How much time does a fractional CISO spend with my company?

It depends on the need. Some companies need steady weekly involvement to run a program, others need a concentrated effort for an audit or insurance renewal and then a lighter ongoing role. We scope time to the work, and adjust it as your program matures.

Do I need a fractional CISO if I already have an MSP?

Often, yes. An MSP runs systems and tools. A CISO decides which risks matter, sets policy, and answers to leadership, insurers and auditors. If nobody in your company owns those decisions today, a fractional CISO fills that gap, and can work alongside your current provider.

Can a fractional CISO help with CMMC?

Yes. A fractional CISO typically owns the NIST 800-171 gap assessment, the system security plan, the plan of action and milestones, and the evidence assessors request, while technical controls are implemented by the IT team. See our CMMC page for how that work runs.

Fractional CISO

Senior security leadership, without a full-time CISO

Updated October 2026

A fractional CISO is a senior security leader who works with your company part time. Depending on the agreed scope, they can own your security program: deciding what risks matter, setting priorities, answering to the board, insurers and customers, and making sure the work actually gets done. Most small and mid-sized businesses need that judgment but not a full-time executive salary. Class IV provides fractional CISO leadership for companies in Denver, Houston and remotely nationwide, backed by a managed services team that can carry out the technical work.

What a fractional CISO does

Responsibilities and program ownership are agreed for each engagement. Available responsibilities include:

Builds and runs a security program tied to your risk appetite, not a vendor checklist
Runs risk assessments and keeps a prioritized remediation plan with owners
Writes and maintains security policies and the incident response plan
Answers cyber insurance questionnaires and customer security reviews accurately
Leads compliance work for CMMC, HIPAA, SOC 2 and PCI DSS
Reports cyber risk to leadership and the board in plain terms

When it makes sense

A customer or prime contractor is asking for security evidence. Your insurer has raised premiums or added requirements. You are preparing for an audit, a financing or a sale. You had an incident, or a near miss. Or you simply know nobody senior owns security today.

Fractional CISO vs a managed security provider

Security tools and monitoring are necessary, but they do not decide what matters or answer to the board. A fractional CISO provides that leadership. At Class IV, the CISO and the team running your systems work together, so decisions turn into completed work.

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Frequently asked questions

How much time does a fractional CISO spend with my company?: It depends on the need. Some companies need steady weekly involvement to run a program, others need a concentrated effort for an audit or insurance renewal and then a lighter ongoing role. We scope time to the work, and adjust it as your program matures.
Do I need a fractional CISO if I already have an MSP?: Often, yes. An MSP runs systems and tools. A CISO decides which risks matter, sets policy, and answers to leadership, insurers and auditors. If nobody in your company owns those decisions today, a fractional CISO fills that gap, and can work alongside your current provider.
Can a fractional CISO help with CMMC?: Yes. A fractional CISO typically owns the NIST 800-171 gap assessment, the system security plan, the plan of action and milestones, and the evidence assessors request, while technical controls are implemented by the IT team. See our CMMC page for how that work runs.