Best Fractional Chief Information Security Officer Services in USA

US Outsourced and CISO-as-a-Service Agencies

Looking for trusted Fractional Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) services in the U.S.A? Whether you're a startup, PE-backed portfolio company, or a growing SaaS firm, finding the right cybersecurity leader without committing to a full-time executive can be a game-changer.

At Digital Reference, we’ve been spotlighting the most trusted, strategic, and transparent providers in the outsourced executive space. This guide to top U.S.-based virtual and fractional CISOs continues our series on credible, founder-led, and outcomes-driven agencies across tech, healthcare, industrials, and more.

How We Chose These US Fractional, Virtual, and Part-Time CISO Service Providers

This list is research-driven, client-reviewed, and U.S.-focused. We curated it based on:

 ✅ A strong track record of vCISO or fractional security leadership
✅ Founder-led or executive-led models where vision and execution stay aligned
✅ Transparent pricing, clarity of deliverables, and real client outcomes
✅ Credibility through verified experience, published frameworks, or high-trust sectors
✅ A clear U.S. presence or primary client base in the U.S.

Each featured agency offers flexible, fractional leadership across cyber risk, compliance, data privacy, governance, and breach readiness with hands-on leaders at the helm.

Fractional CISO Services in the USA 🔦 Provider Spotlights

Global Compliance Group

🔗 Website: https://globalcgs.com

Global Compliance Group offers fractional CIO, CISO, and IT compliance services, with a strong focus on regulatory-heavy verticals like fintech, healthcare, and defense. Their services range from system audits to digital transformation strategy to vendor governance.

Government contractors, fintech firms, healthcare systems, and companies scaling across borders. They believe security and compliance should be embedded into growth—not obstacles to it.

💡 Why they stand out:

• Known for global IT policy design + deployment
• Bring multi-national compliance frameworks into practical execution
• Strong relationships with defense and finance clients
  

Brad Nassau, CEO/Founder, Global Compliance Group

🔗 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/bradnassau

Brad is a strategic technologist with a reputation for delivering large-scale IT transformations under tight compliance rules. His background includes extensive work with DoD, HIPAA, and PCI frameworks. On LinkedIn, Brad stands out as a pragmatic leader who turns enterprise risk into strategic resilience. He's particularly skilled at helping companies scale while staying audit-ready.

RiskVersity

🔗 Website: https://riskversity.com/

What They Do:
RiskVersity delivers risk management consulting, compliance advisory, and vCISO services with a data-centric approach. They go beyond cybersecurity to address organizational risk posture more broadly.

Who They Work With:
Primarily mid-market enterprises and regulated industries—including education, insurance, and financial services.

Operating Style:
Their approach is holistic and diagnostic—using risk modeling and scenario analysis to help clients build practical, tailored information security programs.

💡 Why They Stand Out:

• Emphasis on education-sector compliance and FERPA frameworks
• Clients benefit from audit-readiness roadmaps and third-party risk insights
• Well-known for building risk-aware cultures from the top down
  

Laurence Jones, Co-Founder, RiskVersity

🔗 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/laurencejones3

A former CISO and risk executive, Laurence Jones brings decades of experience in governance, audit, and cyber risk quantification. On LinkedIn, he’s vocal about bridging the gap between board-level risk strategy and technical operations. He’s known for championing metrics-driven leadership in the vCISO space.

VasSecCo

🔗 Website: https://vassec.co/

What They Do:
VasSecCo is a boutique vCISO and cybersecurity consultancy led by a career military and intelligence professional. They focus on penetration testing, executive security strategy, and red team ops.

Who They Work With:
Defense contractors, critical infrastructure, and fintech firms with high security maturity needs.

Operating Style:
They offer security leadership with tactical depth—balancing long-term roadmaps with offensive security capabilities.

💡 Why They Stand Out:

• Veteran-owned firm with mission-grade threat modeling
• Emphasis on national security-grade controls and audits
• Offers CISO-as-a-Service with penetration testing bundles
  

John Vasquez, Founder, VasSecCo

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasquezjohn/

A former military cybersecurity leader, John Vasquez brings unmatched discipline and offensive security expertise to the vCISO field. His LinkedIn bio highlights his work with U.S. government cyber units, and he’s known for hard truths, clear escalation plans, and building zero-trust infrastructures for critical industries.

Guardsman Technology

🔗 Website: https://www.guardsmantech.com/

What They Do:
Guardsman provides fractional CISO, cyber defense, and managed compliance services. They're known for helping SMBs and mid-market companies launch cybersecurity programs from scratch.

Who They Work With:
Tech startups, local governments, and underserved industries lacking formal security leadership.

Operating Style:
Hands-on and builder-oriented, focusing on foundational maturity and operational readiness rather than high-theory strategy.

💡 Why They Stand Out:

• Strong track record with first-time cybersecurity buyers
• Turnkey policy frameworks and tooling integrations
• Focus on speed-to-impact with SMB-friendly pricing
  

Nick Vadasz, Founder, Guardsman Technology

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickvadasz/

A strategic yet hands-on security expert, Nick Vadasz has spent over a decade implementing controls and building internal security teams for growing firms. His LinkedIn highlights emphasize practical, scalable frameworks and a belief in right-sized security. Nick stands out for demystifying cybersecurity for business leaders.

Strategic Cyber Partners

🔗 Website: https://strategiccyberpartners.com/

What They Do:
This woman-led firm offers executive cyber advisory, incident response planning, and virtual CISO services, with an emphasis on national infrastructure protection and crisis readiness.

Who They Work With:
Utilities, local government, and critical infrastructure clients—especially those facing regulatory mandates.

Operating Style:
Strategic Cyber Partners is prevention-focused, using tabletop exercises and breach simulations to prepare clients for real-world threats.

💡 Why They Stand Out:

• Deep specialization in critical systems and OT/ICS security
• Offers regulatory audit support for energy and utilities
• Leadership workshops designed for non-technical stakeholders
  

Heather Wesley Engel, Founder, Strategic Cyber Partners

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-wesley-engel-5559335/

With extensive experience in federal cybersecurity strategy, Heather Wesley Engel has become a respected leader in infrastructure resilience and breach response. Her LinkedIn presence reflects her passion for building cybersecurity literacy at the executive level. She is known for driving confidence through preparedness.

Quo Vadis Inc

🔗 Website: https://quo.cc/

What They Do:
Quo Vadis delivers strategic information security consulting, CISO-as-a-Service, and risk architecture for private equity and high-growth tech firms. They specialize in transformational cybersecurity leadership—often during M&A or scale-up events.

Who They Work With:
PE-backed SaaS, life sciences, and companies undergoing security due diligence or valuation events.

Operating Style:
They focus on alignment with business outcomes, combining compliance with cybersecurity value creation.

💡 Why They Stand Out:

• Trusted by private equity firms for cybersecurity strategy during transactions
• Expertise in maturity assessments and roadmap acceleration
• Tailors vCISO services to align with valuation impact
  

Isaac Alexander, Founder, Quo Vadis Inc

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaaclalexander/

Isaac Alexander blends business strategy and cybersecurity architecture, having served in advisory roles to both PE boards and CISOs. His LinkedIn profile shows an affinity for bridging technical risk and strategic growth, and he is known for transforming security into a revenue enabler.

Final Thoughts from Digital Reference

Choosing the right fractional Chief Information Security Officer isn’t just about checking compliance boxes, it's about earning trust, protecting reputations, and enabling bold growth.

At Digital Reference, we believe in radical authenticity, clear communication, and executive leaders who show up with receipts not buzzwords. These vCISO providers represent that ethos.

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