Virtual CISO

With a UK Virtual CISO (vCISO), you not only get an expert cyber security leader for a fraction of the cost of a full-time CISO, but you also get an extended team of technical experts like a Cyber Security Architect.

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    24/7/365 security alerting and monitoring of your IT estate

    What is a Virtual CISO?

    A Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) is a senior cyber security leader retained on a fractional (i.e. not full time 5 days per week) managed service basis.

    They are provided by cyber security consultancies, designed to deliver specialist and flexible cyber security expertise and guidance, without the need to invest heavily in a full-time internal resource. This role is particularly valuable for organisations that may not have the need for a full-time CISO but still require cyber security leadership.

    A UK Virtual CISO (vCISO) not only ensures regulatory compliance, technical assurance and response to cyber incidents, but through innovative risk management, they also provide you with a competitive advantage.

    Challenges Addressed by a Virtual CISO

    Limited Funds

    You’re dedicated to securing your business but don’t have the bottomless pockets that big enterprises do. A Chief Information Security Officer is a senior resource and if recruited full time, can be very expensive (£170,000+ salary plus taxes, benefits and overheads).

    New To Cyber

    You are just getting started on your cyber security journey and couldn’t fully utilise an in-house cyber security team even if you wanted to. You know you are immature and recognise you first need to establish a strategy and some foundational controls first and foremost.

    Lack Of Expertise

    You are not currently of a size where you have a mature and sizeable internal cyber security team. Small to medium sized businesses often cannot afford or attract a full-time CISO with extensive experience and expertise.

    Independence

    Often in SMBs, the people who are asked to secure IT assets are those who have built it. This poses a conflict of interest which can create risk. Avoid ‘marking your own homework’ and seek an objective evaluation of your current posture.

    Unknown Strategic Direction

    The cyber security requirements of each organisation are different based on how they operate, what data they process, the technology they use. It can be easy to waste time and resource travelling down the wrong path – you want to head off in the right strategic direction first time round.

    A padlock on a graph denoting how cyber security can drive business growth

    Limiting Business Growth

    You’re a growing company and winning new client contracts is becoming increasingly dependent on being able to evidence your compliance. As you win bigger and bigger clients, they have greater expectations for your cyber security. You don’t want immature cyber security to hold up your growth.

    What Our Clients Say

    Chris Bayley
    CTO - Audley Travel
    Scott Switzer
    CTO - Ozone
    Mark Perrett
    Accounts Manager - PTS Consulting
    Tom Bennet
    CTO - Freshwave
    Chris Bayley
    CTO - Audley Travel
    Scott Switzer
    CTO - Ozone
    Mark Perrett
    Accounts Manager - PTS Consulting
    Tom Bennet
    CTO - Freshwave

    Benefits of a Virtual CISO

    Not only do we have the most qualified Virtual CISO team in the UK, we provide technical resources to ensure you have all the skillsets needed to secure your company.

    Much More Affordable

    Hiring a full-time CISO with an average salary of circa. £170,000 with tax, benefits, training and other overheads will cost £255,000 per year. A virtual CISO costs £32,000 – £86,000 per year – 7.9 times more affordable.

    Rapid Risk Reduction

    Your Virtual CISO will enable you to reduce your cyber security risks significantly in a short amount of time. We develop a cyber strategy and roadmap which defines the path to not only build cyber security maturity but also rapidly reduce your risk.

    Flexible & Scalable

    Building an in-house cyber team not only limits you to the knowledge of those individuals, but they require ongoing training and you’re unable to scale back without making redundancies. CyPro’s Virtual CISO service can be flexed (up or down) as required.

    Compliance Driven Revenue

    We help you achieve cyber certifications (ISO27001, SOC2, Cyber Essentials, etc.) which will both help you onboard new clients quicker, and enable you to win bigger and bigger contracts.

    Reduce Operating Costs

    A virtual CISO service reduces your business insurance premiums, it saves on operational downtime of systems and avoids the cost of a data breach itself (currently at an average of £3.4 million).

    Secure your business.

    Elevate your security, accelerate your growth. We take care of cyber security for high-growth companies, at every stage of their journey.

    Get in Touch
    Contact Us

    Case Study: UK Telecoms Provider

    Client Challenge

    Following a private equity buyout, a UK telecoms provider had grown rapidly, acquiring 5 businesses within 18 months.

    The amalgamation of technologies, cultures and risk appetites left the client with a complex IT environment and a need to rapidly align the separate businesses to a common cyber security standard.

    Our Approach

    CyPro deployed our Virtual CISO service, implementing a blended team including expertise in the telecommunications sector:

    • Senior Virtual CISO: Provided strategic cyber security leadership, helping to reassure senior stakeholders and define a strategy and roadmap that set them off on a path to success.
    • Telco Security Architect: Technical resource who helped design and integrate secure systems across the merged entities.
    • Regulations Expert: Ensuring on-going compliance with certifications and standards.

    Our approach included:

    • Policy & Standards: Defined foundational documentation to evidence security and privacy governance across the organisation.
    • Cyber Maturity Assessment: Conducted across the entire business to evaluate current practices and identify strengths.
    • Incident Response Plans: Should an incident occur, the client needed to be prepared on how to recover and so a cyber incident response plan and runbooks were created.
    • Cyber Roadmap: A cyber maturity assessment identified control weaknesses that formed the creation of a 5 year cyber roadmap.
    CyPro rocket launching off technology

    Value Delivered

    Certifications

    Obtained ISO27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus in 4 months, enabling public sector procurement success.

    Risk Reduction

    Greatly reduced security risk, giving board members and investors confidence in operational practices.

    Cultural Shift

    Staff started proactively reporting security incidents, ensuring potential breaches were contained early.

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    Who Needs a Virtual CISO?

    Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) services offer businesses the strategic leadership of a seasoned security executive without the cost and commitment of a full-time hire.

    • SMBs With Limited Resources: Smaller businesses often cannot afford a dedicated cyber security team but still face serious threats. A Virtual CISO enables them to access high-quality security services and expertise affordably.
    • Companies Experiencing Rapid Expansion: Organisations going through fast growth, mergers, or acquisitions need their security capabilities to scale in line with their commercial growth. A Virtual CISO helps businesses scale their security solutions as their operations grow.
    • Industries Prone To Cyber Attacks: Sectors like finance, healthcare, and telecoms face frequent cyber threats and require continuous security measures. Virtual CISO’s provide robust, ongoing risk management and quick incident response capabilities.
    • Firms Embracing Digital Innovation: Companies transitioning to cloud services or adopting new technologies can use a Virtual CISO service to ensure compliant integration with existing IT infrastructure. For example, an e-Commerce company expanding its suite of software products can establish a secure development process that ensures new products are secure from the outset.
    • Businesses With Strict Compliance Obligations: Organisations subject to stringent regulatory requirements, such as the UK Data Protection Act, European GDPR or US HIPAA, can meet these standards with a vCISO, freeing internal resources to focus on core operational activities.

     

    Who Doesn’t Need a vCISO?

    • Businesses With Limited IT Infrastructure: Companies with minimal reliance on digital operations or those that do not process personal data may see little benefit in vCISO. For example, a small local butcher that operates offline and doesn’t store customer information might not require such cyber security services.
    • Large Corporations With Established Security Departments: Organisations that have long invested in a mature in-house cyber security team, with advanced cyber security infrastructure may find vCISO surplus to requirement. For instance, a FTSE 100 company with a cyber security team of over 20 people likely has the resources and expertise to manage their security needs independently.
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    Our Approach

    Our Virtual CISO service provides a blended team of cyber security experts to ensure you have the right skillsets covering cyber strategy, risk management, security operations, incident response and security culture.

    Initial Discovery

    We begin with a series of in-depth consultations to gain a clear understanding of your business goals, current security posture and unique technological requirements. This enables us to customise our Virtual CISO service and align our approach with your organisational objectives from the outset.

    Structured Onboarding

    We craft a detailed onboarding plan that outlines key steps, timelines and responsibilities. This introduces the core CyPro team members and the necessary tools to deliver the service. This structured approach ensures a seamless integration into your business operations.

    Commence Service

    We will mobilise and commence all sub-services within the Virtual CISO offering, namely: Governance & Cyber Strategy, Security Awareness & Training, Regulatory Compliance & Certification, Incident Response & Recovery and Security Enhancements.

    Cyber Assessment

    We conduct a cyber maturity assessment against a blended controls framework which includes Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, NIST and CIS18. This evaluates your current state, defines your current state and crafts a roadmap to transition you to your defined target state.

    Risk Mitigation

    Our team collaborates closely with your IT and operational staff to establish regular risk management and mitigation controls. We maintain regular tracking and provide monthly and quarterly reports to ensure comprehensive oversight and support, fostering a proactive security culture.

    Implement New Controls

    We continuously review and refine your security measures to stay ahead of emerging cyber threats. This includes regular assessments, penetration testing, updates to protocols, and the adoption of new technologies, ensuring your security framework remains robust and adaptive.

    Continuous Improvement

    We regularly review and update your security measures to ensure they remain effective against emerging threats. This includes periodic assessments, penetration tests and implementation of new technologies. This ensures you evolve with the threat landscape, maintaining high levels of protection at all times.

    Scale & Grow

    Our Virtual CISO service is designed to scale with your business. Whether you’re expanding geographically, increasing your workforce, or integrating new technologies, our services scale to meet your changing business requirements, ensuring continuous protection and support.

    Secure your business.

    Elevate your security, accelerate your growth. We take care of cyber security for high-growth companies, at every stage of their journey.

    Get in Touch
    Cypro Virtual CISO service

    Your Team

    Headshot of Jonny Pelter, leading cyber security expert in the UK and CISO

    Jonny Pelter

    Jonny is a Founding Partner at CyPro and executive group level CISO who has worked closely with the British intelligence agencies NCSC and GCHQ.

    Originating from KPMG and Deloitte, Jonny has a wealth of experience across numerous sectors including technology, critical national infrastructure, financial services, oil & gas, insurance, betting, pharmaceuticals and utilities.

    Jonny is a leading cyber security expert in the UK, having featured on national media for his professional commentary such as BBC News, iPlayer, Telegraph and Times Radio.

    Additional Consultants

    Jamie Whitcombe-Smith - Virtual Chief Information Security officer

    Jamie Whitcombe-Jones

    vCISO

    Jamie is a distinguished executive-level CISO with a wealth of experience, having held prominent positions at Thomas Cook, Centrica, Bupa, and Allianz. He has been in cyber security industry for nearly 20 years with experience across most industry sectors and specialises in cyber advisory services to founders and CEOs of cyber start-ups and high-growth companies.

    In every role, Jamie demonstrates a balance of empathy and efficiency, ensuring that both customers and fellow colleagues thrive throughout cyber security transformations and change initiatives. He is passionate about revolutionising the cyber security industry through innovative approaches that maximise value from limited budgets.

    Jamie excels at empowering businesses and individuals to thrive while safeguarding their assets, reputation, and customers. His strategic vision and dedication make him a pivotal part of our Cyber Security as a Service team.

    Rob McBride Headshot - CyPro Partner and leading cyber security expert

    Rob McBride

    Partner

    Rob leads our Cyber-Security-as-a-Service offering at CyPro and is a highly experienced CISO. Starting his career with a successful tenure at Deloitte, Rob has since built a distinguished career in cyber security, notably advising multinational corporations on their cyber resilience and leading security initiatives for financial institutions.

    At CyPro, Rob leverages his extensive experience as a CISO across multiple industries including finance, telecommunication, travel, manufacturing, and energy. He is passionate about empowering small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with cutting-edge cyber security solutions to safeguard their operations and drive sustainable growth.

    Rob’s expertise and strategic vision are instrumental in delivering tailored, comprehensive security services to our diverse client base.

    Headshot of James Leaton-Gray - Data Protection Expert and vDPO

    James Leaton Gray

    vDPO

    James is a seasoned virtual DPO (Virtual Data Protection Officer) and renowned UK expert in data protection and privacy, with over three decades of experience at the BBC. As the former Head of Information Policy and Compliance, he was instrumental in shaping the organisation’s data protection strategies and ensuring adherence to privacy regulations.

    James helps organisations navigate complex data protection landscapes, especially where they operate in multiple jurisdictions with overlapping data protection laws. His extensive experience and deep understanding of information governance make him a highly trusted advisor in the field of data privacy.

    vCISO Balazs Iszo at our offices

    Balazs Izso

    vCISO

    Balazs is a seasoned cyber security executive with extensive experience in the financial services sector. He has held pivotal roles at leading financial institutions, including HSBC and Barclays, where he was instrumental in developing and implementing comprehensive security strategies.

    Balazs has a strong background in managing large-scale security operations and has been actively involved in shaping industry standards and best practices. His expertise encompasses risk management, threat intelligence, and regulatory compliance, making him a respected authority in the field of cyber security.

    Comparison: Virtual CISO vs Cyber Security as a Service

    If deciding between a virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) and Cyber Security as a Service (CSaaS), below is a comparison to help you determine which service is best for your organisation.

    Cyber security project managers

    Virtual CISO

    • A dedicated executive-level CISO.
    • Cost-Effective – since you only purchase the capacity required, which can be used on demand and spread over the month.
    • Flexible – easier than Full Time Employees (FTEs) to scale up/down in response to changes in demand & capacity.
    • Operational Security – will leave some gaps in day-to-day operational security (as a vCISO is a senior executive level resource), such as security testing, alerting, vulnerability scanning, incident response, etc. which requires a broader technical team (see CSaaS – right).
    • Who Is This Best For? Organisations who are in need of early strategic direction and/or have ample internal resources to implement and operate security controls.
    Continuous security as part of a cyber-as-a-service proposition

    Cyber Security as a Service

    • Team of experienced cyber security professionals, led by a dedicated vCISO and including a Cyber Security Manager and Security Operations Manager.
    • Highly Scalable – the service level can grow in line with yours without significant jumps in costs.
    • Includes Security Monitoring & Alerting – monitoring and responding to suspicious events enables you to meet your 72hr reporting obligation to the ICO.
    • Who Is This Best For? Organisations with limited internal capacity/resources that still seek to mature their security controls, reduce operational security risk and achieve security certification such as Cyber Essentials, SOC 2 or ISO 27001.

    Frequently Asked Questions

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