vCISO Services in Dubai
Senior cybersecurity leadership for DIFC and ADGM-regulated firms and family offices, without a full-time CISO salary.
What's included
Strategy & Roadmap
A 12-month security plan tied to your business and regulatory obligations.
- Security strategy and roadmap
- Prioritised plan with costs and timelines
- Independent vendor and tool advice
Policies & Governance
Policies written to fit how your firm actually works.
- Information security and acceptable use
- Access control and incident response
- BCP and DR policies
Cyber Risk Register
Identify, score and track the risks that matter to your firm.
- Cyber risk assessment
- Third-party and vendor risk
- Risk tracking and remediation
Board Reporting
Plain-language cyber risk reports your directors can act on.
- Quarterly board and committee reports
- Plain-language risk summaries
- Progress against your roadmap
Regulatory Readiness
Preparation for DFSA and FSRA cyber expectations.
- DFSA and FSRA readiness reviews
- Self-assessment support
- Audit preparation and evidence
Incident Leadership & Awareness
A senior lead when something goes wrong, and a team that knows what to spot.
- Incident response leadership
- Support with regulator communication
- Staff awareness training
- Phishing simulations
The Problem
DIFC and ADGM regulators expect a named person to own cyber risk, report it to the board and respond when something goes wrong.
For a family office or a 20-person investment firm, a full-time CISO is rarely justified. A virtual CISO gives you that leadership part-time, at a fixed monthly cost.
Who It's For
- DFSA-regulated firms in the DIFC
- FSRA-regulated firms in ADGM
- Single and multi-family offices
- Investment and asset managers preparing for a regulatory review or audit
- Growing firms whose IT lead has become the security lead by default
How It Works
- Free discovery call (30 min): we learn your business, regulator and current setup.
- Baseline assessment: we review controls, policies and gaps against your regulatory requirements.
- Roadmap: a prioritised plan with costs and timelines.
- Ongoing leadership: regular working sessions, quarterly board reporting and on-call support for incidents.
Built Around Your Regulator
Our team has hands-on experience with DIFC, ADGM, DFSA and FSRA requirements.
We align your programme with ISO 27001 and NIST practices, so the work holds up whether your next review comes from a regulator, an auditor or an investor’s due-diligence questionnaire.
Why Mecaka
- Senior people only, with no junior handoffs
- Backed by our 24/7 SOC, so strategy and monitoring come from one team
- Response times written into your SLA
- Fixed monthly pricing with a clearly defined scope
Getting Started
A typical engagement is around two days a month, agreed up front in your contract.
Most engagements start within two weeks of signing, beginning with a baseline assessment of where you stand today.
Frequently asked questions.
What is a vCISO?
A virtual Chief Information Security Officer: a senior security leader who works with you part-time, on retainer, instead of as a full-time employee.
Do DIFC or ADGM firms need a CISO?
Regulators expect clear ownership of cyber risk and board-level oversight. Smaller firms often meet that expectation with a vCISO rather than a full-time hire.
How much time does a vCISO spend with us?
It depends on your size and regulatory exposure. A typical engagement is around two days a month, agreed up front in your contract.
Can the vCISO deal with the regulator on our behalf?
The vCISO prepares documentation and supports your team in regulator meetings. Formal responsibility stays with your firm’s approved persons.
How quickly can you start?
Usually within two weeks of signing.
Find out where your security programme stands.
Book a free 30-minute call with a senior consultant. No sales deck.