Virtual CISO (vCISO) Advisory Services

Our Virtual CISO (vCISO) services help a company’s executives as well as its security and technology teams safeguard information assets and enhance business operations with augmented cyber expertise, reducing risk, signaling a commitment to data security, and enhancing the overall security posture.

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FAQs

In the current cyber security environment, there is simply too much at stake for companies – regardless of industry – to not employ a chief information security officer (CISO). A data security leader brings both technical expertise and corporate governance experience to help the company build a strong cyber security foundation and develop the necessary agility to prevent, detect and mitigate evolving threats.

Kroll’s team of experts include seasoned former CISOs from a variety of industries with the technical expertise to enhance the capabilities of an existing staff, set strategic objectives to support business-critical technology demands and balance IT administration. They can also establish clear lines of communication with board members, investors and government agencies.

Whether a company needs an interim CISO, additional resources to support the current CISO or a longer-term arrangement, Kroll’s Virtual CISO Advisory Services provide the leadership companies need, when they need it.

A vCISO from Kroll will bring the technical expertise, business acumen and communication skills to make an immediate impact. The experts on our team have experience in a broad range of industries, working for companies of various sizes. From Day 1, they will work to align effective information security strategies with the company’s unique needs and challenges. Services and offerings include:

Setting and/or directing the implementation of privacy and security policies, standards, procedures and guidelines
Managing and directing information security teams
Engaging with the company’s management
Performing risk assessments on operational security
Relaying threat intelligence and managing enterprise security
Crisis management

Virtual CISO

Sample high-level security strategy outline

Kroll’s Virtual CISO Advisory Services Help You Prepare, Protect and Strengthen Defenses

We tailor our vCISO Advisory Services to the client’s specific situation and information security needs. While they have several options regarding the scope and duration of services, vCISO clients typically see benefits in four areas:

Strategy Definition

Guiding executives across business function and IT, a Kroll vCISO can help a company identify business threats, provide a baseline for existing security programs and set security strategy in line with business objectives and technology capabilities.

Our phased approach ensures the implementation of an effective and efficient strategy that leverages NIST 800-53 and can be mapped to multiple cyber regulations (e.g., PCI, GDPR, FINRA, NYDFS, and HIPAA).

Strategic Virtual CISO Services & Interim CISO

Assessment

Kroll’s vCISO can evaluate a company’s culture, processes and technologies from a security governance perspective to develop plans and prioritize actions to effectively manage the company’s information security strategy. Assessments may include:

Interviews with members of the technical, business and executive teams as well as gathering documentation
Substantive reviews of the company’s progress and performance in a variety of areas, including information asset management, acceptable use policies, data classification, threat and vulnerability management and third-party management

Oversight

Using the assessment findings, Kroll’s vCISO can provide varying levels of ongoing support in several different areas, including:

Developing policies and procedures to close gaps in documentation
Creating a remediation plan with actionable, prioritized recommendations
Implementing the remediation plan
Providing ongoing – but less intensive – strategic guidance to assist the organization in maintaining long-term goals

Training

Security awareness is an important part of maintaining an effective program. A vCISO can recommend and help implement training for every level of user group within an organization. This might range from the highly technical (e.g., secure coding practices) to general data handling to combating business email compromise. The vCISO can also oversee controlled phishing campaigns, conducted by Kroll, to ascertain security awareness among employees.

IT Environment Security Design

For organizations looking to build from the ground up, Kroll’s vCISO can provide a company’s security team with the configuration guides and network designs that are necessary to harden a security system. This will also include multiple security protections and incident monitoring controls.

Virtual CISOs Bring Experience, Expertise, Leadership

Kroll’s vCISO services draw on the experience of former CISOs from a variety of industries—from professional services firms to multinational conglomerates and almost everything in between. They offer a valuable blend of technical, executive and organizational experience and are among the most accomplished technical experts in any field. Our vCISOs are supported by a global, multidisciplinary team that includes former agents from UK Intelligence, Interpol, FBI and U.S. Secret Service, among other key law enforcement agencies. The team also features former information technology and security executives, digital forensic scientists, intelligence analysts, and regulatory specialists across a wide range of industries. This high-caliber team can put virtually any company’s information security program on the maturity fast track.

Finding an experienced, well-qualified CISO to work in-house in today’s competitive information security job market can be challenging, time-consuming and expensive. For companies that need a CISO now, Kroll’s Virtual CISO Advisory Services are a perfect option at the perfect time.

Talk to a Kroll Expert

Kroll is ready to help, 24x7. Use the links on this page to explore our services further or speak to a Kroll expert today via our 24x7 cyber hotlines or our contact page.

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Application Security Services

Kroll’s product security experts upscale your AppSec program with strategic application security services catered to your team’s culture and needs, merging engineering and security into a nimble unit.

Application Security Services

Optimized Third-Party Cyber Risk Management Programs

Manage risk, not spreadsheets. Identify and remediate cybersecurity risks inherent in third-party relationships, helping achieve compliance with regulations such as NYDFS, FARS, GDPR, etc.

Optimized Third-Party Cyber Risk Management Programs

CFIUS Compliance and Review

Helping organizations manage CFIUS, Team Telecom and FOCI requirements.

CFIUS Compliance and Review

Incident Response Tabletop Exercises

Kroll’s field-proven incident response tabletop exercise scenarios are customized to test all aspects of your response plan and mature your program.

Incident Response Tabletop Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

A virtual chief information security officer (“virtual CISO” or “vCISO”) is a specialist information security professional that organizations can call on for support with planning and executing an effective cybersecurity strategy. Virtual CISOs provide vital security experience, expertise and leadership to companies as and when they need it.