Medium-sized companies face a dilemma: they need strategic cybersecurity leadership but cannot justify the cost of a full-time CISO, which in the region ranges from $80,000 to $150,000 per year. The solution: CISO as a Service (vCISO).
What Does a CISO Do?
The Chief Information Security Officer is responsible for:
- Define a security strategy aligned with business objectives
- Manage cybersecurity risks and report to the board of directors
- Ensure regulatory compliance (ISO 27001, SUGEF, PCI DSS)
- Oversee incident response and business continuity
- Evaluate and select security technologies and vendors
- Developing a culture of safety within the organization
How the vCISO Model Works
A vCISO is a senior cybersecurity professional who works for your company on a part-time basis—typically 2–4 days a month—providing the same strategic leadership as a full-time CISO.
The model includes:
- Initial assessment: Comprehensive assessment of security posture, vulnerabilities, and risks
- Strategy and Roadmap: A 12- to 24-month security plan with clear priorities
- Government: Risk Management Policies, Procedures, and Frameworks
- Reports to the board: Monthly Executive Reports on the Security Situation
- Regulatory support: Guide to Certifications and Compliance
- Incident Management: Leadership During Security Crises
Benefits of the vCISO
- Cost: 70–80% less than a full-time CISO with the same level of experience
- Diverse experience: A vCISO who works with multiple companies brings insights and best practices from different industries
- Available immediately: No 6- to 9-month recruitment process. Start adding value from day one
- Flexibility: Scale up or down as needed—more during audits or incidents, less during quiet periods
- Objectivity: An outside professional assesses the situation without internal political biases
When to Hire a vCISO
- Your company has between 50 and 1,000 employees
- He is facing regulatory requirements that he doesn't know how to address
- It has experienced a security incident and needs leadership to address it
- His IT team handles security "when they can," but without a clear strategy
- You need a security representative to present to the board of directors or regulators
BorneoCR offers CISO as a Service with certified professionals who take the lead on your company’s security. Combined with our AI-powered MDR, you get both the strategy and the full operational execution—from risk assessments to reports for the board of directors. Contact us for a no-obligation consultation.