What a breach would cost —
and what actually stops it.
Security program leadership, compliance readiness, vendor and board risk management, and incident response planning. The audit-ready answer for buyers, regulators, and insurers — not theater.
Schedule a fit callWhen a fractional CISO is the right call
A compliance deadline is approaching
CMMC Level 2, SOC 2 Type 2, HIPAA security rule, cyber insurance renewal. You need the security program, policies, and evidence — built by someone who has done it before, not a checklist vendor learning on your dime.
The board is asking about cyber risk
Directors have fiduciary obligations around cybersecurity. They need a quarterly risk briefing, a security roadmap, and confidence that someone senior is accountable. A fractional CISO gives the board that voice without the full-time headcount.
You've had a near-miss — or worse
A ransomware attempt. A phishing compromise. A vendor breach that exposed customer data. The incident revealed that nobody owns the security program. A fractional CISO builds the program so the next incident is managed, not improvised.
Cyber insurance is getting expensive — or denied
Insurers are tightening underwriting. MFA, EDR, incident response plans, and security awareness training are table-stakes requirements. A fractional CISO closes those gaps and gives the insurer the evidence they're looking for.
Compliance frameworks we prepare you for
SOC 2 Type 2
Trust Services Criteria — security, availability, confidentiality. Policy development, control implementation, evidence collection, and auditor readiness. We prepare you; the auditor certifies you.
CMMC Level 2 & Level 3
NIST 800-171 controls, DFARS 7012 compliance, and the System Security Plan (SSP) that C3PAOs will evaluate. For defense contractors who need to protect CUI and retain DoD contracts.
HIPAA Security Rule
Risk analysis, administrative/physical/technical safeguards, workforce training, and the documentation that OCR expects. For healthcare organizations between 15 and 500 employees where HIPAA is a board-level concern.
Cyber insurance readiness
MFA, EDR, incident response plan, security awareness, backup validation — the controls insurers now require before they'll write the policy. We close the gaps and provide the evidence.
Why Cavalier for CISO leadership
Most vCISO firms are compliance-checklist operations staffed by analysts. Cavalier delivers principal-led security leadership — the same person who designs the security program is the one who briefs the board, manages the audit relationship, and takes the call at 2 AM if something goes wrong. And because Cavalier's principals also hold CTO and CIO credentials, the security program is designed with full context on the technology strategy and the infrastructure it protects. Security that's built in isolation from the technology roadmap is security that breaks on contact with reality.
Questions buyers ask
What's the difference between a fractional CISO and a vCISO?
Functionally, the same role — a senior security leader engaged on a fractional basis rather than full-time. 'Virtual CISO' (vCISO) is the more common market term; Cavalier uses 'fractional CISO' to emphasize that the engagement is principal-led and retained, not a checklist service delivered by a junior analyst wearing a CISO title.
Can you prepare us for SOC 2 / CMMC / HIPAA?
Yes. Compliance readiness is a core capability. Cavalier prepares your organization for the auditor — we do not perform the audit itself. For SOC 2 Type 2, CMMC Level 2, and HIPAA security rule compliance, we build the security program, policies, and evidence that the auditor will evaluate. The distinction matters: auditor independence requires that the firm preparing you is not the firm certifying you.
Do you handle incident response?
Cavalier builds incident response plans, runs tabletop exercises, and leads the response coordination if a breach or incident occurs. We do not perform digital forensics or malware analysis — those are specialized capabilities we bring in under principal supervision when the situation requires them.
What certifications does your team hold?
Cavalier's principals hold certifications relevant to the engagement — CISSP, CISM, and comparable credentials in security management and governance. Specific certifications are disclosed on the leadership page and verified on request.
How much does a fractional CISO engagement cost?
Engagements start at $4,500 per month. Compliance-driven engagements (CMMC, SOC 2, HIPAA) are typically scoped as fixed-fee projects or higher-tier retainers reflecting the regulatory outcomes at stake.