Ethical Hacking News
The cybersecurity landscape is undergoing a significant transformation with the rise of advanced threats and growing awareness among businesses. In response to this shift, SMBs are increasingly turning to vCISO services. A recent report by Cynomi reveals that adoption of the vCISO offering has jumped from 21% in 2024 to 67% in 2025, a 319% increase in just one year. With AI transforming how vCISO services are delivered, service providers can support more clients, deliver higher-quality outputs, and improve profit margins. The full 2025 State of the vCISO Report offers insights into this revolution.
The demand for Virtual Chief Information Security Officers (vCISO) services has increased by 319% among Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) in just one year.vCISO adoption has jumped from 21% in 2024 to 67% in 2025, making it a foundational service in the cybersecurity market.AI is transforming how vCISO services are delivered, with 81% of MSPs and MSSPs already using AI or automation within their workflows.vCISO services provide flexibility and scalability for organizations without the overhead of a full-time executive.Service providers offering vCISO services see substantial gains, including increased upsell opportunities, improved operating margins, and expanded customer bases.
The cybersecurity landscape has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, with the rise of advanced threats and growing awareness of the importance of cybersecurity among businesses of all sizes. In response to this shift, Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) have been increasingly turning to virtual Chief Information Security Officers (vCISO) services to keep up with escalating threats and compliance demands. According to a recent report by Cynomi, a full 79% of Managed Service Providers (MSPs) andManaged Security Service Providers (MSSPs) see high demand for vCISO services among SMBs.
As the volume and sophistication of cyber threats and risks grow, cybersecurity has become mission-critical for businesses. To address this shift, service providers are scaling to meet the growing demand for vCISO services. But how are they doing it? What business upside can they expect to see? And where does AI fit in?
The 2025 State of the vCISO Report, a newly-released report by Cynomi, offers a deep dive into the vCISO market evolution and the broader shift toward advanced cybersecurity services. The bottom line? What used to be a niche offering is now a foundational service, and AI is transforming how it's delivered.
The report reveals that adoption of the vCISO offering among MSPs and MSSPs has jumped from 21% in 2024 to 67% in 2025, a 319% increase in just one year. This growth in adoption reflects a clear industry shift, from vCISO being a niche service to becoming a core one.
The report also highlights that demand for vCISO services is outpacing even compliance readiness and cyber insurance support. With this growing demand, organizations are looking for ways to access high-level cybersecurity expertise without the overhead of a full-time executive. And it's not just about cost savings; vCISO offerings provide flexibility and scalability.
Service providers who offer vCISO services report substantial gains, including:
- 41% reporting an increase in upsell opportunities
- 40% seeing improved operating margins
- 39% reporting a measurable expansion in their customer base
These business outcomes demonstrate the value of vCISO services to both service providers and clients. As AI-powered platforms continue to reduce manual effort and enable scalable service delivery, the operational burden becomes far more manageable.
The applications of AI in vCISO services are wide-ranging and impactful: reporting automation and insights, remediation planning, compliance readiness and monitoring, risk and security assessments, task prioritization, and more. According to the report, 81% of MSPs and MSSPs are already using AI or automation within their vCISO workflows, and an additional 15% plan to adopt it within the next year.
This allows service providers to support more clients, deliver higher-quality outputs, and improve profit margins, all without expanding headcount. In effect, AI is enabling the kind of scale and consistency that traditional, human-led delivery models could not sustain.
Looking ahead, we expect to see:
- Wider market penetration among MSPs and MSSPs
- Deeper integration of AI across vCISO services
- Higher ROI as service providers implement AI and other technologies in their processes and offerings
For a complete view of trends, benchmarks, and best practices shaping the future of virtual cybersecurity leadership, download the full 2025 State of the vCISO Report.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/AI-Driven-Revolution-in-vCISO-Services-A-Game-Changer-for-SMBs-ehn.shtml
https://thehackernews.com/2025/08/ai-slashes-workloads-for-vcisos-by-68.html
Published: Wed Aug 6 07:35:26 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
