You’re in charge of protecting the company’s assets and reputation. You have critical and sensitive information and you have regulation requirements you need to attest to and meet.
You need someone that can manage this responsibility and lower risk without impacting production and the critical work you do. You need someone who is risk-focused, with a business mindset and has experience across all pillars of security. Someone who can cover internal servers, to external cloud deployments. Someone who knows ERP and CRM systems, and someone who can dive into the development environment. You need someone who also understands the compliance requirements and can put a plan together and ensure there are no ‘significant’ findings. In addition, you want someone who can drive the security program, set road maps, prioritize initiatives, and work to get it done.
You need a CISO. But you don’t want to afford the full-time financial burden.
How much does a virtual CISO (vCISO) cost?
A vCISO costs between $28,800 a year and $350,000 a year. This cost is based on an annual retainer, with a service payment monthly. Monthly, this cost equals to $2,400 to $29,167.
The cost of the vCISO service is based on unique business needs, the maturity of the current cybersecurity program, and time required to meet the clients’ security goals.
Because the vCISO service is an annual contract agreement it can be renegotiated every year to fit the client and the state of security needs. It is very common for the cost of the virtual service to decrease over time until finally reaching a ‘maintenance‘ phase when the vCISO’s role is to perform high-level partnership, advisory, and risk oversight.
When the cost of a vCISO is equated in ‘value’, most companies will see an incredible return on their investment.
A vCISO can remove the burden and stress of managing a security program and bring peace and clarity. By starting with a risk assessment and building out a security roadmap, everyone begins to agree and approve the initiatives, budget, and strategic direction of the security program. This impact equals greatly lowering risk over time. This service, when complemented by an invested leadership team, can save the business many times the investment.
The cost of a full-time CISO can be expensive for the organization. Recent articles show the annual salary averaging around $200,000 a year. Hiring someone can also be a risk due to not finding the right culturally or technical fit for your company.
Solution
Asher Security can remove the stress of securing your business with our Virtual CISO Service.
We provide:
- A true gauge on your unique risk measured by an industry experts.
- A road map that is aligned with industry standards.
- Reports and metrics showing the ongoing quantitative improvement of your security program.
- A trusted partnership that can support you and your business.
Check out our Virtual CISO service here:
Common Frequently Asked Questions About a Virtual CISO
What does a virtual CISO do?
A virtual CISO helps a company build and guide its cybersecurity program without hiring a full-time executive. That usually includes risk visibility, security planning, policy guidance, leadership input, and clearer decision-making around priorities.
How is a virtual CISO different from a full-time CISO?
A virtual CISO gives you experienced security leadership on a fractional basis. That makes sense for companies that need strategy, oversight, and structure but are not ready for a full-time executive hire.
When should a company hire a virtual CISO?
A company should consider a virtual CISO when it has growing compliance pressure, customer security demands, vendor risk concerns, cyber insurance requirements, or no senior security leader setting direction.
What kinds of deliverables should I expect from a virtual CISO?
Typical deliverables include a clearer risk picture, a prioritized roadmap, policy and governance guidance, executive reporting, and support for incident planning and vendor oversight.
Is a virtual CISO only for large companies?
No. A virtual CISO is often a practical fit for mid-size and growing businesses that need experienced leadership but do not need or cannot justify a full-time CISO.
Recent Comments