Virtual Chief Information Security Officer: an external professional who assumes the role of information security manager for organizations that cannot or do not want to maintain a full-time internal CISO. The vCISO defines security strategy, governance, risk management, regulatory compliance (NIS2, GDPR, DORA), coordinates incident response, manages relationships with boards and authorities, and supervises technical teams. A flexible model suitable for SMEs, startups, public entities, or companies in the growth phase of their security function.