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Fractional CISO vs vCISO: accountability vs responsibility

A Fractional CISO is accountable, just like a CISO, but working part-time. A vCISO can only be made responsible; accountability stays with the CxO.

Some excellent points by Christophe H.

As I wrote in CISO vs vCISO vs fractional CISO, I see a difference between fractional and virtual:

  • a Fractional CISO is accountable, just like a CISO, but is working part-time.
  • a vCISO can only be made responsible; the accountability stays with the CxO they "augment".

As for the fractional vs full-time aspect, both are perfectly fine, so long as the context and expectations are aligned. There is a time and a place for both.

Olivier Reuland