What vCISO & Consulting Covers

Think of us as your on-call security leader and advisor. Typical areas we support include:

1. Security Strategy & Roadmap

Turn “we should be more secure” into a clear plan.

Using inputs from your Security Assessment (or an initial discovery if you’re just starting), we help you:

• Define a security vision that fits your business strategy.
• Build a 1–3 year security roadmap with realistic phases, not a wish list.
• Prioritize initiatives based on risk, compliance needs, and business value.
• Align security with IT, operations, and key projects (cloud migration, new apps, acquisitions, etc.).

You get a living roadmap you can use for budgeting, planning, and communicating with leadership and stakeholders.

2. Governance, Policies & Processes

Make security part of how you operate, not just technology.

We help you put lightweight but effective governance in place:

• Develop or refresh core security policies (acceptable use, access control, remote work, password/MFA, data handling, backup & DR, incident response, vendor management, etc.).
• Translate policies into practical procedures your team can actually follow.
• Establish decision-making structures: security steering groups, risk owners, escalation paths.
• Build incident response plans and runbooks so you’re not improvising under pressure.

Everything is written in clear, plain language and tailored to your actual tools and workflows—not generic templates no one reads.

3. Risk Management & Compliance Guidance

Make sense of risk, regulations, and customer demands.

Your vCISO helps you:

• Build a recurring risk management process: identify, assess, treat, and review risks on a defined cycle.
• Interpret and prepare for privacy and security obligations (e.g., PIPEDA, PHIA where applicable, and industry-specific expectations).
• Respond to customer security questionnaires and due diligence requests without scrambling each time.
• Prepare for cyber insurance applications and renewals, including minimum control requirements.
• Plan toward recognized frameworks (e.g., NIST CSF, CIS Controls) at a level appropriate for an SMB, not a global enterprise.

The goal isn’t to turn you into a compliance factory—it’s to show due diligence in a way that protects your business and satisfies stakeholders.

4. Vendor & Third-Party Risk

You can outsource services—but not responsibility.

We help you manage the risk that comes with cloud apps, MSPs, and other partners by:

• Creating a simple third-party risk process for selecting, onboarding, and periodically reviewing vendors.
• Reviewing key suppliers’ security posture and contracts for gaps (e.g., data ownership, breach notification, backup commitments).
• Helping you standardize security requirements in your own contracts and RFPs.
• Advising on how to safely adopt new platforms without creating unmanaged risk.

This is especially important for SMBs who increasingly rely on SaaS and external providers for core operations.

5. Security Leadership, Board & Executive Support

Give leadership the clarity they need to make good decisions.

Your vCISO acts as a bridge between technical teams and non-technical stakeholders:

• Prepare and deliver security updates for owners, boards, and executive teams.
• Provide plain-language briefings on current threats and what they mean for your business.
• Help define KPIs and metrics: risk reduction, incident trends, time to detect/respond, backup and recovery readiness, etc.
• Coach leaders through crisis situations (suspected incidents, data exposure, regulatory questions).

We make security a regular, understandable part of leadership discussions—without overwhelming people with jargon.

6. Project-Based Security Consulting

Expert input when you’re making big changes.

In addition to ongoing vCISO retainers, we provide consulting for key projects, such as:

• Cloud migrations and Microsoft 365 hardening.
• Network and infrastructure redesigns.
• Mergers, acquisitions, or divestitures (security due diligence and integration).
• New customer or regulatory requirements that demand stronger controls.
• Designing or updating backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity strategies.

We work alongside your IT team and existing partners to make sure security is built-in, not bolted on later.+

How a vCISO Engagement Works

We keep things structured but flexible, so you get leadership value without enterprise-style complexity.

1. Discovery & Baseline

• Understand your business model, industry, risk profile, and existing technology stack.
• Review available documentation, prior assessments, and any regulatory/contractual obligations.
• Agree on priorities and expectations for the first 90 days.

1. Initial Strategy & Quick Wins

• Develop a high-level security posture summary and confirm your top risks.
• Identify and execute quick wins (policy updates, MFA rollout, simple configuration fixes).
• Draft your first security roadmap and communication plan.

1. Ongoing Leadership & Advisory

• Regular vCISO sessions (monthly/biweekly) with leadership and IT.
• Continuous input on projects, vendor decisions, and emerging risks.
• Support for incidents, audits, customer questionnaires, and insurance renewals.

1. Review & Evolve

• Quarterly or semi-annual program reviews to measure progress against the roadmap.
• Adjust priorities as your business, threat landscape, and regulatory environment change.

You get the continuity of a long-term security leader—with the flexibility to scale up or down as your needs evolve.

Who vCISO & Consulting Is For

This service is a strong fit if:

• You don’t have a security leader but are feeling pressure from customers, regulators, or insurers.
• Your IT manager or MSP is wearing too many hats and you need dedicated security guidance.
• You’re a growing SMB that wants to be proactive instead of reacting after something goes wrong.
• Your board or ownership group is asking tougher questions about cyber risk, and you need clear, credible answers.

Whether you’re starting from almost nothing or refining an existing program, we meet you where you are.

Why Prairie Cyber Security as Your vCISO

• Local and SMB-focused – Based in Winnipeg, we understand Prairie organizations: lean teams, practical budgets, and the need to keep operations running above all.
• End-to-end perspective – We connect strategy (vCISO) with real-world execution through our Security Assessments, Managed Protection, and Incident Response & Recovery services.
• Business-first approach – We translate frameworks and best practices into steps that make sense for your size, industry, and risk appetite.
• Clear communication & predictable costs – Fixed-fee or retainer-based models with well-defined deliverables and no surprise bills.

Give Your Business a Security Leader

You don’t have to choose between “no security leadership” and “full-time CISO.”

Book a vCISO & Consulting conversation to:

• Discuss your current challenges
• Understand what a fractional CISO model could look like for your organization
• Get an outline of engagement options, deliverables, and pricing

So you can move from ad-hoc decisions and one-off projects to a coherent, strategic security program led by a trusted partner.