Services · Virtual CISO

Virtual CISO (vCISO) Australia

A Virtual CISO is a senior, independent cybersecurity executive who leads your security strategy, compliance and risk on a part-time basis — without the $250,000–$400,000 cost of a full-time hire. Led by founder Ken Armitt, 27 years in security.

The cost of cyber leadership
Annualised · AUD
vCISO
Full-time CISO hire$250k–$400k+
CISO Advisory vCISO retainerfrom $42k
~85%
lower cost of senior leadership
from $3,500/mo
month-to-month, no lock-in

Senior, independent cybersecurity leadership on demand. A Virtual CISO (vCISO) gives your organisation CISO-level strategy, compliance and risk oversight — without the cost or commitment of a full-time executive.

What is a Virtual CISO?

A Virtual CISO is an experienced cybersecurity executive who leads your security function on a flexible, part-time basis — setting strategy, owning compliance, managing risk, and reporting to your board or executive. You get the judgement and accountability of a Chief Information Security Officer, scaled to what your organisation actually needs.

Why organisations choose a vCISO
01

Cost

A full-time CISO in Australia costs $250,000–$400,000+ plus on-costs. A vCISO delivers senior leadership for a fraction of that.

02

Speed

Senior capability immediately — no 3–6 month executive search.

03

Independence

We lead and assess; we don't resell security products, so our advice serves you, not a vendor.

04

Flexibility

Scale up for a project or audit, down for steady-state — no lock-in.

What your vCISO delivers
Cybersecurity strategy aligned to your business, obligations and risk appetite
Compliance leadership — Essential Eight, ISO 27001, APRA CPS 234, ISM / PSPF alignment
Security risk assessments and a prioritised remediation roadmap
Incident response planning and readiness
Third-party and vendor risk management
Board, executive and council reporting — risk in business language
Oversight of your internal team or managed service provider
Who we work with

Government departments and agencies, local councils, financial-services and insurance entities, healthcare and NDIS providers, critical infrastructure, education, and SaaS / technology companies — across every state and territory.

Government & agencies Local councils Financial services Insurance Healthcare & NDIS Critical infrastructure Education SaaS / technology
Independent and senior

Led by a founder with 27 years across cybersecurity, SaaS, fintech, payments and government-facing systems. We provide leadership and assurance, not a product catalogue — which is exactly what gives our findings weight with boards, auditors and regulators.

27 yrs
Hands-on experience
100%
Independent, no products
1:1
Principal-led, no juniors
Frequently asked questions

How much does a Virtual CISO cost in Australia?

Far less than a full-time CISO ($250k–$400k+). vCISO engagements are typically a monthly retainer or day rate, scaled to your scope and obligations.

Can a vCISO work with our existing IT team or MSP?

Yes — we provide the security leadership and governance layer above your in-house team or provider, giving independent oversight and accountability.

How quickly can you start?

Quickly — typically within days, beginning with a confidential discovery call and an initial risk picture.

Indicative pricing — transparent & fixed-fee
Virtual CISO retainerfrom $3,500/mo
Foundation
$3,500
Standard
$6,500
Enterprise
$9,500

Senior, accountable security leadership on a month-to-month retainer. Final fee confirmed in writing after a short scoping call — no hourly billing.

On the ground in Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane

Same or next-business-day on-site, from our own offices:

Virtual CISO Sydney · Virtual CISO Melbourne · Virtual CISO Brisbane

Get senior security leadership without the full-time cost.

Book a confidential call or see our government & council services. Confidential, and no obligation.

Frameworks & standards we assess and advise against

Independent, vendor-neutral expertise across the Australian and international frameworks government, regulators and boards rely on.

E8
Essential Eight
ISO
ISO/IEC 27001
NIST
NIST CSF 2.0
CPS
APRA CPS 234 / 230
ISM
ACSC ISM
PSPF
PSPF
IRAP
IRAP readiness
SOC2
SOC 2
PCI
PCI DSS
NDB
Privacy Act / NDB
SOCI
SOCI Act