If you’re running a professional services firm today, you’ve probably heard new acronyms popping up in IT conversations. Two that come up often: vCIO and vCISO.

On the surface they sound similar. Both are “virtual executives” who guide your business at a fraction of the cost of hiring in-house. But their roles are very different — and understanding that difference matters for your business strategy, your compliance posture, and even your insurance coverage.

What a vCIO Does (Virtual CIO)

A vCIO focuses on business alignment:

• Building your IT roadmap to support growth

• Budgeting for hardware, software, and licensing

• Identifying the right tools for productivity and collaboration

• Making sure your technology enables your business outcomes, not just “keeps the lights on”

Think of the vCIO as the person making sure your IT investments match your business goals.

What a vCISO Does (Virtual CISO)

A vCISO focuses on security and compliance:

• Assessing risks to your client and firm data

• Writing and enforcing security policies

• Overseeing incident response and recovery

• Mapping your business to frameworks like NIST, HIPAA, ISO, and CIS Controls Groups 1–3

• Preparing you for insurance renewals, client security questionnaires, and regulatory audits

Think of the vCISO as the person making sure your business is defensible if regulators, clients, or insurers start asking hard questions.

Where Does CIS 8.1 Group 1 Fit?

This is where many firms get tripped up.

• CIS Controls v8.1 Group 1 is considered basic cyber hygiene. It covers the essential safeguards every business should have — things like asset inventory, secure configurations, vulnerability management, controlled use of admin privileges, and backup.

• A good IT provider should include Group 1 in their standard support plan. It’s no longer “optional” — it’s the modern baseline for doing business.

• Beyond Group 1, however, the picture changes. CIS Groups 2 and 3, along with NIST, HIPAA, and ISO, require deeper expertise and ongoing governance. That’s where the vCISO steps in.

So the line looks like this:

• ✅ vCIO + IT provider = Technology alignment + Group 1 basics.

• ✅ vCISO = Advanced frameworks, governance, and audit readiness.

Should Your IT Provider Include vCIO Services in Their Support Plan?

In today’s world — yes. An IT provider that only “fixes things when they break” leaves you exposed. A vCIO function ensures your technology plan supports your business plan. That should be table stakes.

But don’t confuse vCIO with vCISO. A provider may be great at roadmaps and budgets but still lack the depth needed for compliance frameworks or security governance.

Should the Same Company Do Both vCIO and vCISO?

This is where it gets nuanced.

• Pros of having one provider handle both:

  • Unified strategy between IT and security

  • Fewer silos, faster communication

  • One point of accountability

• Cons of having one provider handle both:

  • Risk of “grading their own homework” (if the same team that sets security policies also monitors itself)

  • Potential conflicts between cost savings (CIO focus) and risk reduction (CISO focus)

  • Depth of expertise — many MSPs can deliver vCIO services but may not have the bench strength for vCISO-level compliance.

Some firms solve this by either:

• Working with separate companies, or

• Having their MSP clearly separate the vCIO and vCISO roles into different divisions or personnel.

That separation of duties can make a big difference when compliance or insurance auditors start asking who’s responsible for what.

The Bottom Line

Every professional services firm needs vCIO-level guidance as part of its IT support plan. Without it, you’re just buying help desk hours.

A good provider will also bake in CIS 8.1 Group 1 as the baseline for safe operations.

But to go further — into CIS Groups 2 and 3, NIST, HIPAA, ISO, and beyond — you’ll need vCISO-level guidance. And the bigger question is whether that role should live with the same company or be intentionally separated for accountability.

That’s a strategic decision every owner, partner, and manager will need to make as compliance pressure continues to tighten.

👉 Curious how this applies to your firm? Let’s talk.