FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Membership, partners, CyberAdX, assessments and how to reach us.
About CISO Marketplace
What is CISO Marketplace?
A cybersecurity services and advisory platform for CISOs, vCISOs, GRC professionals and offensive security operators: assessments, on-demand consulting, compliance gap analysis, a practitioner membership card and a partner program for cybersecurity businesses, across a connected ecosystem of properties. It is operated by QSai LLC (Andrew Ostashen, Managing Member), an official Anthropic Claude Partner and OpenAI Trusted Access for Cyber (TAC) verified firm.
What tools can I use without an account?
Public cybersecurity tools at microsec.tools (risk calculators, compliance checkers and AI security assessors), the AI Risk Assessor and AI Compliance Checker at airiskassess.com, and sample security policies at generatepolicy.com. No account or payment needed. Membership adds the full ecosystem on top; it doesn't replace them.
What is the difference between CISO Marketplace and CyberAdX?
CISO Marketplace (this site) is security services, assessments, membership and the partner program. CyberAdX (cyberadx.network) is our owned cybersecurity advertising network: security-focused editorial properties, programmatic banners, sponsored articles and podcast mentions. Buying services or joining the practitioner network happens here; buying advertising distribution for a security product happens at CyberAdX.
How does CyberAdX work?
CyberAdX is our owned ad network, powering distribution for partners, the market entry program and direct advertiser campaigns. Impressions are browser-verified (fired after the page renders), and first-party proxy routing keeps ads loading where third-party networks are blocked. Integrated and Anchor partners receive CyberAdX banner inventory with their tier; advertisers buy directly at cyberadx.network.
Membership
How does membership work?
Three annual steps. The Practitioner card is $795/year for one person: credits every month plus an onboarding bonus, the member rate at the storefronts, engagement coupons and monthly group office hours. Card + Partner Listed is $1,545/year for card holders with a verified LLC. The Practice license is $2,995/year for up to 5 seats on a pooled credits wallet, with agent API and MCP keys and Partner Listed included. Pick a step on the membership page, sign in or create your account, and pay with Stripe; the membership is active on your account as soon as payment clears. There is no application or review step.
What is the member rate, and does it apply to services?
The member rate at the storefronts (ciso.diy, cyberpolicy.shop, securitybydesign.shop and free shipping on securitygadgets.shop) is applied automatically at checkout by pay.cisomarketplace.com; there is nothing to enter, and Practice licenses get a higher rate. Services carry no blanket discount: members get engagement coupons instead, one code per booked engagement, capped per year.
What is in the coupon book?
Three kinds. Perks are included with the card and are already on your account. Engagement coupons (setup waivers, travel stipends, assessment and Studio Build credits) are claimed at checkout; the code is the coupon's title and each is capped per year. Campaign codes are time-boxed promotions. The live book, counted by kind, is on the coupon book page.
Who is the card for?
Working CISOs, CIOs and security leaders; vCISOs and independent consultants; GRC, audit and offensive security practitioners. Sign in with your CISO Marketplace account, complete checkout, and the card is active.
What does the card include?
Every micro-tool without per-use gates (including CISO AI, the SOW Analyzer, the Vendor Contract Analyzer and the Policy Generator) and all premium research; the vendor sourcing platform; monthly credits that roll over, plus an onboarding bonus; the member rate at the storefronts; the coupon book; monthly group office hours with the founder; a practitioner identity and directory listing; and a CISO.poker observer pass.
Can I add Partner Listed to my card?
Yes. Card holders with an LLC add Partner Listed for $750/yr (the standalone listing is $1,500/year): a directory listing, a dedicated partner page, AI-crawler optimization, a featured article each year, a monthly podcast mention and revenue share on referrals. It is included with the Practice license.
Can my AI agent use my membership?
Yes. Connect any of the three CISO Marketplace MCP servers, or mint an API key in the portal; the agent acts as you, on your wallet. See the agents page.
Partner program
What is the Partner Program?
For verified cybersecurity businesses selling expertise and services into the ecosystem: consultancies, MSSPs, vCISO firms, compliance shops and security product companies. Partners get distribution (directory listings, featured content, co-authored articles, CyberAdX banner inventory, podcast mentions) and commercial commitments. Three tiers: Listed ($1,500/yr), Integrated ($6,000/yr) and Anchor ($30,000/yr). An LLC is required, and every application starts with a scoping conversation.
What's the difference between a Partner and a Vendor?
A Partner is a verified cybersecurity business in an annual relationship with CISO Marketplace: co-marketing, a directory listing, featured content and revenue share on referrals. A Vendor is a product company buying advertising distribution through CyberAdX, per campaign or on an annual insertion order. You can be both.
How do I apply?
Apply on the partner application page with your firm details, services and tier interest; there is no payment at this step. We verify the LLC, review the website and check for conflicts, then schedule a scoping call. The contract is signed after scoping, and payment is by Stripe or invoice.
What are the three tiers?
Listed: directory listing, partner page, AI-crawler optimization, a featured article each year, a monthly podcast mention and revenue share. Integrated: everything in Listed plus more featured and co-authored content, CyberAdX banner placement, a custom micro-tool and a CISO.poker observer pass. Anchor: everything in Integrated plus more content, larger banner allocations, multiple custom micro-tools, a dedicated podcast episode, a direct founder line and the US Market Entry track for foreign companies.
Do I need an LLC?
Yes, for all three tiers; foreign companies can provide the equivalent business registration. Individual practitioners without an LLC are best served by the membership card.
Micro-tool builder
What is microsec.tools/buildyourown?
A self-serve builder for branded cybersecurity assessment tools, calculators and compliance checkers, deployed on your own domain. The existing MicroSec tools serve as starting points. No agency required.
What is the CyberAdX Studio Build?
Done-for-you micro-tool production: a fully branded custom tool deployed at your domain and amplified across the CyberAdX network. Integrated partners get one custom tool with their tier and Anchor partners get several. Members with a verified LLC have a Studio Build credit in the coupon book. See build.cyberadx.network.
Self-serve builder or Studio Build?
The self-serve builder is DIY: faster and lower cost. The Studio Build is done for you and includes CyberAdX distribution. Most practitioners start self-serve and move to a Studio Build as their distribution needs grow.
Assessments and services
What assessments do you offer?
Fixed-scope assessments including personal security, compliance gap analysis (SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI DSS v4, NIST CSF 2.0, CMMC, ISO 27001), AI systems compliance (EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF, ISO 42001), vendor risk, IoT security and AI policy generation, plus the full engagement catalog: penetration testing, red and purple teaming, AI red teaming, cloud and application security, incident response and vCISO. Every service shows its published starting price in the catalog; members run the AI-generated assessments without a per-run charge.
Which AI tools come with membership?
CISO AI, the SOW Analyzer (red-flag analysis of vendor SOWs, or a generated SOW), the Vendor Contract Analyzer, the 2026 Cybersecurity Pricing Guide and the AI Policy Generator, without per-use gates. Non-members can try the analyzers a limited number of times before a gate applies.
How does on-demand consulting work?
Book a scoping call and we match you with the right practitioner (vCISO, GRC, offensive security and so on). For a defined project, scope it and we come back with a fixed-scope proposal.
Which compliance frameworks do you support?
SOC 2 Type I and II, ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS v4, NIST CSF 2.0, CMMC 2.0, EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF, ISO 42001, GDPR, CCPA, FedRAMP readiness, CIS Controls, NIST 800-53, and vendor frameworks such as SIG Lite and VSAQ. IoT assessments cover IEC 62443 and NIST SP 800-82. Custom frameworks on request.
Global market entry
What is the Market Entry Program?
It helps foreign cybersecurity vendors enter the US market without a US subsidiary, bank account or payroll. Origin corridors feed a shared stack: US 3PL fulfilment, Amazon FBA Prime delivery and CyberAdX distribution, with CISO Marketplace acting as the vendor's US commercial agent. Hardware goes through the 3PL/FBA lane; software and digital vendors run a separate digital distribution lane.
Which corridors are live?
The EU corridor is live, covering the EU member states, with GDPR, NIS2 and CRA compliance positioned as a US enterprise sales signal. More corridors (the UK, Israel, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Singapore and India) are in preparation. See the market entry page to apply.
Support
How do I contact CISO Marketplace?
Use the contact form or the support desk at support.cisomarketplace.com. For a security incident, book a call and say so in the notes.
Do you offer custom solutions?
Yes. For custom assessment frameworks, vCISO retainers, enterprise compliance programs or anything that doesn't fit a standard service, scope it with us for a fixed-scope proposal. The Anchor partner tier includes a fully custom co-marketing and distribution scope.
Who built CISO Marketplace?
Andrew Ostashen, founder of CISO Marketplace and CyberAdX: an offensive security practitioner and RIT alum who previously founded Vulsec, and who built CISO Marketplace from scratch into a connected ecosystem. QSai LLC is an official Anthropic Claude Partner and OpenAI TAC verified. Members meet him in the monthly group office hours; Practice licenses include a yearly 1:1.
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