How fractional CISOs power up your bank’s cybersecurity governance

Is modern cybersecurity the missing link in your bank’s compliance plan?

Banks may be confident that they have a handle on compliance, but cybersecurity is another matter. Cyber threats are growing fast alongside emerging technologies, while new cybersecurity tools and strategies for banks are growing, too. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the speed and complexity of cybersecurity threats in the AI age. When we talk to banking IT leaders in the field, we often hear them express sentiments like this:

“We’ve always been good at banking compliance, but cybersecurity frameworks are a foreign language.” 

This kind of sentiment captures the heart of issues facing many community banks today. For many bank IT departments, there are simply too many interconnected cybersecurity tools, with too many reports and alerts to govern with their existing staff. The mountain of regulatory paperwork needed for the average FFIEC review only makes it worse.  

If this sounds like the issues your bank is facing, you’ll need more than just a managed service provider that handles your cybersecurity licenses. You need a consulting partner that can help govern your cybersecurity strategy while also ensuring that your compliance operations are one step ahead of the latest regulatory requests. 

This is where a fractional chief information officer can help. At Integris, our fractional CISOs provide the cybersecurity leadership you need to stay one step ahead of your governance and documentation needs. You’ll get the gold-standard help of a CISSP-certified CISO, without the recruitment and retention expenses of hiring one for your team. You pay as you go, and only for what you need. 

The Integris fractional CISO solution for community banking 

With fractional services from a managed service provider, organizations can pay for only the IT services they need. They can also scale services up or down, and don’t have to manage a large internal staff. With the cost of technology talent increasing, these services fill talent gaps—cost-effectively—for organizations. 

Integris fractional CISO services also bridge the gap between traditional banking compliance and modern cybersecurity frameworks. Integris serves as a translator between banking practices and industry-standard security requirements while keeping the regulatory accountability required. 

Compliance ensures that an organization meets the minimum required standards set by legal, regulatory, and industry bodies. Security, on the other hand, refers to the holistic implementation of controls to protect an organization’s assets, such as data, systems, and infrastructure. While these domains work together, organizations must recognize that meeting the minimum requirements of compliance alone won’t safeguard sensitive information from myriad malicious attacks. 

The business benefits of working with a fractional CISO

When you partner with Integris for fractional CISO services, you gain access to more than basic security and compliance consulting and receive a comprehensive approach. Our deep banking expertise and regulatory relationships provide tangible value from day one with these and more immediate banking advantages, such as the following: 

• Regulatory credibility. We speak the same language as your regulators, and our direct relationships with FDIC, OCC, and state banking departments equal fewer mistakes and gaps in your responses to regulatory reviews. 
• Proven results. Among our compliant banking clients, 95% achieved a rating of 1 (the highest possible) on cybersecurity assessments. 
• Examination support. Our reports answer up to 80% of regulatory examination questions on your FFIEC review, so your staff can concentrate on the business of serving your customers. 
• Proactive compliance. Our CISOs ensure you have the right cybersecurity tools, with integrated monitoring and reporting, all configured to banking industry best practices. They understand the finer points of current and upcoming banking regulations Your banks won’t have to roll back bad security investment.  
• Security key performance indicators that matter to your leadership. Your dedicated CISO works as a member of your senior IT leadership, creating meaningful key performance indicators around your cybersecurity operations that resonate with the C-suite. With advanced reports in hand, you’ll know how your cybersecurity efforts are moving your business forward. 

What’s included with Integris fractional CISO services 

• Risk assessment and framework mapping specific to banking operations 
• Governance strategy that integrates with existing bank processes 
• Vendor risk management and supply chain security assessment 
• Compliance planning 
• Board-level reporting on cybersecurity performance 
• Audit and/or examination support and development of custom cybersecurity plans, policies, and procedures 
• Application assistance for cyber risk insurance providers 
• Yearly creation of cybersecurity plans  

Understanding the banking compliance challenge 

Community banks have a significant advantage over other industries: a compliance culture is already embedded in operations. From day one, banks understand regulatory requirements, audit processes, and the importance of maintaining high standards. 

But the regulatory landscape has evolved. As of August 2024, the FDIC eliminated the Cyber Assessment Toolkit (CAT) that banks had used since 2013. This tool was specifically built on banking institutional knowledge and used terminology that banks understood. 

Now, banks must follow generic cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST CSF 2.0 or ISO 27001 without specific guidance on which framework to choose or how to map banking processes to these new standards. 

Navigating this shift requires a structured approach that builds on your existing compliance strengths while addressing the new complexities. 

The three pillars: Where banks need the most help 

The Integris fractional CISO offering centers on governance, risk, and compliance, with particular expertise in the three most challenging areas: 

• Governance and compliance. While regulatory frameworks exist, translating generic cybersecurity standards like NIST CSF 2.0 into banking operations requires deep industry knowledge. We help map your existing FDIC and OCC processes to modern frameworks while maintaining regulatory accountability and examiner credibility. 
• Risk assessment. This is where most organizations struggle. Understanding risk based on your bank’s size, complexity, product offerings, and regional factors requires deep banking expertise combined with security knowledge. 
• Industry expertise. Our banking industry knowledge enables Integris to not only understand your specific risk profile but also help categorize and reduce risk appropriately for your institution’s unique circumstances. 

How modern cybersecurity challenges are changing for community banks 

The evolving regulatory landscape presents new complexities that require specialized expertise to navigate effectively. Integris fractional CISO services address these emerging challenges with banking-specific solutions, such as these: 

The FDIC CAT transition  

The elimination of the CAT created what we call “the translator problem.” Generic frameworks use different languages and approaches that are foreign to banking professionals. We help banks map existing processes to industry-standard compliance requirements while maintaining regulatory familiarity. 

AI and data management 

While U.S. banking regulations often lag behind European standards, AI is creating new compliance considerations. The key challenge is data classification—understanding where your data lives, who has access to it, and how it can flow safely through your organization. AI tools, after all, are only as effective as the data sets they have been fed. 

Many banks have historically used “lift and shift” data management, creating situations where old data floats around systems and gets accessed by AI tools. Our fractional CISO services help banks map their data landscape and establish proper controls before implementing AI solutions, so your bank can get the most out of their AI tools. 

Vendor risk management  

Third-party risk assessment has become a high priority for banking regulators. Our extensive vendor relationships allow us to provide risk assessment support, helping you understand vendor capabilities and mitigate risks through proper access controls. 

Why banking specialization matters 

Our deep banking expertise sets us apart from the pack. Many managed service providers (MSPs) cannot meet the regulatory compliance requirements necessary for banking industry examinations, but we maintain the same compliance standards internally that we require for our banking clients. 

Our specialized banking capabilities include a wide variety of benefits to your institution, such as: 

• Participation in IT steering committee meetings 
• Direct communication with board members 
• Translation of technical security concepts into business terms 
• Strategic development of a comprehensive security stack, with layered approach beyond basic GRC tactics 

The difference is immediately clear during examinations. Our established relationships with regulatory agencies create an atmosphere of professionalism and mutual respect that helps your institution. When examiners recognize our team’s expertise and track record, it proves your bank’s commitment to working with qualified compliance partners. 

Working within your banking operations 

Integris fractional CISO services are designed to enhance, not replace, your existing IT capabilities. We partner with your internal team, bringing specialized security governance expertise while your staff continues handling day-to-day banking operations. 

This partnership model delivers measurable advantages. When technical issues arise, we’ve often encountered and resolved similar problems across our banking client base, enabling faster resolution and reduced downtime. Our multi-client experience allows your bank to benefit from collective knowledge that no single internal team could develop on their own. 

We provide objective security assessments without sales pressure, focusing on governance, risk assessment, and compliance strategy that aligns with your budget and timeline constraints. Our approach prioritizes quick wins that demonstrate immediate value while building toward comprehensive long-term compliance goals. 

The competitive advantage 

Banks that achieve strong cybersecurity ratings and framework certifications gain more than regulatory compliance—they gain competitive advantage. Enterprise customers increasingly evaluate banks’ security posture when choosing financial partners. 

When you can show ISO 27001 certification or comprehensive NIST CSF 2.0 compliance, your cybersecurity posture in turn becomes a differentiator that helps you win and keep business relationships. 

Integris: The strategic choice 

Security requirements will continue evolving, and regulatory agencies are increasingly auditing and examining managed service providers themselves. Having a partner that not only understands banking compliance but also maintains those same standards internally provides long-term protection for your institution. 

The choice for community banks is clear: continue struggling with evolving cybersecurity frameworks alone, or partner with specialists that understand both banking and security, can speak your language, and help you turn compliance into a competitive advantage. 

Ready to strengthen your bank’s security posture while maintaining regulatory compliance? Contact Integris Banking Practice at integrisit.com/contact to discover how our specialized Fractional CISO services can protect and empower your institution.