Question 1

What is a vCISO?

Accepted Answer

A virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) is an outsourced executive who sets your security strategy, policies, and governance without the cost of a full-time hire. Framework Security's vCISO service includes risk management, compliance roadmaps, board-level reporting, and AI risk strategy.

Question 2

How long does SOC 2 readiness take?

Accepted Answer

Most clients reach SOC 2 readiness in weeks and complete audits within a quarter when remediation items are addressed promptly. Timelines vary based on your current security maturity, but Framework Security manages the full process end-to-end.

Question 3

What is SOC 2 and why do we need it?

Accepted Answer

SOC 2 is an independent audit that proves your company protects customer data using strong security and operational controls. Many enterprise customers — including financial institutions and large technology companies — require SOC 2 as a contract prerequisite.

Question 4

What is NIST CSF 2.0?

Accepted Answer

NIST CSF 2.0 is a framework from the National Institute of Standards and Technology that organizes cybersecurity into six functions: Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. Framework Security uses it as a roadmap to measure your maturity and prioritize security investments.

Question 5

Do you offer AI risk assessments?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Framework Security evaluates your AI and ML use cases, data handling practices, third-party LLM risks, and governance controls, then delivers a prioritized mitigation plan aligned with ISO/IEC 42001 and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework.

Question 6

What's the difference between a vulnerability assessment, a penetration test, and a red team?

Accepted Answer

A vulnerability assessment broadly scans for weaknesses. A penetration test is a scoped simulation where our testers exploit real issues to show business impact. A red team is a full adversary simulation across multiple attack paths designed to test your detection and response capabilities.

Question 7

How often should we do penetration testing?

Accepted Answer

At minimum, annually and whenever systems change significantly. For internet-facing applications or regulated industries, more frequent testing is recommended. Framework Security offers penetration testing as a service (PTaaS) for continuous coverage.

Question 8

What happens if we fail a pentest?

Accepted Answer

There's no pass/fail. You get a detailed report showing vulnerabilities, their severity, and remediation steps. After you fix the issues, Framework Security performs a retest to confirm they're closed.

Question 9

Do you help with regulatory frameworks beyond SOC 2?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Framework Security supports CIS 18, NIST CSF, NIST 800-171, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS, GDPR, CCPA, TX-RAMP, and more depending on your industry. We often help clients satisfy multiple frameworks from a single evidence set.

Question 10

Where do we start if we're new to cybersecurity programs?

Accepted Answer

A cyber risk assessment is the right starting point — it establishes your baseline maturity, identifies the highest-risk gaps, and maps a prioritized roadmap. Schedule a call with Framework Security to determine the best path forward for your organization.

Question 11

What industries does Framework Security specialize in?

Accepted Answer

Framework Security works across financial services, fintech, SaaS, healthcare, manufacturing, nonprofits, and professional services. We have particular depth in SOC 2 and AI risk for technology companies and compliance-heavy regulated industries.

Question 12

What is Framework Security's experience level?

Accepted Answer

Framework Security's team brings 65+ combined years of cybersecurity expertise, including work with enterprise organizations like Vanguard Charitable. The firm has earned recognition including Virtual CISO Solution of the Year (2024) and CISO of the Year (2023).

Leadership Experience	65+ years of combined team experience across real enterprise environments, not junior analysts overseen from a distance.
No Vendor Independence	Completely vendor-agnostic. Every recommendation is based solely on what reduces your risk, no preferred partnerships influencing the advice.
Compliance Philosophy	Frameworks are treated as living tools that scale with your business, not static checklists built to pass audits and collect dust.
Executive Access	vCISO services give you direct access to senior security leadership, bridging the gap between board-level priorities and technical execution.
Pricing & Value	Partner pricing passed directly to clients. Purpose-built for mid-market organizations that need enterprise-grade security without enterprise-grade overhead.
Third-Party Recognition	Clutch #1 in North America, G2 Top 10, AWS Marketplace top pen testing provider, Gartner Peer Insights listed, validated across multiple independent platforms.

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