The CISO as a service model allows organizations to reap the benefits of an in-house CISO without the need to make a full-time hire. This model can be particularly helpful for startups and small to mid-sized companies that need CISO-level guidance but may not have the resources or demand for a full-time executive.
CISO As A Service: Definition
Terms like “Fractional CISO” and “vCISO” (Virtual CISO) are often used interchangeably with CISO as a service. They all refer to the same concept: Providing part-time or on-demand security leadership tailored to the needs of your business.
With this service model, companies can outsource the role of a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to an external expert rather than hire a full-time executive. Whether in-house or outsourced, CISOs provide the guidance and expertise needed to manage your security and compliance needs.
What Will Your CISO Do For You?
There is a vast range of services your CISO can provide, depending on your industry, your compliance needs, and the scope of service offered by the provider.
Here are just some of the services the CISO as a service model may include:
- Fill out security questionnaires on your behalf
- Risk management and audit management
- Vulnerability management and monitoring
- Security and data privacy training services
- Human resources security services
- Employee access management services
- Fully managed compliance and managed security services
- Vendor management and vendor risk mitigation
At Rhymetec, depending on which level of service you select, our CISOs will accomplish all of the above. We work with many organizations that leverage a compliance automation tool for their compliance needs. If using compliance automation, our team can help deploy it and enable you to maximize your use of your selected compliance automation platform.
For audits such as SOC 2, your CISO will create SOC 2 policies for you and help you select the right SOC 2 trust services criteria for your business. We will fully prepare you for audits that align with your industry standards, such as a PCI audit if relevant to your organization, and conduct gap assessments to identify areas for improvement.
For these items and more, your CISO acts as your go-to resource for all security, compliance, and data privacy matters.
Do You Need CISO As A Service?
If your organization lacks in-house security leadership or if you struggle to keep up with compliance requirements, CISO as a service could be just what you need. This model is ideal if you are:
- A startup without the resources for a full-time CISO hire.
- Under pressure to meet compliance goals and need to fast-track the process.
- Looking for a permanent CISO but need to fill the position temporarily.
- Experiencing rapid growth, expanding operations, or going through due diligence for funding rounds or go-to-market strategies.
Startups entering regulated marketplaces such as healthcare or finance often face pressure to be able to demonstrate their compliance through certifications and attestation reports. In these cases, a CISO helps you build a compliance framework from the ground up, so you can focus on your business.
If you’re running a SaaS company and pursuing SOC 2 certification to meet customer demands, a CISO can guide you in setting up the right controls and policies. They can walk you through each phase of a SOC 2 readiness assessment, fully preparing you for your official audit.
For companies experiencing rapid growth and expanding operations, security risk and regulatory requirements change. A CISO can enable you to scale your security program in line with your business growth.
If you find you’re handling frequent security questionnaires from clients or going through due diligence for funding rounds, a CISO manages these requests, lightening the load on your team and improving your security posture. If your company has experienced a security incident, a CISO can help develop incident response policies and prevent future breaches.
CISO As a Service Pricing Models
CISO as a service pricing depends on which model you select.
A project-based engagement (where your CISO will perform a one-time task such as a security audit or gap assessment) ranges from $10,000 to $50,000.
Hourly pricing, which may make sense for organizations that require occasional support but don’t want a long-term contract, typically costs $200 – $500 per hour.
For a monthly retainer model, which provides the most comprehensive ongoing support and continuous access to your CISO, fees range from $5,000 – $20,000 per month.
For more detailed information on pricing models, how they compare to in-house options, and how Rhymetec structures our pricing, check out our vCISO Pricing blog post.
Job Requirements and Qualifications
A CISO should bring a strong blend of technical knowledge and leadership experience.
At a minimum, the vCISO role requires a deep understanding of security frameworks like SOC 2, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and ISO 27001, along with the ability to implement these standards across various industries. You should seek out someone who is well-versed in managing risk, developing security policies, and leading incident response efforts.
Beyond technical expertise, your CISO should also have strong communication skills to engage with both technical teams and business stakeholders. They’ll need to be able to present security issues in a way that drives decision-making at the executive level. Experience leading tabletop exercises, phishing simulations, and security training is an important requirement for the job.
Lastly, a qualified CISO will typically hold certifications like CISSP, CISM, or CISA. A background in governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) and knowledge of regulatory requirements relevant to specific industries coupled with certifications poise them to manage the security challenges your organization faces.
Advantages of the CISO As a Service Model
CISO as a service is a popular option for several reasons.
The model offers many advantages, particularly for startups and companies experiencing rapid growth. It provides access to experienced security leadership without the cost of hiring a full-time executive. You get the expertise you need, tailored to your organization’s size and budget.
Flexibility is another key benefit. You can scale the level of support as your business grows or as your compliance requirements change. This allows you to address security and compliance issues on demand without committing to a long-term, fixed-cost resource.
The CISO as a service model brings immediate benefits when preparing for audits or responding to client security requests. As previously discussed, you gain access to a broad range of security services, from policy development to incident response planning, all managed by a dedicated expert who prioritizes fitting security strategies into your unique business needs. An outsourced CISO also eliminates the risk of turnover and retention if bringing someone in-house and full-time.
Lastly, many CISO as a service providers will give you access not only to one highly skilled individual, but to an entire team of security experts with experience across a vast range of disciplines.
In Conclusion: Selecting the Right CISO As a Service Provider For Your Organization
By leveraging the CISO as a service model, you gain access to the security and compliance leadership needed to meet industry standards and client expectations without the overhead of building an internal security team.
Whether you need assistance developing a security program from the ground up, need help preparing for audits, or need guidance on how to respond to security incidents, a fractional or vCISO fills these needs perfectly without the commitment of a full-time hire.
About Rhymetec
Our mission is to make cutting-edge cybersecurity available to SaaS companies and startups. We’ve worked with hundreds of companies to provide practical security solutions tailored to their needs, enabling them to be secure and compliant while balancing security with budget. We enable our clients to outsource the complexity of security and focus on what really matters – their business. Contact us today to get started.
About The Author: Metin Kortak, CISO
Metin Kortak is the Chief Information Security Officer at Rhymetec. Metin began his career working in IT security and gained extensive knowledge of compliance and data privacy frameworks such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI, FedRAMP, NIST 800-53, GDPR, CCPA, HITRUST and HIPAA. He joined Rhymetec to build data privacy and compliance as a service offering. Under Metin’s leadership, these offerings have grown to more than 200 customers, positioning the company as a leading SaaS security service provider in the industry.