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Fractional vCISO: Executive Security Leadership

Executive-level security leadership, part-time. We manage your compliance program, audit preparation, policy updates, vendor risk, and incident response, all without a $200K+ CISO salary. Retainers by headcount: Steady from $299/month (1–9 staff), Resilient $695/month (10–24), Vanguard $1,195/month (25–49), Sovereign $1,995/month (50–100, full fractional vCISO partnership). Standalone fractional vCISO is custom, scoped after assessment.

What Is a vCISO?

A vCISO (Virtual Chief Information Security Officer) is a fractional security leader who serves as your organization's chief information security officer on a part-time or retainer basis. You get strategic security leadership without paying a full-time salary (often $200K+ per year).

CLAS by Fred's vCISO model gives healthcare practices, law firms, and SMBs access to a 20+ year security executive without the burden of a full hire.

What Problems Does vCISO Solve?

  • You have no dedicated security leader. Compliance monitoring and security decisions fall to IT generalists or office managers. Critical issues slip through cracks.
  • Your IT MSP is reactive, not strategic. They fix broken servers but don't plan security architecture or advise on compliance roadmaps.
  • Regulatory changes happen faster than you can track. New HIPAA guidance, privacy laws, cyber insurance requirements: you need someone monitoring and translating them.
  • You don't know who "owns" security. When a breach happens, who's responsible? Who decides incident response? A vCISO clarifies authority and accountability.
  • You can't afford a full-time CISO. But you can afford 8–12 hours per month of expert advice on retainer.

CLAS by Fred's vCISO Approach

We serve as your security advisor and governance partner:

  • Strategic security planning & architecture guidance.
  • Quarterly business reviews covering risk, compliance, and security maturity.
  • Policy maintenance and annual compliance audits.
  • Regulatory change monitoring (new healthcare privacy rules, cybersecurity insurance requirements, etc.).
  • Incident response planning and guidance when incidents occur.
  • MSP oversight (we review your IT vendor's work and hold them accountable to security standards).
  • Security awareness training strategy and curriculum development.
  • Priority advisory during business hours for urgent security questions or decisions.

Typical vCISO Engagement

Scope: Sovereign includes 8–12 hours of vCISO advisory per month, delivered flexibly (scheduled calls, email guidance, document review).

Structure: Monthly retainer. No overage fees. No surprises.

Duration: Steady, Resilient, Vanguard and Sovereign are 12-month agreements. Standalone vCISO engagements have a 6-month minimum.

Deliverables: Monthly status updates, quarterly business reviews, policy refreshes, training content, incident response plans.

What's Included in vCISO Retainer

Quarterly Business Reviews
Face-to-face review of compliance status, security posture, risk register, and strategic initiatives.
Monthly Status Updates
Brief email or call summarizing security activities, regulatory changes, and action items.
Compliance Calendar
We maintain a compliance tracking calendar (training due dates, audit windows, insurance renewals).
Policy Maintenance
Annual review and update of security policies. New policies written as needed.
MSP Oversight
We audit your IT vendor's work, confirm compliance standards are met, and escalate issues.
Incident Response Planning
We develop and update your incident response plan, run tabletop exercises, and guide response when incidents occur.

How vCISO Works in Practice

Month 1 (Kickoff): We review your current state, create a compliance roadmap, and establish monthly cadence.

Months 2–3 (Ongoing): Monthly 30-minute calls. Policy updates as needed. Monitoring regulatory changes.

Month 4 (Quarterly Review): 2-hour in-person or video business review. Discussion of compliance gaps, security maturity, upcoming priorities.

Months 5–12: Rinse and repeat. As your security maturity grows, vCISO time may shift to strategic initiatives (new certifications, vendor assessments, M&A security due diligence).

Who Needs vCISO?

  • Healthcare practices with 10–50 employees, HIPAA compliance obligations, no dedicated security role.
  • Professional services (law firms, accountancies, financial advisors) handling sensitive client data.
  • SMBs with regulated data (payroll, financial, customer lists) but no full-time CISO.
  • Organizations scaling beyond MSP support, needing strategic security leadership.
  • Companies pursuing ISO 27001 certification or other compliance frameworks requiring ongoing governance.

Why Partner With CLAS by Fred for vCISO

  • 20+ years as a CTO and security leader. Real-world experience in healthcare, SaaS, telecom, and enterprise environments.
  • Advisor-first mindset. We give honest assessments, not fearmongering or unnecessary upsells.
  • SMB perspective. We know what's realistic for a 10–50 person organization, not just enterprise practices.
  • Multilingual. Fluent in English, French, and Portuguese, helpful for Jacksonville's diverse business community.
  • Hands-on. We don't just advise; we help implement policies, manage audits, and support your team.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does vCISO cost?
Most practices choose a package by size: Resilient at $695/month (10–24 staff, semi-annual check-ins), Vanguard at $1,195/month (25–49 staff, 2–4 hours of advisory per month) or Sovereign at $1,995/month (50–100 staff, 8–12 hours of vCISO advisory and quarterly onsite check-ins). All are 12-month agreements. Organizations over 100 employees, or with custom needs, can engage a standalone vCISO from $2,500 to $5,000/month with a 6-month minimum. Need AI leadership instead? A fractional vCAIO (Chief AI Officer) starts at $2,500/month.
Do I still need an IT MSP if I have a vCISO?
Yes. vCISO and MSP serve different roles. MSP handles daily IT support (helpdesk, server maintenance, patching). vCISO handles security strategy, policy, compliance, and oversight. They work together.
Can vCISO help us get ISO 27001 certified?
Yes. We can implement ISO 27001 ISMS and maintain it as part of your vCISO retainer. Certification (third-party audit) is a separate service and timeline.
What if we have an incident?
Call us first during business hours (CLAS is not a 24/7 response service). We help you assess the incident, notify appropriate parties (OCR, law enforcement if needed), communicate with customers, and document findings. We coordinate with your IT vendor and legal counsel.
Can we hire you full-time later?
Yes. If you grow and want to transition to a full-time CISO, we can help with that transition or recommend candidates. But most SMBs find the vCISO model sustainable long-term.