Virtual CISO & Cybersecurity Advisory · Canada

Enterprise-grade security leadership. Without the enterprise price tag.

For businesses too big to ignore cyber risk and too small for a full-time CISO.

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43%of cyberattacks target small & mid-sized businesses
$3.31Maverage cost of a data breach for a small business
60%of breached small businesses close within six months
The Problem

Small businesses are the primary target. And the least prepared.

No security leadership

Decisions get made after something goes wrong, not before.

Growing compliance pressure

Privacy law (PIPEDA), investment regulation (CIRO), defence contracting (CPCSC): small firms now face big-firm obligations.

The hiring path is closed

A full-time CISO costs $300K+ fully loaded — and rarely wants the job.

The Solution

Most security gaps aren't technical. They're leadership gaps.

Without a security leader

  • Questionnaires sit in inboxes for weeks
  • "Are we secure?" gets "I think so"
  • Every headline triggers a scramble
  • IT patches — nobody sets strategy

With SynapCys

  • Questionnaires answered the right way, fast
  • A clear answer, backed by evidence
  • Headlines translated: does this apply to us?
  • A named owner for every security decision
Who You're Talking To

A practitioner, not a call centre.

SynapCys is founder-led. When you book a call, you talk to the practitioner who does the work — not a sales rep, not a handoff, not an AI-generated report with your logo pasted on top. Based in Toronto, working with regulated Canadian businesses.

Cybersecurity Services

Six services. Concrete deliverables.

Every engagement ends with documents and processes you can actually use.

Cybersecurity Maturity Assessment

A clear, evidence-based picture of where you're protected and where you're exposed.

    You receive
  • Posture scoring across 18 control domains
  • A visual map of your exposure
  • Prioritized findings ready to act on

Virtual CISO Advisory

Executive security leadership on the cadence your business needs.

    You receive
  • A named owner for security decisions
  • Executive and board briefings
  • A trusted call when headlines land

Security Program Design

A complete program built for your business — designed, documented, managed.

    You receive
  • Information security policy suite
  • Framework alignment (NIST, CIS, ISO, SOC 2)
  • Multi-year roadmap with milestones

Vendor & Third-Party Risk

A structured way to evaluate and contractually protect against vendor risk.

    You receive
  • Risk assessment template & scoring model
  • Reviews of your critical vendors
  • Security clauses for vendor contracts

Incident Response Planning

A documented, tested plan for the first hour, day, and week of an incident.

    You receive
  • Response plan tailored to your business
  • Role-based playbooks & escalation paths
  • Tabletop exercise to pressure-test it

Regulatory Compliance Readiness

Guided preparation for the regulations that apply to your business.

    You receive
  • Mapping of applicable obligations
  • Gap analysis (PIPEDA, SOC 2, CPCSC, others)
  • Remediation plan with ownership
What We Do

A structured path from assessment to protection.

1

Discovery & Assessment

Comprehensive maturity assessment with gap analysis, risk scoring, and a baseline you can actually act on.

2

Roadmap & Quick Wins

Prioritized action plan with phased milestones, budget estimates, and immediate risk reduction from day one.

3

Ongoing Advisory

Monthly retainer covering executive briefings, policy reviews, vendor oversight, and incident readiness.

4

Continuous Improvement

Quarterly reassessments, maturity tracking, and program evolution as your business and threats grow.

Engagement Packages

Flexible models scaled to your needs.

Every engagement starts with a security posture review — clarity on where you stand before any larger commitment.

Essentials

Foundation-building for businesses beginning their security journey.

  • Initial maturity assessment
  • Security program roadmap
  • Quarterly advisory check-ins
  • Annual policy review
  • Email support
Get Started
Recommended

Professional

Comprehensive security leadership for growing and regulated businesses.

Includes Essentials, plus:
  • Monthly advisory sessions
  • Leadership-ready risk reporting
  • Vendor risk assessments
  • Incident response planning
  • Compliance gap monitoring
Get Started

Enterprise

Full vCISO engagement for high-exposure or heavily regulated organizations.

Includes Professional, plus:
  • Bi-weekly strategic sessions
  • Tabletop exercises (2×/year)
  • Security awareness program
  • Third-party risk monitoring
  • Priority incident support — a direct line when it matters
Get Started

Industries we serve

Every regulated or data-sensitive business needs the same discipline. We speak your regulator's language.

What's your cyber score?

Eight questions, two minutes. See how your business measures up — nobody's watching.

A named owner for cybersecurity decisions?

Written security policies your team has seen?

MFA enforced everywhere, no exceptions?

Backup restore tested in the last year?

Know which of your data is sensitive or regulated?

Security reviews for your critical vendors?

A written incident plan with names in it?

Could you hand over proof of all this within 48 hours?

Could you answer "are we secure?" with evidence?

Thirty minutes. No pitch. Useful even if you never hire us.