Axiom Sovereign | Technology Sovereignty Advisory

The Challenge

Mid-market firms face enterprise-grade risk
with startup-grade security resources.

~65%

of organizations have adopted generative AI without establishing proper governance controls — a gap that is acute in professional services, where staff routinely use AI tools with client data, PHI, and legally privileged information.

Deloitte AI Governance Research, 2024 · AuditBoard, 2025: Only 25% have fully implemented AI governance

$4.88M

global average cost of a data breach in 2024 — a 10% increase over 2023 and the largest year-over-year jump since the pandemic. For financial services, costs average $6.08M. Healthcare breaches average $9.77M. A single incident can be existential for a mid-market firm.

IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024 (Ponemon Institute)

$300–600/hr

is the typical billing rate for Big 4 security and advisory consultants — with partner-level engagements reaching $600/hr or more. Most CPA and law firms with 25–200 employees cannot access or sustain this level of spend for ongoing security leadership.

Fishbowl / Big 4 practitioner community data · Quora: MBB & Big 4 billing rates

$565K

average total compensation for a U.S.-based CISO in 2024 — making dedicated security leadership financially out of reach for most mid-market firms. The result: the average 25–200 person professional services firm has no security leadership at all, creating compounding regulatory exposure.

IANS Research & Artico Search: 2024 CISO Compensation Report (755 CISOs surveyed)

Practice Areas

Three disciplines.
One integrated practice.

⚔

Virtual CISO

Strategic cybersecurity leadership backed by hands-on execution. We don't hand you a report and leave — we build and operate your security program, configure controls, write policies, and sit in your board meetings. CISO-level outcomes at 10–15% of a full-time hire.

Security program build & operationPolicy authoring & implementationBoard & executive risk reportingCyber insurance optimizationIncident response plan build & drillVendor risk program implementation

🧠

AI Governance

We build your AI governance program from the ground up — not a slide deck, but a functioning system. That means drafting and deploying policies, configuring approved tool lists, implementing data handling controls, and operationalizing the Sovereign AI Framework™ inside your actual environment.

Sovereign AI Framework™ deploymentAI use policy authoring & rolloutVendor risk controls implementationNIST AI RMF operationalizationEU AI Act technical compliance buildStaff AI governance training delivery

🔒

Privacy Advisory

Fractional DPO services with real operational ownership. We execute your data mapping, build and manage your ROPA, respond to DSARs, configure privacy controls in your systems, and maintain your compliance posture across GDPR, CPRA, and the expanding US state privacy landscape — not just advise on it.

Fractional DPO designation & operationData mapping & ROPA buildDSAR intake & response executionPrivacy controls configurationCross-border transfer mechanism setupMulti-state privacy program implementation

📋

Compliance Framework Implementation

We implement compliance frameworks — hands on keyboard, not hands off. That means configuring your GRC platform, writing your SSPs and POAMs, building evidence libraries, remediating control gaps in your actual environment, and getting you to audit-ready status for NIST CSF 2.0, NIST SP 800-171, SOC 2, and ISO/IEC 27001.

GRC platform configuration & operationSSP, POAM & evidence library buildControl gap remediation executionNIST CSF 2.0 full implementationSOC 2 audit-ready program buildNIST SP 800-171 for CUI environments

☁

Cloud Security Architecture

We assess and harden your cloud environment directly — configuring IAM policies, enabling and tuning security services, remediating misconfigurations, and building monitoring and alerting pipelines in AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. You get a secure, documented architecture, not just a list of findings.

IAM policy build & hardeningCloud security service configurationMisconfiguration remediationSecurity monitoring & alerting buildData protection controls implementationCIS Benchmark & CSA CCM alignment

⚛

Emerging Technology Security

We execute your post-quantum cryptography migration — inventorying cryptographic assets, identifying harvest-now-decrypt-later exposure, and implementing NIST FIPS 203-205 aligned controls in your actual systems. For space and satellite operators, we build cybersecurity governance programs aligned to emerging space security standards — not theoretical frameworks, but operational programs.

Cryptographic asset inventory & assessmentPQC migration execution (FIPS 203-205)Harvest-now-decrypt-later risk remediationSpace cybersecurity program buildLong-lived data protection implementation

Is This You?

Signs your organization
needs security leadership now.

Most organizations that need a vCISO don't know they need one until something goes wrong. These are the warning signals.

📋

A client just sent you a security questionnaire

Enterprise clients, healthcare systems, and government agencies are requiring vendors to complete security assessments before signing contracts. If you can't answer it, you don't get the contract.

📈

Your cyber insurance premium went up — again

Carriers are raising rates and tightening requirements for organizations that can't demonstrate basic controls. A vCISO implements what carriers require and helps you answer renewal questions accurately.

🤖

Your staff are using AI tools with client data

ChatGPT, Copilot, Grammarly — if you don't have an AI governance policy, your staff are making their own decisions. Most professional services firms have AICPA or ABA obligations that this violates.

🏥

You handle PHI and have never done a HIPAA risk analysis

HIPAA's Security Rule mandates an annual risk analysis. It's the most-cited violation in OCR audits. If you've never done one — or haven't done one in the past 12 months — you're exposed.

🚨

You've had an incident and had no plan

A phishing attack, ransomware, or vendor breach and your team didn't know who to call, what to do first, or what regulations required notification. A vCISO builds the plan before you need it.

🏛️

You're pursuing government contracts or subcontracts

Federal contracts increasingly require NIST SP 800-171 compliance, CMMC certification, or documented cybersecurity programs. Without security leadership, you can't compete for this work.

⚖️

A new privacy law applies to your clients

19+ U.S. states now have comprehensive privacy laws. GDPR applies to any EU data subjects. If you have clients across state lines and no privacy program, your exposure is growing quarterly.

🔍

You're going through SOC 2 or HIPAA for the first time

Engaging an auditor before you're ready is expensive — auditors bill for every gap they find. A vCISO does the readiness work first so you enter the audit clean and exit it faster.

👔

Security is nobody's job at your organization

If the question "who owns security?" has no clear answer, you have a governance gap. Security without an owner means policies don't get written, incidents don't get managed, and risks compound.

If two or more of these describe your organization, a vCISO engagement pays for itself.

Engagement Models

Fractional leadership
scaled to your organization.

GOVERNANCE ESSENTIALS

Starter

$3,500 – $5,000/mo

8–12 hrs/month · 6-month minimum

WHAT YOU GET

Technology Sovereignty Risk Assessment (onboarding)
90-day prioritized remediation roadmap
Monthly vCISO advisory session (2 hrs)
Core security policy development (3 policies)
AI acceptable use policy + approved tool list
Cyber insurance questionnaire support
Quarterly risk register review
Annual NIST CSF maturity assessment
Email advisory access between sessions

BEST FOR

Organizations under 50 employees with no prior security program. Firms facing a cyber insurance renewal, client security questionnaire, or first-time compliance requirement.

NOT INCLUDED

Board reporting · Fractional DPO · Incident response plan · Vendor risk program

SOVEREIGN ADVISORY ★ MOST POPULAR

Growth

$6,500 – $9,000/mo

20–28 hrs/month · 6-month minimum

WHAT YOU GET

Everything in Governance Essentials, plus:
Bi-weekly strategic advisory sessions (4 hrs/mo)
Quarterly cybersecurity board report
Complete policy library (8–12 policies)
AI governance program — full deployment
Privacy compliance program (HIPAA or state privacy laws)
Incident response plan development + tabletop exercise
Vendor risk management program
Staff security awareness training coordination
Cyber insurance renewal management
Unlimited email + Slack advisory access
Regulatory monitoring — quarterly briefings

BEST FOR

Organizations 25–200 employees with active compliance requirements — SOC 2, HIPAA, client contracts, or cyber insurance. Professional services firms handling sensitive client data.

NOT INCLUDED

Fractional DPO designation · Government subcontract advisory · Multi-framework simultaneous compliance

TECHNOLOGY SOVEREIGN

Enterprise

$12,000 – $18,000/mo

40–60 hrs/month · 12-month minimum

WHAT YOU GET

Everything in Sovereign Advisory, plus:
Weekly executive sessions (8 hrs/mo)
Fractional DPO designation (GDPR / CPRA)
Multi-framework compliance — simultaneous (SOC 2 + HIPAA + NIST CSF)
Sovereign AI Framework™ implementation
Government subcontract advisory + capability statement
NIST SP 800-171 / CMMC Level 2 readiness program
Annual staff security awareness training delivery
Quarterly board-level executive briefings
Post-quantum cryptography readiness assessment
On-call incident response support (48-hr SLA)
Priority access — same-day response guaranteed

BEST FOR

Organizations 100–500 employees with complex regulatory requirements, government contracts, or international operations. Firms pursuing SOC 2 Type II or CMMC certification.

All engagements include a Technology Sovereignty Risk Assessment in the first 14 days. · Minimum terms are flexible for government subcontract engagements. · Custom scopes available — contact us to discuss.

How We Work

AI-augmented consulting.
Expert-led delivery.

Risk Assessment Agent

Automated vulnerability analysis, control scoring, and risk prioritization using client environment data. Produces a scored baseline in hours, not weeks.

Automated questionnaire processingNIST CSF control gap scoringRisk heat map generationBenchmark comparison reporting

Compliance Gap Analysis Agent

Framework mapping and control gap identification across NIST CSF, ISO 27001, SOC 2, and EU AI Act. Automated remediation roadmap generation.

Multi-framework control mappingGap scoring and prioritizationRemediation roadmap draftsRegulatory change monitoring

Security Documentation Agent

Generates policies, risk registers, and compliance documentation from client data. All output is reviewed and validated by the senior practitioner before delivery.

Policy library generationRisk register maintenanceSSP and POAM draftingCompliance evidence packages

Board Reporting Agent

Transforms technical assessment data into board-ready executive reports. Quarterly cybersecurity dashboards, risk posture summaries, and compliance status briefings.

Executive risk summary generationBoard presentation draftingKRI dashboard populationRegulatory status reporting

AI handles the analytical heavy lifting. Expert judgment handles regulatory interpretation, accountability decisions, and client relationships — what AI cannot replace.

Industries Served

Vertical expertise
for the firms that need it most.

🚀 Startups & SMBs

Security and governance programs built to scale with you. From your first cyber insurance application to SOC 2 readiness as you win enterprise clients — we build the infrastructure that lets you grow without security becoming a blocker.

NIST CSFSOC 2CPRACyber InsuranceISO 27001

📊 CPA & Accounting Firms

AI governance for tax and audit AI deployment. AICPA ethics compliance for client data. Cyber insurance optimization. SOC 2 readiness for service organizations.

AICPA ET sec. 1.700IRS Publication 4557SOC 2CPRAGDPR

⚖ Law Firms

Attorney-client privilege + AI risk. State bar ethics compliance. Matter data isolation. AI usage policies that protect privilege while enabling productivity.

ABA Model RulesState Bar EthicsGDPRCPRANIST CSF

🏥 Medical Groups & Practitioners

HIPAA Security Rule implementation, risk analysis, and breach response — executed, not just documented. AI governance for clinical AI tools. Privacy program management for practices navigating the intersection of HIPAA and emerging state health data laws.

HIPAA Security RuleHIPAA Privacy RuleHITECHState Health Data LawsAI in Clinical Settings

🌍 NGOs & International Development

Privacy-by-design for EU-funded programs. Cross-border data flow compliance under GDPR and emerging regulations in Latin America, Africa, and Central Asia.

GDPRLGPD (Brazil)POPIA (South Africa)World Bank DPF

🏛 Government & Defense Primes

Subcontract advisory for Leidos, SAIC, CACI, and Booz Allen. CUI handling under NIST SP 800-171. CMMC preparation. AI governance for federal AI deployments.

NIST SP 800-171CMMC 2.0FedRAMPFISMAEO 14110

Free Resources

Practical tools.
Download and use immediately.

Framework · PDF

Technology Sovereignty Risk Assessment

A scored self-assessment mapping your AI vendor dependencies, regulatory exposure, and cybersecurity maturity. Produces a baseline risk score in under 30 minutes.

AI GovernanceRiskVendor Risk

Checklist · PDF

AI Governance Checklist for Professional Services

A 7-step governance framework for CPA firms, law firms, and medical practices. Shadow AI discovery, policy requirements, ethics alignment, and technical controls.

CPA FirmsLaw FirmsAI Policy

Guide · PDF

vCISO vs. Full-Time CISO: The CFO Decision Guide

Full cost model, decision framework, engagement tier comparison, and ROI calculator. $565K average CISO total comp vs. fractional economics — the numbers tell the story.

vCISOROICFO Guide

Checklist · PDF

HIPAA Security Rule Implementation Checklist

All required and addressable safeguards with implementation guidance, CFR citations, and a compliance tracking worksheet for medical groups and business associates.

HIPAAMedical PracticesCompliance

Checklist · PDF

Cyber Insurance Readiness Checklist

The 15 controls carriers require most — with implementation guidance for each. Includes a renewal readiness score and critical guidance on application accuracy.

Cyber InsuranceSMBControls

Guide · PDF

Post-Quantum Cryptography: What to Do Now

NIST FIPS 203-205, harvest-now-decrypt-later threats, and a 3-phase migration roadmap. Urgency matrix maps your organization type to a recommended action timeline.

Post-QuantumNIST FIPSCryptography

Sample Deliverable · PDF

vCISO Quarterly Board Report — Sample

A fully populated sample board report with executive dashboard, risk register, compliance status, and board action items. See exactly what you receive each quarter as an Axiom Sovereign client.

Board ReportingRisk RegistervCISO

Template · PDF

vCISO Engagement Letter Template

Complete engagement letter with scope table, deliverables matrix, fee structure, client responsibilities, confidentiality terms, and limitation of liability. Review with your counsel before use.

EngagementScopeTerms

Guide · PDF

Cyber Insurance Application Walkthrough

How a vCISO helps you answer — and survive — your cyber insurance renewal. Every major carrier question, what they are really asking, what the correct answer looks like, and the misrepresentation risk of getting it wrong.

Cyber InsuranceRenewalvCISO

Checklist · PDF

vCISO 30-Day Onboarding Checklist

Week-by-week breakdown of every activity, deliverable, and decision point in the first 30 days of an Axiom Sovereign engagement. Know exactly what you will have in hand at the end of month one.

OnboardingDeliverablesvCISO

Survey Template · PDF

Shadow AI Discovery Survey

Ready-to-distribute staff survey with 10 questions, staff communication template, and an analysis guide showing what each finding means and what to do about it. Send Monday morning.

Shadow AIDiscoveryStaff Survey

Evaluation Tool · PDF

AI Vendor Risk Scorecard

Standardized 3-section evaluation framework — data governance, security, regulatory — with a 32-point scoring system and clear approval, conditional, or rejection decision criteria for any AI tool.

Vendor RiskAI ApprovalGovernance

Sample Policy · PDF

Sample AI Acceptable Use Policy

A complete 8-section policy with approved tool list format, specific prohibited uses tied to AICPA/ABA/HIPAA obligations, client disclosure language, and a staff acknowledgment signature block.

PolicyAI GovernanceEthics

Procedure · PDF

DSAR Response Procedure

6-step procedure for receiving, validating, and responding to data subject access requests. Includes deadline table by regulation (GDPR: 30 days, CPRA: 45 days), identity verification guidance, and a DSAR log template.

GDPRCPRADSAR

Template · PDF

Data Mapping Template & ROPA

Four-section Record of Processing Activities covering client/patient data, employee data, vendor data flows, and retention schedule with specific legally-required retention periods by data type.

GDPRData MappingROPA

Reference · PDF

U.S. State Privacy Law Comparison Matrix

All 19 enacted state laws as of March 2026 — thresholds, consumer rights, enforcement penalties, and key notes for professional services. Includes a decision framework to determine which laws apply to you.

State PrivacyCPRAMulti-state

Assessment · PDF

SOC 2 Readiness Self-Assessment

All 29 Common Criteria (CC1–CC9) with evidence requirements, a gap scoring worksheet, and a readiness interpretation table. Know whether you are audit-ready before engaging an auditor — and avoid paying to discover gaps mid-engagement.

SOC 2ReadinessAICPA

Worksheet · PDF

NIST CSF 2.0 Maturity Scoring Worksheet

All 6 functions and 22 categories with current and target maturity scoring, gap calculation, and a summary dashboard. Produces a scored baseline you can track and report over time.

NIST CSFMaturityAssessment

Planning Guide · PDF

Compliance Program Timeline Planner

Realistic phase-by-phase timelines for NIST CSF, SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, and NIST 800-171/CMMC — with accelerators, delays, and honest estimates for starting from scratch vs. a prepared organization.

SOC 2HIPAACMMC

About

The practitioner
behind the practice.

Cory Missimore, Founder of Axiom Sovereign

Founder & Principal Advisor

17 years building security programs.
Now building yours.

Cory Missimore founded Axiom Sovereign after nearly two decades of GRC leadership across federal consulting, Big 4, enterprise technology, and industry. He has served DHS, VA, DoD, the Department of Education, and HHS at Booz Allen Hamilton, led security advisory practices at Baker Tilly, and built enterprise technology governance programs at Avanade and NRECA.

The through-line across every engagement: mid-market organizations carry enterprise-grade risk with none of the resources to manage it. Axiom Sovereign exists to close that gap — with hands-on execution, not slide decks.

Every engagement at Axiom Sovereign is delivered by Cory directly. There are no junior analysts, no offshore delivery teams, no bait-and-switch. You get a senior practitioner with 17 years of real-world experience — every call, every deliverable, every time.

CISSP AIGP CIPP/E CIPP/US CIPM George Mason University

17+

Years Experience

Certifications

100%

Senior Delivery

FAQ

Questions prospects
actually ask.

What's the difference between a vCISO and a security consultant?

A security consultant comes in, does a project, hands you a report, and leaves. A vCISO is ongoing executive leadership — they own your security program, attend your board meetings, respond to incidents, and are accountable for outcomes over time. Axiom Sovereign does both: strategic leadership and hands-on execution.

How quickly can we get started?

Most engagements begin within 5 business days of a signed agreement. The first deliverable — a Technology Sovereignty Risk Assessment baseline — is typically completed within two weeks of kickoff.

Do you work with organizations that have no security program at all?

Yes — and that's the most common starting point. Most clients come to us with no formal program, no policies, and staff using AI tools without governance. We build from the ground up. That's what we're designed to do.

Who actually does the work?

Cory Missimore, directly. There are no junior analysts or subcontractors involved in delivery. Every assessment, policy, report, and advisory session is handled by the same senior practitioner with 17 years of GRC experience across federal and commercial sectors.

Can you help us pass a cyber insurance audit or renewal?

Yes. Cyber insurance optimization is a core part of all vCISO retainers. We help you meet carrier requirements, document controls, respond to security questionnaires, and position your program to reduce premiums and avoid coverage gaps.

We're a small practice — is this overkill for us?

No. The Governance Essentials tier was built specifically for smaller organizations. You get real CISO-level oversight, a policy package, and quarterly risk reviews for $3,500–$5,000/month — less than the cost of a single data breach deductible. The question isn't whether you can afford it, it's whether you can afford not to have it.

What frameworks do you support?

NIST CSF 2.0, NIST AI RMF, NIST SP 800-171, ISO/IEC 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA Security Rule, GDPR, EU AI Act, CPRA, CMMC 2.0, and FedRAMP. We map your environment to whichever frameworks your clients, insurers, or regulators require.

What does "Technology Sovereignty" actually mean?

It means having strategic control over your technology decisions — especially your AI vendor relationships. Organizations that rely on 5–10 opaque technology vendors without understanding the geopolitical, regulatory, or operational risk they carry are making sovereignty decisions without realizing it. We help you understand and manage that risk.

You govern
what you
understand.

Mid-market firms face enterprise-grade risk
with startup-grade security resources.

Three disciplines.
One integrated practice.

Virtual CISO

AI Governance

Privacy Advisory

Compliance Framework Implementation

Cloud Security Architecture

Emerging Technology Security

Why Axiom Sovereign outperforms your alternatives.

Signs your organization
needs security leadership now.

Fractional leadership
scaled to your organization.

The Sovereign engagement model:
three phases, one outcome.

Discover & Assess

Design & Implement

Govern & Optimize

AI-augmented consulting.
Expert-led delivery.

Vertical expertise
for the firms that need it most.

🚀 Startups & SMBs

📊 CPA & Accounting Firms

⚖ Law Firms

🏥 Medical Groups & Practitioners

🌍 NGOs & International Development

🏛 Government & Defense Primes

Perspectives on AI governance,
privacy, and technology sovereignty.

Practical tools.
Download and use immediately.

The practitioner
behind the practice.

17 years building security programs.
Now building yours.

Questions prospects
actually ask.

Ready to talk?
Book directly.

Start with a
free assessment.

Free Assessment Includes

You governwhat youunderstand.

Mid-market firms face enterprise-grade riskwith startup-grade security resources.

Three disciplines.One integrated practice.

Virtual CISO

AI Governance

Privacy Advisory

Compliance Framework Implementation

Cloud Security Architecture

Emerging Technology Security

Why Axiom Sovereign outperforms your alternatives.

Signs your organizationneeds security leadership now.

Fractional leadershipscaled to your organization.

The Sovereign engagement model:three phases, one outcome.

Discover & Assess

Design & Implement

Govern & Optimize

AI-augmented consulting.Expert-led delivery.

Vertical expertisefor the firms that need it most.

🚀 Startups & SMBs

📊 CPA & Accounting Firms

⚖ Law Firms

🏥 Medical Groups & Practitioners

🌍 NGOs & International Development

🏛 Government & Defense Primes

Perspectives on AI governance,privacy, and technology sovereignty.

Practical tools.Download and use immediately.

Download Free Resource

The practitionerbehind the practice.

17 years building security programs.Now building yours.

Questions prospectsactually ask.

Ready to talk?Book directly.

Start with afree assessment.

Free Assessment Includes

You govern
what you
understand.

Mid-market firms face enterprise-grade risk
with startup-grade security resources.

Three disciplines.
One integrated practice.

Signs your organization
needs security leadership now.

Fractional leadership
scaled to your organization.

The Sovereign engagement model:
three phases, one outcome.

AI-augmented consulting.
Expert-led delivery.

Vertical expertise
for the firms that need it most.

Perspectives on AI governance,
privacy, and technology sovereignty.

Practical tools.
Download and use immediately.

The practitioner
behind the practice.

17 years building security programs.
Now building yours.

Questions prospects
actually ask.

Ready to talk?
Book directly.

Start with a
free assessment.