Fractional CISO
Your security program needs an owner. Not a full-time hire.
A Chief Information Security Officer embedded in your leadership team, accountable for strategy, compliance and risk posture.
Most professional services firms cannot justify a full-time CISO salary. The fractional model puts the same executive judgment on a part-time engagement, accountable for outcomes rather than hours.
Risk concentrated, then reduced. The outermost contour is a firm with no owner for security; each ring inward is a quarter of programme work.
When you need one
When do you need a Fractional CISO?
You need security leadership, not just security tools, when:
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01
Clients are asking for proof
Enterprise clients, government agencies, and regulated industry partners now require SOC 2, ISO 27001, or HIPAA compliance before signing. You need a CISO to get there and stay there.
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02
You’ve had a security incident
A breach, phishing attack, or ransomware event revealed gaps in your program. We rebuild your security posture, demonstrate resilience to clients, and prevent recurrence.
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03
Compliance is blocking revenue
You’re losing RFPs because you can’t answer the security questionnaire. A Fractional CISO builds the program, generates the evidence, and gets you audit-ready.
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04
You’re growing and exposed
More employees, more vendors, more client data, but no one owns your security strategy. We build and operate the security program that keeps pace with your growth.
Scope
Your security program, end to end.
Everything a professional services firm needs to protect client data, satisfy compliance requirements, and win contracts that require a documented security program.
Security Strategy & Roadmap
A prioritized, board-ready security roadmap aligned to your business goals, risk tolerance, and compliance requirements, built for your firm, not copied from a template.
Compliance Program Leadership
Own your SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, or CMMC compliance journey from gap assessment through audit readiness. We lead the program so your team doesn’t have to.
Risk Assessment & Management
Identify, quantify, and prioritize your real risks. Annual assessments, third-party vendor reviews, and an ongoing risk register your leadership can act on.
Policy & Controls Development
A complete library of security policies, standards, and procedures written for how your firm actually operates, not copy-pasted from a generic framework.
Incident Response Planning
Develop and test your incident response plan before you need it. Tabletop exercises, playbooks, and clear escalation paths so your team knows exactly what to do.
Executive & Board Reporting
Regular security briefings your leadership can act on. Risk dashboards, KPIs, and board-level presentations that translate security into business language.
Vendor & Third-Party Risk
Evaluate the security posture of your vendors, subcontractors, and technology partners. Questionnaires, SLA reviews, and ongoing third-party monitoring.
Security Awareness Training
Build a security culture across your firm. Role-based training programs, phishing simulations, and measurable awareness metrics that satisfy auditor requirements.
Microsoft 365 Security Posture
Powered by WaypointX, we assess and harden your M365 environment (Entra ID, Defender, Purview, Intune) against CIS and NIST benchmarks. Every control is documented against the benchmark, with the gaps and their owners named.
Learn about WaypointX →Timeline
From day one to audit-ready.
Five stages, each with a deliverable your leadership can read.
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Weeks 1 to 2
Discovery & Assessment
We assess your current security posture, compliance gaps, and risk exposure. You get a clear picture of where you stand and what needs to happen first.
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Weeks 3 to 4
Strategy & Roadmap
A prioritized security roadmap, program charter, and 12-month plan, aligned to your budget, team, and compliance goals.
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Months 2 to 3
Program Build-Out
Policies, procedures, vendor reviews, training programs, and technical controls, built and implemented alongside your team.
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Month 4+
Ongoing CISO Leadership
Monthly retainer covering risk management, compliance maintenance, incident response readiness, and executive reporting.
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When Ready
Audit
We run your SOC 2 or ISO 27001 audit process and liaise with the auditor so your team stays on the business. The certificate is the auditor’s to issue, not ours to promise.
No long assessment phase. The first deliverable is a plan with owners and dates on it.
What changes
What changes with a Fractional CISO
- Clear picture of your security risks and compliance gaps
- Leadership aligned on security priorities
- An action plan ordered by risk, with owners
- Security program documented and operational
- Compliance roadmap scoped and underway
- Vendor risks identified and tracked
- Client security questionnaires answered from the record
- Scoped and evidenced for a SOC 2 or ISO 27001 audit
- Security answered inside the sales cycle instead of stalling it
See if a Fractional CISO is right for your firm
Who it is for
Built for professional services firms.
If your clients, contracts, or regulators are asking about your security program, you need a CISO.
Law Firms
Protect client confidentiality, satisfy bar association cybersecurity guidelines, and win corporate clients who audit your security before signing.
Accounting & CPA Firms
Meet IRS Safeguards Rules, protect client financial data, and satisfy SOC 2 requirements for firms handling sensitive tax and audit information.
Healthcare Practices
Navigate HIPAA Security Rule requirements, manage BAA obligations, and build the security program that protects patient data and your practice.
Consulting & Advisory Firms
Win enterprise contracts that require SOC 2 or ISO 27001. Show your clients that their data is safe in your hands, and have the evidence ready when they ask for it.
Government Contractors
Meet CMMC, FedRAMP and NIST 800-171 requirements so you can bid on federal work and stay eligible for it.
Technology & SaaS Companies
Build security into your product and company from the ground up. Satisfy enterprise buyer security questionnaires and get ready for a SOC 2 Type II audit.
Next
Stop Losing Contracts Over Security Gaps.
Book a 30-minute strategy call with our CISO team. We’ll assess where you stand, identify your highest-priority gaps, and outline a clear path to compliance, at no cost.
Waypoint Tech Advisors delivers:
- Embedded CISO leadership, not a checkbox consultant
- SOC 2 and ISO 27001 programs run against the auditor’s own evidence list
- Microsoft 365 posture work powered by WaypointX
Get started with a simple conversation.