Service Overview
Visual Edge IT's Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) service provides organizations with executive-level security leadership and expertise without the cost of a full-time CISO. Our vCISO service delivers strategic guidance, operational oversight, and regulatory compliance support through dedicated security professionals who become an extension of your team. By implementing a comprehensive security program tailored to your organization's specific needs and risk profile, our vCISO services help establish, maintain, and mature your cybersecurity posture.
Available in three tiered service levels—Essentials, Foundation, and Premium—Visual Edge IT's vCISO services scale to meet the specific security requirements, compliance needs, and risk management objectives of organizations across all industries.
Service Tiers
Visual Edge IT offers three comprehensive vCISO service tiers to address varying security maturity levels and organizational needs:
| Service Tier | Focus Area | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | Foundational security oversight and incident response | Organizations beginning their security journey or with limited security resources |
| Foundation | Comprehensive risk management and security monitoring | Organizations with established security practices seeking to enhance their posture |
| Premium | Advanced security testing, compliance, and executive reporting | Organizations with complex security requirements or regulated industries |
Key Benefits
- Executive Security Leadership: Access to experienced security professionals providing strategic guidance
- Cost Efficiency: Fractional CISO services at a fraction of the cost of a full-time executive
- Risk Reduction: Identification and remediation of security vulnerabilities and compliance gaps
- Regulatory Compliance: Expert guidance on meeting industry-specific regulatory requirements
- Incident Preparedness: Development of incident response procedures and access to emergency support
- Security Maturity Development: Continuous improvement of security controls and processes
- Board and Leadership Reporting: Clear communication of security posture to executive stakeholders
- Vendor Management: Assistance with security evaluations of third-party providers
Service Components
Strategic Security Leadership
| Feature | Essentials | Foundation | Premium | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly vCISO Consultation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Regular meetings with your dedicated security advisor to review security posture and priorities |
| Security Roadmap Development | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Creation and maintenance of strategic security improvement plans |
| Executive Reporting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Clear, business-focused security status updates for leadership |
| Policy Development & Review | Limited | Enhanced | Comprehensive | Creation and maintenance of security policies and procedures |
| Security Awareness Program Guidance | Basic | Standard | Advanced | Recommendations for employee security education initiatives |
Security Assessment & Monitoring
| Feature | Essentials | Foundation | Premium | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline Infrastructure Security Review | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Initial evaluation of security controls and configuration |
| IT Security Risk Assessment | ✓ | ✓ | Comprehensive evaluation of security risks with remediation roadmap | |
| General Security & Compliance Review | ✓ | ✓ | Assessment against industry frameworks with Security Maturity Score | |
| Vulnerability Assessment | ✓ | Technical scanning and analysis of system vulnerabilities | ||
| External & Internal Penetration Testing | ✓ | Simulated attacks to identify exploitable weaknesses | ||
| Office 365 Audit/Hardening | ✓ | Security review and enhancement of Microsoft 365 environment |
Threat Intelligence & Monitoring
| Feature | Essentials | Foundation | Premium | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Web Scan | One-time | Ongoing | Ongoing | Monitoring for compromised credentials and sensitive information |
| Public Website Scan | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Security evaluation of public-facing web assets |
| Email Domain Health Check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Analysis of email security configurations and vulnerabilities |
| Third-Party Risk Monitoring | Limited | Enhanced | Ongoing assessment of vendor and partner security risks |
Incident Response & Business Continuity
| Feature | Essentials | Foundation | Premium | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incident Response Team Access | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 30-minute response time to security incidents |
| Incident Response Planning | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Development of incident response procedures and playbooks |
| Tabletop Exercises | Optional | 1/year | Simulated incident scenarios to test response capabilities | |
| Business Continuity Guidance | Limited | Enhanced | Recommendations for maintaining operations during incidents |
Compliance & Insurance Support
| Feature | Essentials | Foundation | Premium | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regulatory Compliance Guidance | Basic | Standard | Advanced | Support for industry-specific compliance requirements |
| Cyber Insurance Consulting | ✓ | Assistance with insurance applications and policy requirements | ||
| Evidence Collection & Documentation | Limited | Standard | Comprehensive | Compilation of security documentation for audits and assessments |
| Compliance Framework Mapping | Optional | ✓ | Alignment of controls with relevant frameworks (NIST, ISO, etc.) |
Tier Comparison
| Feature | Essentials | Foundation | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly vCISO Cybersecurity Review & Consultation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Incident Response Team Access (30-min Response) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Incident Response Planning | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dark Web Scan/Monitoring | One-time Scan | Ongoing Monitoring | Ongoing Monitoring |
| Public Website Scan | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Email Domain Health Check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Baseline Infrastructure Security Review | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| IT Security Risk Assessment | ✓ | ✓ | |
| General Security & Compliance Review with Maturity Score | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Vulnerability Assessment | ✓ | ||
| External & Internal Penetration Testing | ✓ | ||
| Cyber Insurance Consulting & Policy Assistance | ✓ | ||
| Office 365 Audit/Hardening | ✓ | ||
| Onboarding Services* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Contract Term | 3-Year Commitment | 3-Year Commitment | 3-Year Commitment |
- Pursuant to separate Installment Payment Agreement
Implementation & Onboarding
The vCISO service begins with a comprehensive onboarding process:
- Initial Security Assessment: Evaluation of current security posture and immediate risks
- Security Roadmap Development: Creation of prioritized improvement plan based on findings
- Policy and Documentation Review: Analysis of existing security policies and procedures
- Stakeholder Interviews: Discussions with key personnel to understand business priorities
- Security Tool Assessment: Evaluation of existing security technologies and capabilities
- Baseline Security Scans: Initial dark web, vulnerability, and/or penetration testing as applicable
- Calendar Establishment: Scheduling of regular vCISO consultations and deliverables
- Documentation Repository Setup: Creation of secure storage for security documentation
- Reporting Framework Development: Establishment of executive and technical reporting templates
Visual Edge IT Responsibilities
As your Virtual CISO provider, Visual Edge IT will:
- Assign a dedicated security professional with relevant industry experience
- Conduct scheduled monthly security reviews and consultations
- Perform all included assessments, scans, and tests according to service tier
- Develop and maintain security documentation appropriate to your organization
- Provide strategic security guidance aligned with business objectives
- Monitor the threat landscape for relevant security developments
- Deliver incident response support when security events occur
- Create and present executive reports on security posture and progress
- Recommend security improvements and assist with prioritization
- Offer guidance on security vendor selection and management
- Support regulatory compliance initiatives as specified in your service tier
Client Responsibilities
To ensure program success, clients are responsible for:
- Designating a primary point of contact for vCISO communications
- Providing necessary access for security assessments and testing
- Participating in scheduled security review meetings
- Implementing recommended security improvements (with Visual Edge IT assistance as needed)
- Promptly reporting suspected security incidents
- Sharing relevant business changes that may impact security requirements
- Reviewing and approving security policies and procedures
- Supporting the development of a security-conscious organizational culture
- Maintaining the three-year service commitment
Reporting & Deliverables
The vCISO service includes various reports and deliverables based on service tier:
- Monthly Security Reviews: Summaries of security status, incidents, and priorities
- Security Assessments: Detailed findings from risk assessments and security testing
- Security Roadmaps: Prioritized improvement plans with timelines and resource requirements
- Incident Response Plans: Documented procedures for responding to security events
- Executive Briefings: Board and leadership-level summaries of security posture
- Compliance Documentation: Evidence and artifacts supporting regulatory requirements
- Security Metrics: Key performance indicators tracking security program maturity
- Policy Documentation: Security policies, standards, and procedures as applicable to tier
Why Choose Visual Edge IT's vCISO Service?
- Expertise on Demand: Access to seasoned security professionals with diverse industry experience
- Consistent Leadership: Dedicated security advisor who becomes familiar with your business
- Flexible Scaling: Service tiers that grow with your security maturity and business needs
- Cost Effectiveness: Executive-level security guidance at a fraction of a full-time CISO salary
- Business Alignment: Security strategies tailored to your specific industry and risk profile
- Comprehensive Approach: Integration of people, process, and technology considerations
- Continuous Improvement: Ongoing maturation of your security program and posture
Integration with Visual Edge IT Services
The vCISO service complements other Visual Edge IT security and managed services:
- Enhanced SentinelOne (endpoint protection)
- Exium SASE (network security)
- Acronis Advanced Email Security
- Breach Secure Now (security awareness training)
- Total IT Management services
Getting Started
For more information about Visual Edge IT's vCISO services or to schedule a security assessment, contact your Visual Edge IT Account Manager or reach our security team .
Visual Edge IT's Virtual CISO service provides expert security leadership that helps your organization navigate today's complex threat landscape while supporting business objectives and regulatory compliance.
Note: All vCISO service tiers require a three-year commitment. Onboarding services are subject to a separate Installment Payment Agreement.