Traditional cybersecurity leadership is expensive, hard to hire, and even more difficult to retain. 62% of cybersecurity leaders report feeling burned out, largely due to pressure to work late nights, unrealistic expectations, feelings of isolation, low team morale, and the risk that security incidents will negatively impact their reputation and career. They're overburdened, overworked, and responding to a tremendous amount of pressure.
Additionally, 46% of organizations have unfilled entry-level security positions, potentially signaling a reluctance to enter the field. Cybersecurity positions are already challenging, and may become even more difficult in the future. Cyber threats are getting more aggressive, sophisticated, and financially devastating.
Enter Virtual Chief Information Security Officers (vCISOs) as a solution. vCISOs are highly skilled, outsourced security experts in a flexible, cost-effective model that's rapidly gaining traction.
What is a vCISO?
A vCISO is a security expert or team of experts who provide leadership, guidance, and advice to an organization. They're typically not full-time and may even support an internal CISO. vCISOs provide strategic direction at the highest business level, from ensuring data protection to implementing cyber risk management processes and streamlining an upcoming audit.
For fast-moving companies or small businesses, vCISOs are a smart alternative for developing a robust cybersecurity program without incurring excessive overhead.
Strategic Benefits of vCISOs
The virtual CISO model is becoming increasingly attractive due to the growing demand for robust cybersecurity leadership. With increasingly sophisticated and financially damaging cyberattacks, virtual CISOs are even more crucial. This flexible model also reduces an organization's risk of wasting time on recruiting, onboarding, and ramping up an executive-level security leader.
Cost-Efficiency
A traditional CISO is probably one of the top three highest-paid executives in your business. The average annual salary of a CISO often exceeds $300,000, with a base salary, bonus, and perks; the high range could be close to $400,000 per year. If you simply don't have the budget, you're not alone. Many small businesses can't afford close to half a million dollars for one individual.
Instead, a fractional CISO is extremely cost-efficient while delivering exceptional value.
Scalable
Full-time, traditional CISOs are already working long hours, weekends, and late nights. It's extremely difficult for them to increase bandwidth when they're already at max capacity, but sometimes, your business needs a short sprint.
vCISOs are scalable, flexible experts who can also provide short-term support to an in-house CISO. Maybe an upcoming compliance audit is off track, or risk management needs a relentless focus. Either way, vCISOs are ideal solutions for specific cybersecurity projects.
Cross-Industry Expertise
Traditional advice suggests looking for security leadership within your industry, and that's not wrong. However, there are benefits to working in different environments, under different regulations, and with different challenges. vCISOs have cross-industry expertise and might bring in the best solution from a completely different vertical. For example, a financial services business might benefit from a vCISO who worked with a healthcare company on data protection. A small business may receive valuable advice from a vCISO's hands-on security implementation within a giant retailer.
How to Leverage vCISOs
Businesses leverage vCISO services for remote, fractional, or project-based work in the following situations:
- Limited staff and staffing options
- Limited budget for full-time hires
- Difficulty in creating a long-term cybersecurity roadmap
- Too little time or resources invested in recruiting
- Intense demand for effective cybersecurity from customers or the Board of Directors
More companies are opting for vCISO services to proactively manage risk, align cybersecurity with business goals, and leverage security as a strategic advantage. Evaluate prospective agencies or candidates with this vetting criteria:
- Look for experience within your industry, technology stack, and existing security frameworks
- Analyze work style and collaboration to ensure cultural fit
- Assess executive communication through a real-life world case study or presentation
- Consider flexibility, scalability, and budget
Vistrada's Unique vCISO Service Offering
Vistrada equips top organizations with strategic advisory and execution services in cybersecurity, risk management, and IT transformation. Instead of a single individual, Vistrada creates a coordinated team to deliver deep industry expertise and practical, hands-on implementation. This delivers more technical and leadership depth at a fraction of the price.
Depending on your specific cybersecurity program goals, Vistrada builds a strong cybersecurity "bench" to support security awareness training, phishing simulations, compliance audits, long-term program development, and more. Turn cyber risk into a competitive advantage with strategic cybersecurity leadership.
Contact Vistrada today for a discovery call or consultation to see if vCISO services are the right fit for your business.
