirements across every applicable law.
- Data security controls mapped to privacy regulatory requirements
- Breach response coordination across security, legal, and privacy teams
- Privacy impact assessment support for new systems and vendors
- Joint GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA/CPRA control documentation
Embedded Into Your Team
A vCISO doesn’t parachute in for a review. They operate as a trusted member of your leadership — knowing your environment, your risks, and your priorities before the next incident hits.
What You’ll Achieve
Security Leadership That Moves With Your Organization
Organizations working with an Assessed Intelligence vCISO build defensible, scalable security programs that satisfy regulators, investors, and customers — and respond with confidence when risks materialize.
Get Assessed — Start Today
Ready to Engage a Virtual CISO?
Connect with Assessed Intelligence to understand how a fractional vCISO can protect your organization, satisfy regulators, and build stakeholder trust — starting today.
Forged by Experience · Driven by Purpose · Built to Endure