Virtual CISO Service
VIRTUAL CISO SERVICE
Senior Security Leadership.
Without the Full-Time Salary.
Get a dedicated, experienced CISO working for your business on a flexible, cost-effective basis. Strategic security governance, compliance leadership, and board-level reporting.
Does This Sound Familiar?
You know your business needs stronger cybersecurity leadership. Regulatory pressure is increasing, clients are asking tougher questions about your security posture, and the board wants reassurance that cyber risk is under control.
But hiring a full-time CISO is expensive. The average UK CISO salary exceeds £150,000 — before bonuses, benefits, and recruitment fees. For many growing businesses, that’s a significant commitment for a role that may not require five days a week.
That’s exactly where Armoryze’s Virtual CISO service fits in. You get the expertise. We handle the heavy lifting.
What is a Virtual CISO?
A Virtual CISO (vCISO) is a senior cybersecurity professional who works with your organisation on a part-time, retained, or project basis — delivering the same strategic leadership as an in-house CISO, but at a fraction of the cost.
Your Armoryze vCISO becomes a trusted extension of your team. They attend board meetings, shape your security strategy, drive compliance programmes, and ensure your organisation stays ahead of evolving threats — all without the overhead of a permanent C-suite hire.
What Your Armoryze vCISO Delivers
🛡️ Security Strategy & Roadmap
We assess where you are today and build a prioritised, business-aligned security roadmap. No generic templates — a strategy tailored to your risk profile, industry, and growth plans.
📊 Board-Level Reporting & Governance
Your vCISO translates complex security risks into clear, actionable boardroom language. Regular reporting gives your leadership team and stakeholders the visibility they need to make informed decisions.
✅ Compliance & Certification Leadership
From Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001 to GDPR, NIS 2, PCI DSS, and DORA — your vCISO drives your compliance programme from gap analysis through to certification, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
⚖️ Risk Assessment & Management
Identify, quantify, and prioritise your cyber risks. Your vCISO establishes a risk management framework that aligns with your business appetite and regulatory obligations.
🚨 Incident Response Planning
When a breach happens, preparation is everything. Your vCISO develops, tests, and refines your incident response plan so your team knows exactly what to do under pressure.
🏗️ Security Architecture Review
Your vCISO reviews your technology stack, cloud environments, and network architecture to identify gaps and recommend improvements — ensuring your defences match your risk exposure.
🔗 Vendor & Third-Party Risk Management
Your supply chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Your vCISO assesses vendor security postures, establishes due diligence processes, and manages third-party risk on your behalf.
🧑💻 Security Awareness & Culture
People remain the biggest attack vector. Your vCISO designs and champions a security awareness programme that turns your workforce into your first line of defence.
Who Is the vCISO Service For?
Armoryze’s Virtual CISO service is designed for organisations that need senior security leadership but aren’t ready — or don’t need — a full-time hire:
- Growing SMEs and mid-market companies that handle sensitive data or serve regulated clients but lack dedicated security leadership
- FinTech, SaaS, and technology companies scaling fast and needing to demonstrate security maturity to enterprise clients and investors
- Professional services firms (legal, accountancy, consultancy) that manage confidential client information
- Organisations pursuing certifications such as Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, or SOC 2 and needing senior guidance to get there
- Companies between CISOs — needing interim leadership to maintain momentum while recruiting a permanent hire
- Government supply chain contractors that must demonstrate robust security governance to win and retain public sector contracts
Why Choose Armoryze as Your vCISO Partner?
- Proven Expertise: Our vCISOs bring decades of combined experience across financial services, technology, healthcare, defence, and critical infrastructure sectors.
- Full-Stack Security Capability: Unlike standalone consultants, your vCISO is backed by Armoryze’s full team — penetration testers, cloud security engineers, SOC analysts, and compliance specialists — giving you access to an entire security department, not just one person.
- Certification Expertise: As an IASME-accredited certification body for Cyber Essentials and Trust AI Essentials, we don’t just advise on compliance — we certify it.
- Flexible Engagement Models: Choose from monthly retainers, fixed-day packages, or project-based engagements. Scale up or down as your needs evolve.
- UK-Based, London Headquartered: We understand the UK regulatory landscape — ICO, FCA, NCSC, and Cabinet Office requirements — inside out.
- Seamless Integration with Armoryze Services: Your vCISO can draw on our Managed Detection & Response, SIEM Monitoring, Penetration Testing, and Cloud Security services to execute the strategy they build — one partner, complete coverage.
How It Works
Getting started with your Armoryze Virtual CISO is straightforward:
vCISO vs Full-Time CISO: At a Glance
| Factor | Armoryze vCISO | Full-Time CISO |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cost | From £3,000/month | £150,000–£250,000+ |
| Time to Onboard | Days | 3–6 months recruitment |
| Breadth of Expertise | Full security team behind them | Single individual |
| Flexibility | Scale up/down as needed | Fixed cost commitment |
| Compliance Delivery | Strategy + certification in-house | Strategy only (outsources delivery) |
| Incident Response | Backed by Armoryze SOC & MDR | Relies on external partners |
| Risk to Business | Low — no single point of failure | High if they leave |
Frameworks & Standards We Cover
Your Armoryze vCISO has deep expertise across all major UK and international security frameworks:
- Cyber Essentials & Cyber Essentials Plus
- ISO 27001 & ISO 27701
- IASME Cyber Assurance
- Trust AI Essentials (AI Governance)
- NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF)
- GDPR & UK Data Protection Act 2018
- NIS 2 Directive
- PCI DSS v4.0
- DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act)
- NIST Cybersecurity Framework
- ISO 22301 (Business Continuity)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days per month does a vCISO work?
It depends on your needs. Most clients start with 2–4 days per month and adjust as priorities evolve. Some engagements increase during audit periods or compliance projects, then scale back once frameworks are established.
Will the vCISO attend our board meetings?
Absolutely. Board-level reporting is a core part of the service. Your vCISO will present risk dashboards, progress updates, and strategic recommendations directly to your board or executive committee.
Can the vCISO help us achieve Cyber Essentials or ISO 27001?
Yes — and this is where Armoryze’s model is uniquely powerful. Your vCISO designs the compliance strategy, and our in-house certification team can assess and certify you. One partner from strategy to certification.
What if we already have an IT team?
Your vCISO works alongside your existing IT team, not in competition with them. They provide the strategic direction and security governance that IT teams rarely have capacity to deliver while managing day-to-day operations.
Is this suitable for regulated industries?
Especially so. Our vCISOs have deep experience in financial services (FCA), healthcare (NHS/DSPT), defence, energy (NIS regulations), and legal sectors where regulatory scrutiny is highest.
How quickly can we get started?
Most engagements begin within 5–10 working days of signing. There’s no lengthy recruitment process — your vCISO is ready to hit the ground running.
Ready to Strengthen Your Security Leadership?
Don’t wait for a breach to expose a leadership gap. Book a free, no-obligation discovery call with an Armoryze vCISO today and find out how we can help you build a stronger, more resilient security posture — starting this week.
Book Your Free vCISO Consultation
Fill in your details and one of our vCISO experts will contact you within 24 hours.