Siege Cyber's virtual CISO service gives you access to experienced security leadership on a fractional basis. We work alongside your team to develop security strategy, manage compliance, oversee risk, and provide the executive-level guidance your business needs without the cost and commitment of a full-time hire.

Here is what you get:

• Security strategy and roadmap – We assess your current security posture, identify gaps and priorities, and build a practical roadmap that aligns security investment with business goals. You get a clear plan, not a 200-page report that sits on a shelf.
• Compliance programme management – We guide you through ISO 27001, SOC 2, Essential Eight, or whatever compliance framework your customers, investors, or regulators require. This includes policy development, control implementation, evidence collection, and audit preparation.
• Risk assessment and management – We identify, assess, and prioritise your cybersecurity risks, then help you make informed decisions about which risks to treat, transfer, accept, or avoid. You get clarity on what matters most and where to focus your resources.
• Governance and policy development – We develop the policies, procedures, and governance structures you need to demonstrate security maturity to boards, auditors, customers, and investors. This includes information security policies, acceptable use policies, incident response plans, and disaster recovery procedures.
• Board and executive reporting – We prepare clear, business-focused security reports for your board and leadership team, translating technical risk into language that executives understand. You get the credibility and assurance your board expects.
• Incident response planning and oversight – We help you prepare for security incidents before they happen by developing incident response plans, conducting tabletop exercises, and establishing processes for detection, containment, and recovery. If an incident does occur, we provide expert guidance to manage the response.
• Vendor risk management – We assess the security posture of your third-party vendors and suppliers, review contracts for security obligations, and help you manage vendor-related risks. This is increasingly important for compliance and customer due diligence.
• Security awareness and training – We design and deliver security awareness programmes for your team, tailored to your risks and culture. Your people are your biggest risk and your strongest defence. We help you build a security-conscious culture.

Our Process

We have provided vCISO services to dozens of Australian companies. Here is how the engagement works.

1. Initial Assessment and Scoping

We meet with your leadership team to understand your business, technology environment, current security maturity, compliance requirements, and specific challenges. We assess what you have in place, identify immediate priorities, and define the scope of ongoing vCISO support. You leave this phase knowing exactly what we will focus on and how we will work together.

2. Security Posture Review and Roadmap

We conduct a comprehensive review of your current security controls, policies, processes, and risk landscape. This includes reviewing your infrastructure, applications, access controls, vendor relationships, compliance status, and incident response readiness. We then deliver a prioritised security roadmap that outlines what needs to be done, in what order, and why.

3. Ongoing Strategic Engagement (Monthly Retainer)

Once the initial assessment is complete, we transition to an ongoing fractional engagement. This typically involves 1-2 days per week (or 20-40 hours per month) of strategic security leadership. During this time, we execute the roadmap, manage compliance projects, develop policies, prepare board reports, oversee security initiatives, respond to incidents, and provide day-to-day guidance to your technical team.

4. Quarterly Business Reviews

Every quarter, we conduct a formal review with your leadership team to assess progress against the roadmap, update risk assessments, review security metrics, discuss emerging threats or regulatory changes, and adjust priorities as your business evolves. This keeps security aligned with business objectives and ensures accountability.

5. Compliance and Audit Support (As Needed)

When you are preparing for an ISO 27001 audit, SOC 2 examination, or customer security assessment, we ramp up our involvement to manage the process, coordinate with auditors, prepare documentation, and ensure you are ready. This flexibility is one of the key benefits of the fractional model.

6. Incident Response and Crisis Management (On-Call)

If a security incident occurs, we are available to provide expert guidance and incident response leadership. We help you contain the incident, investigate what happened, manage communications, coordinate remediation, and learn from the event to prevent recurrence.

Who This Is For

This service is built for Australian SaaS companies, technology businesses, financial services firms, and SMBs with 10-200 employees who need strategic security leadership but cannot justify or afford a full-time CISO.

You are a good fit if:

• You have outgrown your current security approach and need executive-level guidance to build a proper security programme
• Your board, investors, or customers are asking questions about security governance and you need someone credible to answer them
• You are pursuing compliance certifications (ISO 27001, SOC 2, Essential Eight) and need expert leadership to get you there
• You have been breached or had a close call and realised you need strategic security oversight, not just technical controls
• You are preparing for a funding round, acquisition, or major customer deal and need to demonstrate security maturity
• Your IT manager or CTO is stretched thin and needs expert security guidance and support
• You want to build security the right way from the start rather than bolting it on later

Why Choose Siege Cyber

20+ years of senior security leadership experience. Our Technical Director, Peter Stewart, has spent over two decades in hands-on cybersecurity roles, from network security engineering to penetration testing to strategic advisory. You get access to real expertise, not a junior consultant reading from a playbook.

We understand Australian compliance and regulatory requirements. We know the Privacy Act 1988, APRA CPS 234, the Essential Eight, and how these frameworks apply to Australian businesses. We help you align your security programme with the obligations that actually matter in this market, not generic international frameworks that miss local nuances.

Official Vanta and Drata partner. If you are using compliance automation platforms, we know how to work within them to provide the strategic guidance, control design, and risk assessment expertise that the platforms cannot automate. We bridge the gap between automation and the human judgement still required to build an effective security programme.

Flexible and pragmatic, not dogmatic. We tailor our approach to your business, budget, and risk profile. Security is not one-size-fits-all. We focus on practical controls that reduce real risk, not compliance theatre that looks good on paper but does not actually protect you.

We speak both technical and business language. We can dive deep into technical architecture with your engineering team, then turn around and explain cybersecurity risk to your board in language they understand. This ability to translate between technical and business stakeholders is what makes a great CISO, and it is what you get with our vCISO service.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a virtual CISO cost compared to hiring full-time?

A full-time CISO in Australia typically costs $180,000 to $300,000+ per year in salary, plus superannuation, benefits, and recruitment costs. A fractional vCISO engagement typically ranges from $5,000 to $15,000 per month depending on the level of involvement required. For most growing companies, this represents a 60-70% cost saving while still providing access to senior security leadership. Contact us for a detailed proposal based on your specific needs.

How much time will the vCISO spend with our business?

This depends on your needs and stage of growth. Most engagements start with 1-2 days per week (or 20-40 hours per month) of dedicated time. This is enough for strategic guidance, compliance oversight, policy development, and regular engagement with your team and board. During busy periods (such as audit preparation or incident response), we can scale up. During quieter periods, we can scale down. The flexibility is one of the key benefits.

Will the vCISO work on-site or remotely?

Most vCISO work is conducted remotely, which keeps costs down and allows for more flexible scheduling. However, we are based in Brisbane and can attend on-site meetings, board presentations, or workshops as needed. Many of our clients prefer a hybrid model: regular virtual check-ins and remote work, with quarterly on-site strategy sessions or board meetings.

What is the difference between a vCISO and a security consultant?

A security consultant typically provides project-based advice on specific issues (penetration testing, compliance assessments, etc.). A vCISO provides ongoing strategic leadership and becomes an extension of your executive team. The vCISO owns your security strategy, reports to your board, manages compliance programmes, and provides continuous oversight. It is the difference between hiring someone to solve a problem and hiring someone to run your security function.

Can a vCISO help with compliance certifications like ISO 27001 or SOC 2?

Absolutely. This is one of the most common reasons companies engage a vCISO. We provide the strategic leadership and expertise required to achieve ISO 27001, SOC 2, Essential Eight maturity, or other compliance frameworks. We define scope, conduct gap analysis, design controls, develop policies, manage remediation, coordinate audits, and maintain compliance post-certification. Many companies find that bringing in a vCISO specifically for compliance ends up delivering broader security value beyond just ticking boxes.

What happens if we eventually want to hire a full-time CISO?

That is a great outcome, and we support it. As your business grows, you may reach a point where a full-time CISO makes sense. When that happens, we can help you define the role, recruit the right person, and transition our knowledge and work to them. Many of our long-term vCISO clients eventually hire full-time security leaders, and we view that as a sign we have done our job well. We can also continue to provide specialised support (such as penetration testing or compliance consulting) alongside your internal team.

Do we need a vCISO if we already have an IT manager or CTO?

IT managers and CTOs are typically focused on keeping systems running, delivering features, and managing infrastructure. Security strategy, compliance, risk management, and governance are specialised disciplines that require dedicated focus and expertise. A vCISO works alongside your IT manager or CTO to provide security leadership, freeing them to focus on their core responsibilities. In most cases, the two roles complement each other rather than overlap.

Ready to Get Strategic Security Leadership?

You do not need to hire a full-time CISO to get the security governance, compliance oversight, and strategic guidance your business needs. A fractional vCISO gives you access to senior security leadership tailored to your budget, your risks, and your stage of growth.

Book a free 30-minute consultation with our team. We will assess your current security posture, discuss your specific challenges, and explain exactly how a vCISO engagement would work for your business. You will leave the call with clarity on what you need, what it costs, and what the outcomes look like.