No one owns cyber risk
Security is "everyone's job," so it's no one's — gaps go unmanaged until a client questionnaire or breach exposes them.
A named, accountable owner
Executive Security Leadership
Virtual CISO — a CISO's judgment, without the hire.
Cyber risk is now a board-level question — but a full-time CISO costs $250K+ and takes months to find. QTSI gives you seasoned security leadership on day one: a prioritized roadmap, GRC frameworks, and the reporting your clients, insurers, and auditors demand.
NIST · SOC 2
PIPEDA aligned
Day 1
Senior leadership, no ramp
Board
Ready risk reporting
What it is
A Virtual CISO is your accountable owner for cybersecurity — setting strategy, governing risk, and standing in front of the board, clients, and auditors so security stops being an afterthought.
We run a governance-first program: assess your posture, close the highest-impact gaps, and build the policies, controls, and reporting that mature your security over time. You get a CISO's pattern-recognition and credibility on a fraction of the cost, scaled to your risk profile.
- Governance before gadgets. Policy, process, and risk priorities first — tools second.
- Audit & insurer ready. Evidence and reporting that satisfy clients, cyber insurance, and regulators.
- Incident-ready. Tested response plans so a breach is a contained event, not a crisis.
Engagement at a glance
ModelFractional vCISO retainer
FrameworksNIST CSF · SOC 2
OwnsSecurity strategy & risk
Reports toBoard · clients · insurers
Starts withPosture & risk assessment
Best forRegulated & client-audited firms
Challenges we solve
Security gaps you can't afford to discover during an incident.
The threats that hurt mid-market organizations aren't exotic — they're the basics left ungoverned. A vCISO makes sure they're owned.
Failing client & insurer audits
Deals stall on security questionnaires and renewals get pricier because you can't evidence basic controls.
Audit-ready evidence & policyNo plan for a breach
If ransomware hit tomorrow, who does what? Without a tested plan, every minute of an incident is improvised and costly.
Tested incident-response plans
Key capabilities
What your Virtual CISO owns
A complete security leadership function — strategy, governance, and the day-to-day rigor that keeps you defensible.
Security strategy & roadmap
A prioritized plan that closes the highest-impact gaps first and matures your posture quarter by quarter.
GRC & compliance
NIST CSF, SOC 2, PIPEDA, HIPAA, PCI — gap assessment, policy, evidence, and audit support.
Risk assessment & register
A living risk register with ratings, owners, and remediation — the artifact boards and insurers want to see.
Incident response & BCDR
Tested response playbooks, ransomware-resilient recovery, and clear RTO/RPO targets so you bounce back fast.
Security awareness
Phishing simulation and role-based training that harden the human layer attackers target first.
Vendor & third-party risk
Due diligence and ongoing monitoring of the suppliers that can become your weakest link.
Engagement model
From exposed to defensible
A governance-first sequence that delivers a visible win early and compounds your security maturity over time.
1
Assess
Posture and risk assessment against a recognized framework — we surface and rank every meaningful gap.
2
Prioritize
A risk-ranked roadmap and policy set, focused on the controls that cut the most exposure for the least effort.
3
Remediate
We drive fixes across identity, email, endpoints, and backups, and stand up incident-response readiness.
4
Report
Board-level reporting and continuous improvement — your maturity (and your evidence) grows every quarter.
0%
Of common gaps closed in phase one
0%
Client questionnaires you can answer
RTO
Recovery targets defined & tested
0%
Saved vs. a full-time CISO
Business outcomes
Security that wins deals and lowers risk.
- Faster sales cycles. Pass security reviews instead of stalling on them.
- Lower insurance cost. Evidenced controls earn better cyber-insurance terms.
- Contained incidents. A tested plan turns a potential catastrophe into a managed event.
- Board confidence. Leadership finally has a clear, honest read on cyber risk.
Common questions
Virtual CISO — answered.
Everything you need to know before engaging a fractional security executive.
What does a Virtual CISO do?
A Virtual CISO acts as your accountable owner for cybersecurity strategy and governance. They assess your security posture, develop a risk-ranked roadmap, build and enforce policies, stand up incident response plans, and report to your board, clients, and insurers — on a fractional basis rather than as a full-time hire.
How much does a Virtual CISO cost compared to a full-time CISO?
A full-time CISO in Canada typically costs $220,000–$280,000+ in total compensation. QTSI's vCISO model delivers the same strategic leadership at roughly 20–30% of that cost — scaled to your risk profile, with no benefits, equity, or ramp period.
What security frameworks does QTSI's vCISO work with?
We work with NIST CSF, SOC 2 Type I/II, PIPEDA, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS depending on your industry and compliance requirements. Our governance-first approach means we select the framework that fits your risk profile — not the most complex one.
How quickly can we expect results from a Virtual CISO?
Most engagements deliver a prioritized risk assessment and roadmap within the first 30 days. By month three, the highest-impact gaps are typically closed and your incident response plan is tested. Board-ready reporting and improved audit readiness follow in the first quarter.
Is a Virtual CISO right for us if we already have an IT team?
Yes — a vCISO complements your internal IT team. IT staff handle day-to-day operations; the vCISO provides executive strategy, governance oversight, and the external credibility that boards and clients require. We routinely work alongside existing MSPs and IT managers to elevate the overall security program.
Explore more
Services that complement your vCISO
A strong security posture layers strategy with execution. These services work hand-in-hand with fractional CISO leadership.
Client results
Organizations that moved from exposed to defensible.
Measurable outcomes from businesses that put a vCISO in their corner.
We'd been failing client security questionnaires for two years. QTSI's vCISO stood up our GRC program in 90 days — our next enterprise audit came back with zero findings. We now answer every client questionnaire with confidence.
Enterprise audit → zero findingsWe priced a full-time CISO and the cost was prohibitive. With QTSI's fractional model, we have the same calibre of security leadership and the depth of expertise to satisfy our enterprise clients — and we saved over $200K in year one.
$200K+ saved vs. full-time CISO hire
Your advisor
Manav Chadha
Founder & CEO · vCISO / GRC Strategist
Manav serves as Virtual CISO for organizations across Edmonton, Alberta, and Western Canada — providing executive security leadership, GRC program design, and board-level risk reporting on a fractional model. He brings the strategic credibility and audit-ready frameworks that regulated and enterprise-audited Alberta firms demand, without the cost of a full-time hire.
- 20+ years cybersecurity & vCISO leadership, Edmonton & Alberta
- GRC programs aligned to NIST CSF, SOC 2, PIPEDA
- Board & executive risk reporting and incident response planning
- Enterprise audit preparation — zero-findings track record
- Based in Edmonton · serving Alberta & Western Canada
Frameworks & standards
NIST CSF
SOC 2
PIPEDA
HIPAA
PCI-DSS
Get a CISO's read on your risk — this month.
Start with a free security review. We'll identify your top exposures and the fastest path to a defensible posture.
Free & confidential · Manav personally reviews every request within one business day.
Prefer to talk? Call us: 780-716-5372