What a Fractional CISO Actually Does (and When You Need One)

A full-time Chief Information Security Officer can cost several hundred thousand dollars a year. Most growing businesses need the judgment of a CISO long before they need a full-time one. That's the gap a fractional CISO fills.

What the role actually covers

A fractional CISO gives you senior security leadership on a retainer that fits your size. In practice, that means:

• Strategy — a prioritized security roadmap tied to your real risks, not a generic checklist.
• Governance — policies, access reviews, and vendor risk your customers and auditors expect.
• Compliance readiness — preparing for SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI, or CMMC without guesswork.
• Incident readiness — a plan for before something goes wrong, and a steady hand if it does.
• Board-ready reporting — translating technical risk into decisions leadership can act on.

Signs it's time to bring one in

1. A customer or insurer is asking for a security questionnaire or SOC 2 report.
2. You're handling sensitive data but nobody owns security.
3. You're growing fast and access has quietly sprawled.
4. You had a scare — a phishing hit, a near-miss — and want it to never happen again.

You don't have to choose between "no security leadership" and "a $300k hire." A fractional CISO is the middle path most businesses actually need.

What it costs

Our fractional CISO retainers start at $750/month, scoped to where you are today and adjusted as you grow.

---

Not sure whether you need one yet? That's a fine place to start. Book a free, no-pressure consultation and we'll tell you honestly.