Advisory · Filed · Singapore · 6 min read
Virtual CISO vs Full-Time CISO: A Decision Framework
When a fractional security executive outperforms a full-time hire, and the three signals that indicate it is time to bring the role in-house.
By Cyber Inspect Editorial Board
The economics
A US-market CISO commands $280,000 to $520,000 in base compensation, plus equity and a supporting team. A virtual CISO engagement typically runs $9,000 to $28,000 monthly for equivalent seniority applied to the actual scope a growth-stage company requires.
When vCISO is the right instrument
- Pre-Series C with fewer than 200 employees and no dedicated security team.
- Preparing for a first attestation (SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA) within twelve months.
- Responding to enterprise buyer due diligence without a security executive on the org chart.
- Post-incident, when independent oversight is needed alongside internal remediation.
Three signals it is time to hire full-time
First, security decisions begin to shape roadmap and pricing weekly rather than quarterly. Second, the company enters regulated markets that require a named accountable officer. Third, the security function needs to scale beyond the retainer envelope — typically past twelve direct or dotted-line reports.