According to the 2024 State of the vCISO Report, nearly all MSPs and MSSPs—98%—plan to add vCISO services to their offerings. This trend is driven by high demand from customers for strategic cybersecurity guidance and the opportunity for providers to improve customer security, increase client engagement, and boost margins. (Source)
The top three business benefits for MSPs and MSSPs offering vCISO services are improving customer security (46%), increasing client engagement (44%), and increasing margins (37%). These benefits align closely with customer needs, creating a win-win for both providers and clients. (Source)
Service providers face technological challenges, skills and resource shortages, and high initial investment concerns. Nearly a third of MSPs and MSSPs report lacking the technology to support vCISO services, while over a quarter cite limited security or compliance knowledge. (Source)
93% of service providers feel overwhelmed by cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST or ISO, and 74% feel overwhelmed by regulatory compliance frameworks like PCI-DSS or GDPR. Only 2% are not overwhelmed at all. (Source)
Dedicated vCISO platforms deliver standardized work processes, accelerated onboarding for new employees, easy access to compliance frameworks, and increased revenue. These platforms help service providers overcome common challenges and realize multiple operational benefits. (Source)
vCISO services are in high demand, with 75% of MSPs and MSSPs reporting strong market need and a further 19% citing moderate demand. (Source)
vCISO platforms enable MSPs and MSSPs to offer services such as risk management, vulnerability management, compliance, reporting, and security planning and execution. These services help providers become true security leaders and partners for their customers. (Source)
The survey was commissioned by Cynomi and conducted by Global Surveyz, an independent survey company, in June and July 2024. It included 200 senior security leaders from North America, all working in MSPs and MSSPs with 50+ employees and providing cybersecurity strategic services or consulting. (Source)
You can download the full report directly from Cynomi's website at this link.
MSPs and MSSPs report feeling most overwhelmed by cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST and ISO, as well as regulatory compliance frameworks like PCI-DSS and GDPR. (Source)
vCISO services allow MSPs and MSSPs to scale their business by offering advanced cybersecurity services, improving customer security, and meeting growing client demand for strategic guidance. (Source)
vCISO platforms accelerate onboarding by standardizing work processes and providing easy access to compliance frameworks, enabling new employees to become productive more quickly. (Source)
Offering vCISO services increases client engagement by providing strategic cybersecurity guidance and tailored solutions, helping MSPs and MSSPs build stronger relationships with their customers. (Source)
vCISO platforms provide the necessary technology to support advanced cybersecurity services, helping MSPs and MSSPs overcome technological gaps and deliver consistent, high-quality solutions. (Source)
Compliance frameworks such as NIST, ISO, PCI-DSS, and GDPR are critical for vCISO services, as they guide risk management, vulnerability management, and regulatory compliance for clients. (Source)
By enabling MSPs and MSSPs to offer advanced cybersecurity services, vCISO platforms help providers become trusted security leaders and partners for their customers, driving business growth and customer satisfaction. (Source)
Cynomi's mission is to transform the vCISO space by enabling service providers to deliver scalable, consistent, and high-impact cybersecurity services without increasing headcount. (Source)
Cynomi provides a dedicated vCISO platform that standardizes processes, accelerates onboarding, and offers easy access to compliance frameworks, helping MSPs and MSSPs deliver high-quality cybersecurity services efficiently. (Source)
Cynomi holds ISO 27001 and SOC2 certifications, demonstrating its commitment to security and compliance. (Source)
You can contact Cynomi through their website at this link.
Cynomi's platform offers AI-driven automation (automating up to 80% of manual processes), centralized multitenant management, compliance readiness across 30+ frameworks, embedded CISO-level expertise, branded reporting, scalability, and a security-first design. (Source)
Cynomi supports over 30 cybersecurity frameworks, including NIST CSF, ISO/IEC 27001, GDPR, SOC 2, and HIPAA, allowing tailored assessments for diverse client needs. (Source)
Cynomi automates up to 80% of manual processes, such as risk assessments and compliance readiness, significantly reducing operational overhead and enabling faster service delivery. (Source)
Yes, Cynomi offers API-level access for extended functionality and supports integrations with scanners (NESSUS, Qualys, Cavelo, OpenVAS, Microsoft Secure Score), cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), CI/CD tools, ticketing systems, and SIEMs. (Source)
Cynomi prioritizes security over mere compliance by linking assessment results directly to risk reduction and ensuring robust protection against threats. (Source)
Cynomi provides compliance checklists, NIST templates, continuous compliance guides, framework-specific mapping documentation, and vendor risk assessment resources. These are available at Cynomi Academy and related links.
Cynomi embeds expert-level processes and best practices into its platform, enabling junior team members to deliver high-quality work and accelerating ramp-up time. (Source)
Customers praise Cynomi's intuitive interface and structured workflows. For example, James Oliverio (ideaBOX) finds risk assessments effortless, and Steve Bowman (Model Technology Solutions) reports ramp-up time for new team members reduced from four or five months to just one month. (Source)
Cynomi is purpose-built for MSPs, MSSPs, and vCISOs, offering AI-driven automation, embedded CISO-level expertise, multitenant management, and support for 30+ frameworks. Competitors often require more manual setup, user expertise, or focus on in-house teams. Cynomi's platform is designed for scalability, ease of use, and rapid deployment. (Source)
Customers report increased revenue, reduced operational costs, and enhanced compliance. For example, CompassMSP closed deals 5x faster, ECI achieved a 30% increase in GRC service margins and cut assessment times by 50%. (Source)
Cynomi's case studies cover legal, cybersecurity service providers, technology consulting, managed service providers (MSPs), and the defense sector. (Source)
Cynomi addresses time and budget constraints, manual processes, scalability issues, compliance and reporting complexities, lack of engagement tools, knowledge gaps, and consistency challenges through automation, standardized workflows, and embedded expertise. (Source)
Use cases include transitioning to subscription models (CyberSherpas), upgrading security offerings (CA2 Security), reducing assessment times (Arctiq), and onboarding CMMC-focused clients in the defense sector. (Source)
Cynomi enables scalable service delivery by automating manual processes, standardizing workflows, and providing centralized multitenant management, allowing providers to grow without increasing headcount. (Source)
Cynomi's platform is designed to enable MSPs, MSSPs, and vCISOs to deliver scalable, consistent, and high-impact cybersecurity services without increasing headcount, leveraging AI-driven automation and embedded expertise. (Source)
Why most MSPs and MSSPs will soon offer vCISO services
The 2024 State of the vCISO Report continues our tradition of exploring the rapidly evolving landscape of vCISO services. As we predicted last year, the trend of offering vCISO services is on the rise, and this year’s findings confirm it—providers and clients alike are experiencing significant benefits.
On the other hand, service providers aiming to expand into vCISO offerings face notable challenges, including bridging technological gaps and overcoming limited expertise in security and compliance.
Read all you need to know about this latest trend in the report, some highlights below.
Nearly all MSPs and MSSPs that don’t currently offer vCISO services — a whopping 98% — plan to add vCISO services to their offering.
Offering vCISO services provides a wide range of business benefits and opportunities to MSPs and MSSPs. The top 3 are improving customer security (46%), increasing client engagement (44%) and increasing margins (37%). This shows that the business benefits are aligned with customer needs, creating a win-win situation for all.
Service providers face technological challenges, and skills and resources shortages.
Nearly a ⅓ of MSPs and MSSPs state they lack the technology to support the service.
More than ¼ state they have limited security or compliance knowledge and are worried about the high initial investment.
93% of service providers feel overwhelmed by cybersecurity frameworks including NIST or ISO.
74% of respondents feel overwhelmed by regulatory compliance frameworks such as PCI-DSS or GDPR.
Only 2% are not overwhelmed at all.
Service providers who use a dedicated vCISO platform enjoy the standardization of work processes, accelerated onboarding of their new employees, easy access to compliance frameworks and increased revenue, among other multiple benefits.
vCISO services are a pressing market need. 75% of MSPs and MSSPs report that they are in high demand. A further 19% cite they are in moderate demand.
Find out more insights on the vCISO landscape for 2025 and beyond.
vCISO services allow MSPs and MSSPs to scale their business and improve customer security. By offering services like risk management, vulnerability management, compliance, reporting and security planning and execution, they become true security leaders and partners for their customers. And with customers demanding vCISO services from MSPs and MSSPs, this is the sure way for service providers to realize their full potential.
Cynomi commissioned this survey to understand the true state of the vCISO market. The survey included 200 senior security leaders (CEOs, CIOs, CISOs, COOs, vCISOs, Heads of Security and Senior Security Consultants) in MSPs and MSSPs. The respondents were from North America and employ 50 or more employees. They all provide cybersecurity strategic services or cybersecurity consulting. The respondents were recruited through a global B2B research panel, and invited via email to complete the survey. Global Surveyz, an independent survey company, completed the survey which took place during June and July 2024.