Fractional CISO & vCISO Services for SMBs

Services

Security leadership, built for your size and your regulators.

01

Fractional vCISO

Ongoing executive security leadership: program strategy, risk register, board and audit-committee reporting, budget planning, and incident readiness.

You get: a named security leader and a board-ready roadmap.

02

AI Governance & Security

Shadow AI discovery, AI risk built into each initiative's business case, agent identity and least privilege, and AI red-team findings mapped to the OWASP Top 10 for LLM Apps, OWASP AI Exchange, and MITRE ATLAS.

You get: visibility and controls where AI actually runs.

03

Compliance Readiness

Plain-English readiness for CMMC / NIST SP 800-171, HIPAA 405(d), SOC 2, and cyber-insurance requirements, with a prioritized, owner-assigned remediation plan.

You get: a gap list with owners and due dates.

04

Security Posture Assessment

A NIST CSF 2.0 based review, with risks prioritized on our 5×5 likelihood-by-impact scale, delivered as an executive report and a 30/60/90-day roadmap.

You get: a clear baseline and what to fix first.

NIST CSF 2.0NIST RMFNIST AI RMFISO 27001ISO/IEC 42001CMMCNIST SP 800-171HIPAASOC 2EU AI ActGDPRCCPAMITRE ATT&CKMITRE ATLASOWASP AI Exchange

AI Consulting for SMBs

Put AI to work safely, at a small-business price.

Nexus Security Advisors helps small and mid-sized businesses choose the right AI use cases, roll out tools like Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and AI agents with guardrails, and meet NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001, and EU AI Act expectations, without a Big Four budget. Every engagement pairs AI adoption with security and governance, so productivity gains do not create new data-leak or compliance risk.

A1

AI Readiness & Use-Case Sprint

Inventory the AI already in use, score your top use cases for value and risk, and leave with a prioritized 90-day AI roadmap.

from$2,500

You get: a ranked use-case list and a 90-day plan in 2 to 3 weeks.

A2

AI Governance Program

AI acceptable-use policy, AI inventory and risk register, vendor and data-handling rules, and controls mapped to NIST AI RMF and ISO/IEC 42001.

from$5,000

You get: board-ready AI governance your customers and insurers can review.

A3

Fractional AI Advisor

Ongoing monthly guidance on AI tools, vendors, agent permissions, and new regulations, plus a named advisor for leadership questions.

from$1,500/month

You get: a trusted AI and security advisor on call.

A4

Leadership AI Workshop

A half-day session for owners and leadership teams: practical AI wins, shadow-AI risks, and how to set the rules before something leaks.

from$995

You get: an aligned leadership team and a draft AI policy outline.

Starting prices for a typical small business. Your final fixed quote follows a free 30-minute discovery call. AI consulting can be combined with fractional vCISO or compliance work.

Engagement2026 U.S. market rangeNexus starting price

AI readiness / strategy assessment (SMB, fixed fee)$2,000 to $25,000 ^[1]^[2]from $2,500

AI governance readiness assessment$8,000 to $12,000 ^[3]from $5,000

Monthly AI advisory retainer$1,500 to $8,000 per month ^[2]^[4]from $1,500/month

Independent AI consultant, hourly$150 to $350 per hour ^[4]Fixed-fee packages

Pricing sources & methodology (last reviewed October 29, 2026)

Market ranges are published 2026 figures for U.S. AI consulting. Most sources are consulting firms that publish their own observed rates, so treat them as directional, not as a price list.

Cabin, AI Readiness Assessment Cost: Real 2026 Price Ranges, updated October 22, 2026 (SMB fixed-fee tier). cabinco.com
Pareto Talent, AI Consultant for Small Business: Costs & Options (2026), October 2026. paretotalent.com
Ethical Veracity, What an AI governance assessment costs, and what you get, June 21, 2026. ethicalveracity.ai
Leanware, How Much Does an AI Consultant Cost in 2026?, updated October 6, 2026 (independent experts; 5 to 10 hour retainers at $2,000 to $5,000 per month). leanware.co

Request a free AI consultation Try the AI governance checklist

Who We Serve

Small and mid-sized businesses in every industry.

If a breach, ransomware attack, or failed audit would be a business event for you, we can help. Pick the industry closest to yours to see the requirements you're likely facing and free resources to start with.

Financial Services

Banks, credit unions, wealth managers, insurance agencies, lenders, tax preparers, and fintechs protecting customer financial data.

FTC Safeguards RuleGLBANYDFS Part 500PCI DSSSEC cyber rules

FTC Safeguards Rule guide ↗PCI DSS status Cyber insurance checklist Pentest requirements

Healthcare

Medical and dental practices, clinics, behavioral health, labs, and health tech vendors handling protected health information.

HIPAA Security RuleHITECHBusiness associatesRansomware readiness

HIPAA checklist HIPAA rule update HHS 405(d) resources ↗Simulate ransomware

Defense & Aerospace Suppliers

Contractors and subcontractors protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and preparing for CMMC.

CMMC 2.0NIST SP 800-171DFARS 7012SPRS

CMMC / 800-171 checklist CMMC status today DoD CIO CMMC ↗

Manufacturing, Energy & Critical Infrastructure

Manufacturers, utilities, water, logistics, and transportation operators balancing IT, OT, and safety with lean teams.

CISA CPGsNIST CSF 2.0IEC 62443Incident readiness

CISA Performance Goals ↗Threat intelligence Tabletop exercises

Technology, SaaS & Startups

Growing companies facing enterprise security reviews, SOC 2 requests, and EU market requirements.

SOC 2ISO/IEC 27001EU CRAGDPRDevSecOps

SOC 2 roadmap EU CRA checklist DevSecOps library

Professional Services, Retail & Nonprofits

Law, accounting, and consulting firms, retailers, e-commerce, and nonprofits trusted with client, donor, and payment data.

Client confidentialityPCI DSSState privacy lawsEmail fraud (BEC)

Phishing & BEC defense Privacy laws Password & MFA tools Simulate wire fraud

Any Business Adopting AI

Teams rolling out generative AI, copilots, or AI agents that need guardrails before data or decisions go wrong.

NIST AI RMFISO/IEC 42001EU AI ActOWASP LLM Top 10

AI governance checklist AI security library Simulate a shadow AI leak

Israeli & International Startups

Companies expanding into the U.S. that need SOC 2, fast security-questionnaire answers, and a named U.S.-based CISO for customers and investors.

SOC 2U.S. state privacySecurity reviewsInvestor due diligence

U.S. market entry for Israeli startups SOC 2 roadmap

Not sure where you fit?

Tell us a little about your business and we'll point you to the right starting point, or tell you plainly if you don't need us yet.

Request a consultation

Israeli startupsExpanding into the U.S.? Pass U.S. security reviews and earn SOC 2 with a U.S.-based fractional CISO.See how we help →

Israeli Startups · U.S. Market Entry

Win U.S. enterprise buyers with a U.S.-based security leader.

Nexus Security Advisors helps Israeli startups and scale-ups pass U.S. security reviews, earn SOC 2, align with U.S. privacy laws, and put a named, U.S.-based fractional CISO in front of customers, investors, and boards.

The US security gauntlet

Great product. Then the security review starts.

Israeli startups build world-class technology, but U.S. enterprise deals often stall on security and compliance, not features. These are the questions your U.S. buyers, partners, and investors will ask.

Proof

"Send us your SOC 2 report"

Many U.S. enterprises won't sign without a SOC 2 Type II report, a recent penetration test letter, and current security policies.

Questionnaires

200-question security reviews

SIG, CAIQ, and custom vendor questionnaires arrive with every deal. Slow or inconsistent answers cost weeks.

Privacy

U.S. state privacy laws

California's CCPA/CPRA and a growing list of state laws, plus sector rules such as HIPAA for health data and the FTC Safeguards Rule for financial data.

Accountability

"Who is your CISO?"

Buyers want a named, accountable security leader they can talk to in their time zone, not a contact eight time zones away.

AI

AI governance questions

AI products now face questions on model risk, data use, and the NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001, and the EU AI Act.

Government

Public sector and defense

Selling to U.S. government or defense primes brings FedRAMP, CMMC, and NIST SP 800-171 requirements.

How Nexus helps

Your U.S.-based security leadership, on a startup budget.

Representation

A named U.S. fractional CISO

We serve as your security leader for U.S. customers: joining security review calls, owning questionnaire responses, and speaking to your program with credibility.

Trust

Questionnaires and trust center

We build a reusable answer library, security overview, and trust page so sales can respond in days, not weeks.

Compliance

SOC 2 readiness, start to report

Scoping, policies, control implementation with your team, evidence, and help selecting a U.S. CPA firm and penetration tester.

Privacy

Bridge Israeli, EU, and U.S. privacy

We map your program under Israel's Privacy Protection Law and GDPR to U.S. state privacy and sector requirements, working alongside your counsel.

Board

Investor and board reporting

Clear cyber risk metrics for U.S. investors and boards, and due-diligence support for funding rounds and acquisitions.

Resilience

U.S.-ready incident response

An incident response plan that covers U.S. breach-notification and customer-contract obligations, tested with an executive tabletop exercise.

Israel to U.S. compliance map

What you have, and what U.S. buyers will ask for.

AreaCommon in IsraelExpected in the U.S.

Security assuranceISO/IEC 27001 certificationSOC 2 Type II report, often alongside ISO 27001

Privacy lawPrivacy Protection Law, including Amendment 13 (in effect since August 14, 2025), and the Data Security RegulationsCCPA/CPRA and other state privacy laws, plus HIPAA, GLBA, or COPPA where they apply

EU customersEU adequacy status for Israel, renewed in January 2024U.S. buyers with EU operations may still ask about GDPR alignment and data flows

LeadershipFounder or CTO owns security; Data Protection Officer where requiredA named CISO or vCISO accountable to customers and the board

TestingInternal or ad hoc testingAnnual third-party penetration test with a summary letter for customers

GovernmentIsrael National Cyber Directorate guidanceFedRAMP, CMMC, and NIST SP 800-171 for federal and defense work

General information for planning, not legal advice. Confirm obligations with your legal counsel and the official sources below.

90-day U.S. market readiness

From first U.S. deal to audit-ready.

Days 1–30: Baseline

Security and privacy gap assessment
Answer library for your top questionnaires
Security overview for sales

Days 31–60: Build

SOC 2 scope and policies
Access, logging, and vendor controls
Penetration test scoped and scheduled

Days 61–90: Prove

U.S. privacy notices and data map
Incident response plan and tabletop
Auditor selected, observation window started

Ongoing: Lead

Named vCISO for U.S. customers
Board and investor reporting
Audit support and continuous improvement

Expanding into the U.S. this year? Tell us about your product, customers, and timeline, and we'll reply within one business day with a practical starting point.

Request a consultation

Official resources

Helpful links for Israeli companies entering the U.S.

AICPA: SOC 2The official SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria source. California CCPACalifornia Attorney General guidance on consumer privacy rights. FTC Safeguards RuleSecurity requirements for many U.S. financial-sector businesses. Israel Privacy Protection AuthorityIsrael's privacy regulator and Amendment 13 guidance. Israel National Cyber DirectorateNational cyber guidance and alerts. BIRD FoundationIsrael-U.S. binational funding for joint R&D with U.S. partners. SelectUSAU.S. Department of Commerce program for companies investing in the U.S. Israel Innovation AuthorityPrograms supporting Israeli innovation and global expansion. Free SOC 2 readiness checklistInteractive, with Word, Excel, and JSON downloads.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Can Nexus act as our CISO with US customers?

Yes. As your fractional CISO, we can be the named security leader on security reviews, questionnaires, and customer calls, and we report to your founders and board. We are a U.S.-based firm working in U.S. business hours.

We already have ISO/IEC 27001. Do US buyers still want SOC 2?

Often, yes. Many U.S. enterprise buyers ask for a SOC 2 Type II report specifically. The controls overlap heavily, so an existing ISO 27001 program shortens the path; we map what you have and close the gaps.

How long does SOC 2 take?

A SOC 2 Type I report reflects a single point in time and can follow a few months of readiness work. A Type II report covers an observation period, commonly three to twelve months, so it pays to start early. We help you sequence both against your sales pipeline.

Do we need a US legal entity?

That is a legal and tax decision for your attorneys and accountants. We coordinate with them so your security program, SOC 2 scope, and contracts cover the right entities, which is a common source of delays in U.S. deals.

How do you handle the time difference?

Israel is usually seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time. We schedule working sessions in the U.S. morning, which is the Israeli afternoon, and keep asynchronous updates moving across the Sunday-to-Thursday Israeli work week.

Is this legal advice?

No. We provide security and compliance leadership. For questions about law, contracts, or corporate structure, we work alongside your legal counsel.

Fractional & Virtual CISO

Is a fractional CISO right for you?

Most small and mid-sized businesses need CISO-level judgment long before they can justify a full-time, six-figure security executive. A fractional or virtual CISO gives you that leadership on a schedule and budget that fits.

Signs it's time

A customer, prime contractor, or insurer sent a security questionnaire you can't confidently answer
An audit or assessment is coming: CMMC, HIPAA, SOC 2, PCI DSS, or the EU CRA
Your board or investors are asking who owns cyber risk
Your IT team or MSP is stretched thin and security has no single owner
Employees are already using AI tools and no one has set the rules
You've had an incident, a near miss, or a failed phishing test

Ways to work with us

Fractional vCISOOngoing monthly leadership: strategy, policies, risk register, vendor and MSP oversight, and board reporting.

Assessment & RoadmapA fixed-scope NIST CSF 2.0 review with an executive report and a prioritized 30/60/90-day plan.

Compliance Readiness SprintFocused gap closure for a specific framework, deadline, or customer requirement.

AI Governance ProgramAI inventory, acceptable-use policy, risk assessments, and controls for AI agents.

Incident ReadinessIncident response plans and executive tabletop exercises your leadership team can rehearse.

Full-time CISOFractional vCISO

CostFull executive salary, benefits, and recruitingA fraction of the cost, scaled to your needs

Time to startMonths to recruit and onboardTypically weeks

BreadthOne person's backgroundCross-industry experience across many frameworks

FlexibilityFixed headcountScale up for audits or incidents, scale down after

Start your intake →Email us instead

Regulatory Watch

Where the rules stand right now.

Plain-English status on the regulations our clients ask about most, with key dates, what to do next, and links to the official sources.

Reporting obligations live since Sep 11, 2026

EU Cyber Resilience Act — Regulation (EU) 2024/2847

The CRA sets mandatory cybersecurity requirements for “products with digital elements” (hardware and software) sold in the EU, across their whole lifecycle. It applies to manufacturers, importers, and distributors, including U.S. companies selling into the EU. Fines reach up to €15 million or 2.5% of worldwide annual turnover.

DEC 10, 2024Entered into force
JUN 11, 2026Rules for conformity assessment (notified) bodies apply
SEP 11, 2026Manufacturers must report actively exploited vulnerabilities and severe incidents: 24-hour early warning, 72-hour notification, then a final report (14 days after a fix for vulnerabilities; one month for incidents) via ENISA's Single Reporting Platform
DEC 11, 2027Full application: essential requirements, conformity assessment, technical documentation, and CE marking

What to do now

Inventory every product with digital elements you place on the EU market
Stand up a 24/72-hour vulnerability and incident reporting runbook
Publish a coordinated vulnerability disclosure policy and generate SBOMs
Map secure-by-design and update obligations into your product lifecycle
Plan conformity assessment and CE marking for the December 2027 deadline

Official text (EUR-Lex) ↗

Last reviewed October 23, 2026. This summary is general information, not legal advice; confirm requirements against the official sources.

Our Approach

Tools find the issues. People close them.

Every finding gets a plain-language title, a business impact, a named owner, a due date, and a retest date. Have the plan in place, then work the plan.

A typical first 90 days

Weeks 1–2 · DiscoverStakeholder interviews, document review, asset and data inventory, quick-win list
Weeks 3–4 · AssessCSF 2.0 current-state profile, control testing, risk register with 5×5 scoring
Day 30 · ReportExecutive briefing: top risks, target profile, and a funded 30/60/90-day roadmap
Days 31–90 · ExecuteOwners close high-priority gaps; policies, IR plan, and vendor reviews put in place
Day 90 · MeasureRetest, update the risk register, and deliver the first board-level scorecard

Timelines are illustrative and scale with organization size and scope.

How we measure progress

Measures are selected using NIST SP 800-55 guidance and reported as trends, not one-off snapshots.

Critical risksopen vs. closed within deadline

MFA coverage% of users, admins, and remote access

Time to remediatemedian days, by severity

Restore success% of tested backups restored on time

Patch latencyinternet-facing and critical systems

Phishing reportingreport rate vs. click rate

Methodology foundations & references

Our methods draw on established, peer-reviewed and consensus standards, so results are repeatable and defensible to auditors, boards, and regulators:

NIST, The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0, NIST CSWP 29, 2024. nist.gov
NIST, Guide for Conducting Risk Assessments, SP 800-30 Rev. 1, 2012. csrc.nist.gov
NIST, Risk Management Framework for Information Systems and Organizations, SP 800-37 Rev. 2, 2018. csrc.nist.gov
NIST, Measurement Guide for Information Security, Vol. 1, SP 800-55 Vol. 1, 2024. csrc.nist.gov
NIST, Incident Response Recommendations and Considerations for Cybersecurity Risk Management, SP 800-61 Rev. 3, 2025. csrc.nist.gov
ISO, ISO 31000:2018 Risk management — Guidelines. iso.org
ISO/IEC, ISO/IEC 27005:2022 Guidance on managing information security risks. iso.org
The Open Group, Open FAIR™ risk analysis, for quantifying risk in financial terms when needed. opengroup.org
Center for Internet Security, CIS Critical Security Controls. cisecurity.org

Risk Lab

See how we turn findings into decisions.

Every risk is scored the same way, assigned an owner, and given a deadline. Try it: pick a square on the matrix.

Scenario Simulator

Interactive

Pick a scenario, then switch controls on and off to see how inherent risk becomes residual risk.

Inherent0

Residual0

Illustrative model for discussion: control effects are simplified. Real assessments use your environment, evidence, and threat data.

5×5 Risk Matrix

Interactive

↑ Impact (rows 5 – 1)

Likelihood →1 – 5

Select a cell to see its score, rating, and example remediation deadline.

LowMediumHighCritical

Example scoring. Thresholds and deadlines are tailored to each client's risk appetite.

nexus-assess — illustrative example

$ nexus assess --framework nist-csf-2.0 --scope ai-rollout

Threat Radar

Example

CRITICAL
CRITICAL
HIGH
HIGH
MEDIUM

Free Resources

Plain-English readiness self-checks.

Interactive checklists to see where you stand before an audit, assessment, or insurance renewal. Track progress in your browser, then download as Word, Excel, PDF, CSV, or JSON.

CMMC / NIST SP 800-171For defense and aerospace suppliers handling CUI.Open checklist → HIPAA & 405(d)Security Rule safeguards and recognized healthcare practices.Open checklist → SOC 2 RoadmapStep-by-step path to a SOC 2 report, including SOC 1 vs. SOC 2 vs. SOC 3.Open checklist → Cyber InsuranceThe controls underwriters ask about, mapped to CIS Controls v8.Open checklist → EU Cyber Resilience ActReporting duties live now, plus the December 2027 requirements.Open checklist → AI GovernanceNIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001, EU AI Act, and OWASP LLM Top 10.Open checklist →

Open the interactive checklists →Download all (Excel)

Founder & Principal vCISO

Dan Sorensen

Dan is a fractional vCISO and AI governance advisor who translates cyber threats into boardroom decisions. A U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard veteran with 22+ years of service, he builds security programs against NIST RMF, NIST AI RMF, ISO 27001, ISO/IEC 42001, CMMC, HIPAA, and the EU AI Act.

He contributes to the OWASP AI Exchange, writes for Forbes Technology Council, co-authored Advanced Cyber Threat Intelligence and Hunting, and is a PhD candidate in Cybersecurity Leadership at Capitol Technology University.

LinkedIn DanSorensen.info Forbes Profile Fast Company Profile

Recognition

Forbes Technology Council member (35+ articles)
Fast Company Executive Council member
OWASP AI Exchange core team
Co-author, CSA/OWASP Agentic AI Red Teaming Guide
Editor, Geneva Manual on Cyber Threat Intelligence
Thinkers360 Top Thought Leader
PhD candidate, Cybersecurity Leadership, Capitol Technology University

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Insights

Thought leadership on AI, risk, and the boardroom.

Latest on Forbes

The One-Page Document That Can Prevent Million-Dollar AI MistakesAug 2026
From Gap To Capability: Building The CTI Function The Boardroom Actually NeedsJul 2026
The Threat Intelligence Gap: Why AI-Augmented CTI Still Fails At The Human LayerMar 2026
Aerospace Cybersecurity: Stop Talking About Threats And Start Talking About MoneyFeb 2026
From Risk To ROI: Rethinking Cyber Investment In AerospaceAug 2025

All Forbes articles →

Advanced Cyber Threat Intelligence and HuntingCo-author with Gianluca Tiepolo (Packt, 2026). Intelligence-driven threat hunting with CTI, behavioral analytics, and AI.View on Amazon → The AI MindsetCo-author (Thin Leaf Press, December 2024). AI experts on how leaders and organizations can adapt to AI.View on Amazon → In the SpotlightFeatured in InCyberDefense's Cyber Spotlight: understanding culture to protect a nation.Read the spotlight →

For Cyber Professionals

A curated library of free security resources.

Frameworks, regulations, and hands-on tools we trust, from AI security and privacy law to red, blue, and purple teaming.

AI Security & GovernanceOWASP AI Exchange, NIST AI RMF, EU AI Act, MITRE ATLAS Privacy & RegulationGDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, NIS2, PCI DSS Red TeamMITRE ATT&CK, OWASP WSTG, AI red-teaming tools Blue TeamD3FEND, CISA KEV, Sigma, YARA, Velociraptor Purple TeamAtomic Red Team, Caldera, VECTR, ATT&CK Navigator Free TrainingCISA NICCS, PortSwigger, TryHackMe, ISC2 CC

Browse all resources →

FAQ

Common questions

How much does AI consulting cost for a small business?

Published 2026 U.S. benchmarks put SMB AI readiness assessments at roughly $2,000 to $25,000 and AI advisory retainers at $1,500 to $8,000 per month. Nexus packages start at $2,500 for an AI Readiness & Use-Case Sprint, $5,000 for an AI Governance Program, and $1,500 per month for a Fractional AI Advisor. See packages and sources.

What is a fractional CISO (vCISO)?

A fractional or virtual CISO is a senior security executive who leads your security program part-time. You get CISO-level strategy, risk management, and board reporting without the cost of a full-time hire.

Who is a good fit for Nexus Security Advisors?

Small and mid-sized businesses in any industry, including financial services, healthcare, defense suppliers, manufacturing, technology, and professional services, that need executive security leadership, are facing an audit or assessment, or are rolling out AI and need it governed.

Can you help us prepare for CMMC?

Yes. We assess your current state against NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC requirements, identify gaps, and build a prioritized, owner-assigned plan to close them.

How do you approach AI governance?

We start by finding the AI tools and agents actually in use, then build AI risk into each initiative's business case, apply least privilege to AI agents, and align to frameworks such as NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001, the EU AI Act, and the OWASP AI Exchange.

Can we sign an NDA before sharing details?

Yes. We are happy to sign a mutual NDA before any detailed discussion of your environment.

Do you replace our IT team or MSP?

No. We provide security leadership and oversight and work alongside your IT team or managed service provider, helping them prioritize and measure what matters.

How is a fractional CISO engagement priced?

Usually as a predictable monthly retainer sized to your needs, or a fixed fee for project work such as an assessment or readiness sprint. We recommend an option after the free discovery call.

How do we get started?

Complete the short intake on our Get Started page. Tell us your industry, size, and the challenge in front of you, and we'll tell you plainly whether we're a fit.