Virtual CISO (vCISO)

A Chief Information Security Officer sets the strategy, owns the risk, and answers for security at board and client level. Most small businesses genuinely need that leadership — but can’t justify a full-time hire, often a six-figure one. A virtual CISO gives you the same senior expertise on a flexible retainer, for a fraction of the cost.

Security leadership, without the full-time hire

You get an experienced security lead on call — someone who takes the time to understand your business, owns your security roadmap, and is there when clients, insurers or auditors start asking the hard questions. No permanent headcount, no recruitment, just the right expertise when you need it.

What your vCISO does

Depending on where you are, that typically means:

• Set and own your security strategy and roadmap
• Identify, prioritise and track the risks that actually matter to you
• Put practical policies and processes in place — and keep them current
• Steer your Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001 and UK GDPR readiness
• Prepare you for client security questionnaires and insurer requirements
• Give you clear, board-ready reporting in plain English
• Make sure you’re ready to respond calmly if something does go wrong
• Keep an eye on the security of the suppliers and tools you rely on

Built for compliance-heavy sectors

If you’re a law firm, accountancy practice or clinic, your clients and regulators expect you to take security seriously — and increasingly ask you to prove it. A vCISO helps you meet UK GDPR, Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001 expectations, and turns “are you secure?” from an awkward question into a confident, evidenced yes.

How it works

We start with a conversation about where you are and what you need, then agree a simple monthly arrangement that scales with your business — a few days a month for most SMEs, more during a big project or audit. You get a named lead who builds real context over time, not a rotating team you have to re-brief every call.

Where it fits

Your vCISO works hand in hand with the rest of Secure Select. Many businesses begin with a free security check or an in-depth assessment, bring in vCISO oversight to steer the plan, and deploy SecureCore for the day-to-day managed protection underneath it. Strategy on top, technology beneath — one partner for both.

Security strategy · risk & compliance · board-ready reporting · a named lead