CISO Advisory & Strategic Consulting
CISO-level security leadership for organizations that don't need — or can't justify — a full-time hire. We bring the strategic capability without the overhead.
Schedule a Free ConsultationMost organizations in the Maldives don't need a full-time Chief Information Security Officer. They need someone who can build a security program, communicate risk to leadership in plain language, make sensible decisions about security investment, and be available when something goes wrong. That's what a fractional CISO does.
The global shortage of experienced CISOs — and the cost of hiring one — puts dedicated security leadership out of reach for many mid-size organizations. A fractional arrangement gives you the same capability at a fraction of the cost, with the flexibility to scale engagement up or down as your needs change.
What a fractional CISO does
Security program development
Building the governance foundation: security policies and standards, roles and responsibilities, risk management processes, security awareness program, metrics and KPIs, and a multi-year security roadmap. Most organizations have some of these in place informally; a CISO engagement formalizes and coordinates them into a coherent program.
Board and executive communication
Translating technical risk into business language for leadership. Regular security reporting that answers the questions boards actually ask: What are our top risks? Are we getting better or worse? What would a breach cost us? What are we spending and is it working? Most security teams struggle with this — not because they lack knowledge, but because they lack practice communicating to non-technical audiences.
Security investment guidance
Helping leadership make better decisions about where to spend security budget. Tool selection, vendor evaluation, build vs. buy decisions, and prioritization of security initiatives against business risk. The goal is defensible investment decisions, not the latest vendor pitch.
Incident response readiness
Developing and testing the incident response plan before an incident happens. Tabletop exercises, playbook development for likely scenarios (ransomware, data breach, insider threat), and establishing relationships with external responders. The cost of being unprepared for an incident is far higher than the cost of preparing.
Third-party and vendor risk management
Your security posture includes your vendors. We help build a third-party risk management program: vendor questionnaires, contract security requirements, ongoing monitoring, and escalation processes for high-risk suppliers. Particularly relevant for organizations using cloud services, managed service providers, and payment processors.
Compliance and certification oversight
Owning the compliance posture across ISO 27001, PCI DSS, GDPR, or SOC 2 — coordinating the technical teams, tracking remediation, and managing auditor relationships. Compliance without an owner tends to drift. A fractional CISO provides that ownership.
Engagement models
Advisory retainer
Ongoing fractional CISO availability — regular meetings, async consultation, and on-call guidance for security decisions. Suitable for organizations that need consistent security leadership over time.
Program build most common
Fixed-scope engagement to build or mature a security program — policies, risk register, roadmap, board reporting framework. Typically 3–6 months.
Interim CISO
Full-time equivalent CISO coverage during a transition, incident response, or certification project. Bridges the gap while a permanent hire is sourced.
What you receive
Security program documentation
Policies, standards, procedures, and governance framework tailored to your organization's size and risk profile.
Board security reporting
Regular executive-ready security reports covering risk posture, metrics, incidents, and investment recommendations.
Risk register
Live risk register with business-aligned risk ratings, owners, and treatment status. Maintained and updated throughout the engagement.
Security roadmap
12–36 month security investment roadmap prioritized by risk reduction, compliance requirements, and operational feasibility.
Incident response plan
Documented incident response playbooks for likely scenarios, with roles, escalation paths, and external contact lists.
Vendor risk framework
Third-party risk assessment process, questionnaire templates, and ongoing monitoring approach for critical suppliers.
Who this is for
- → Mid-size organizations with no dedicated security leadership and real compliance or risk obligations
- → Businesses preparing for ISO 27001 or SOC 2 that need someone to own the program
- → Organizations that experienced a security incident and need structured leadership to recover and rebuild
- → Growing companies that have outgrown their informal security practices but aren't ready for a full-time CISO hire
- → Boards and executive teams that need better security visibility and risk communication from their technical teams
Ready to build a security program that works?
Start with a free consultation. We'll discuss your current security posture, what you're trying to achieve, and whether a fractional CISO engagement makes sense for your organization.
Schedule Free Consultation