Strategic Technology, Security and Compliance Leadership
Zero Fault Guidance provides AI Security, Cybersecurity, CMMC, GRC and IT consulting services for defense and commercial enterprises — as hands-on consultants or as your fractional CIO and CISO.
Secure, Resilient Technology That Grows With Your Business
Technology should accelerate your business, not expose it. ZFG helps organizations design, secure and operate IT environments that are built to last — with security engineered in from the start rather than bolted on after an incident or an audit.
Whether you need a one-time assessment, a defined project, or a long-term partner to lead your program, our consultants bring enterprise-grade expertise scaled to the realities of small and mid-sized organizations.
Two Ways to Engage
Many clients start with an assessment and continue with a fractional CIO or CISO who carries the roadmap forward.
Security & Risk Assessments
An objective view of where you stand — vulnerabilities, control gaps and business risk — with a prioritized, budget-aware remediation plan.
Security Architecture
Zero-trust principles, identity and access management, network segmentation and endpoint protection designed around how your team actually works.
Cloud & IT Infrastructure
Secure, scalable infrastructure design and implementation — from cloud migration and Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace hardening to network architecture.
Incident Response Readiness
Incident response plans, playbooks and tabletop exercises so your team knows exactly what to do — and who to call — when something goes wrong.
Policy, GRC & Frameworks
Practical security policies and governance programs aligned to the frameworks your customers and regulators expect, including NIST CSF, NIST SP 800-171, ISO 27001 and CIS Controls.
Vendor & MSP Oversight
Third-party risk reviews, MSP and vendor selection, and contract guidance so your providers deliver the security you’re paying for.
Executive Leadership, Right-Sized for Growing Businesses
Every growing company reaches the point where technology and security decisions need an executive owner — someone who can set strategy, manage risk, talk to the board and customers, and make sure investments pay off. But a full-time CIO or CISO commands executive-level compensation that is often out of reach for startups and growing businesses.
ZFG’s fractional model closes that gap. You get a seasoned technology and security executive embedded in your leadership team for the time you actually need — delivering strategic leadership at a cost that growing businesses can afford.
The Fractional Advantage
No recruiting fees, no lengthy executive search, no long-term payroll commitment. Scale involvement up or down as your business changes.
A Fraction of the Cost
Pay for the leadership you need, not a full-time executive salary, benefits and equity package.
Immediate Impact
Skip a months-long executive search. Your fractional leader starts assessing and prioritizing from week one.
Flexible & Scalable
Increase support for a funding round, audit or launch, and scale back once the program is running smoothly.
Broad Perspective
Lessons from defense, commercial and startup environments — and an objective voice that isn’t tied to any vendor.
Fractional CIO
Aligns technology with your business strategy so every IT dollar moves the company forward.
What Your Fractional CIO Leads
- Technology strategy and multi-year roadmap tied to business goals
- IT budgeting, vendor negotiation and MSP management
- Cloud, infrastructure and application modernization
- Digital transformation and AI adoption strategy
- Technology due diligence for funding, M&A and partnerships
- IT operations, policies and team development
Fractional CISO
Builds and leads a security program that protects the business and earns the trust of customers, partners and regulators.
What Your Fractional CISO Leads
- Security program strategy, roadmap and metrics
- Risk assessment, risk register and risk-based prioritization
- Security policies, governance and awareness training
- Compliance readiness — CMMC, NIST, SOC 2, ISO 27001 and customer requirements
- Incident response leadership and tabletop exercises
- Board and investor reporting, customer security questionnaires and due diligence
Who Fractional Leadership Is For
How a Fractional Engagement Works
Discover & Assess
We learn your business, people, technology and risks, and establish a clear baseline.
Strategy & Roadmap
A prioritized roadmap and budget aligned to your goals, risk tolerance and growth plans.
Lead & Execute
Your fractional executive owns the plan — leading teams, vendors and initiatives day to day.
Report & Evolve
Regular reporting to leadership and the board, with the program adapting as you grow.
Adopt AI With Confidence
AI is changing how every organization works, and your employees are likely using it already. The opportunity is real — but so are the risks: sensitive data pasted into public tools, unvetted vendors, AI-generated errors, new attack techniques and a fast-moving regulatory landscape.
ZFG helps you capture the value of AI while keeping your data, customers and reputation protected. We combine cybersecurity and governance expertise with practical, business-first guidance — so AI becomes a competitive advantage rather than a liability.
Questions We Help You Answer
- Where will AI actually deliver value for our business?
- Which AI tools are safe to use with our data — and which aren’t?
- How do we deploy AI without creating new security gaps?
- Can we use AI with CUI, ITAR or other regulated information?
- What policies and oversight do customers and regulators expect?
AI Use Cases
Identify where AI creates real value — and where it introduces risk you don’t need.
- Use case discovery and prioritization
- Business case, ROI and risk scoring
- AI tool and vendor evaluation
- “Shadow AI” discovery across your organization
Deployment Strategies
Choose and implement the right deployment model with security designed in.
- Public, enterprise or private AI — selecting the right model
- Data protection, access controls and identity
- Guardrails for data leakage and prompt injection
- Secure integration with your systems and workflows
Governance, Risk & Compliance
Put the policies, oversight and controls in place to manage AI responsibly.
- AI acceptable use policies and standards
- AI risk assessments and governance programs
- AI in regulated environments (CUI, ITAR, privacy)
- Monitoring of emerging AI laws and regulations
Ways to Get Started
AI Readiness Assessment
A snapshot of current AI use, data exposure, opportunities and risks — with a practical roadmap.
AI Governance Program
Policies, roles, approval workflows and risk processes tailored to your organization.
AI Security Review
A security review of a planned or existing AI deployment, integration or vendor.
Ongoing AI Oversight
Continuous AI governance and strategy as part of a Fractional CIO or CISO engagement.
CMMC Compliance for the Defense Industrial Base
If your business handles Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), CMMC compliance is a condition of winning and keeping defense work. ZFG helps small and mid-sized defense contractors meet CMMC Level 1 and Level 2 requirements — protecting CUI, supporting an accurate and defensible SPRS score, and preparing for self-assessments and third-party certification.
We translate NIST SP 800-171 into practical, right-sized controls and documentation that fit how a small business actually operates.
Built Around NIST SP 800-171
From scoping your CUI boundary to your annual affirmation, we keep your program accurate, defensible and assessment-ready.
Scoping & CUI Boundary
Identify where FCI and CUI live, categorize assets, and find scope-reduction opportunities that lower cost.
Gap Assessment & SPRS
Score every requirement against the DoD Assessment Methodology and build a prioritized remediation plan.
SSP & Policy Documentation
System Security Plans, policies and procedures that accurately describe your environment and stand up to assessors.
Remediation & POA&M
Step-by-step guidance to close gaps, with POA&M management that respects CMMC eligibility rules.
Evidence & Mock Assessments
Evidence that proves enforcement, not just existence — validated through a realistic mock assessment.
Interview & Assessment Prep
Staff interview coaching, assessment-day logistics and support for your self-assessment or C3PAO assessment.
ZCA Advisory Services
Expert-led CMMC preparation built on the ZFG CMMC Accelerator — with an experienced advisor guiding your organization from scoping to assessment day.
Who This Is For
Defense contractors who want expert support through CMMC preparation — so you can stay focused on your mission-critical work. With ZCA Advisory Services, ZFG guides the process, tailors the ZCA documentation to your environment, and helps your team build the evidence and confidence needed to pass.
Engagements are scoped to your organization’s size, environment complexity, current security maturity and in-house capacity — from guided support for capable IT teams to full-service engagements where ZFG manages the entire process.
What’s Included
- Gap assessment with an SPRS score baseline and configuration-level review
- CUI boundary scoping and asset categorization
- ZCA documentation package tailored to your environment
- Step-by-step remediation guidance and POA&M management
- Evidence collection support and validation via screenshare
- Staff awareness training and interview preparation
- Full mock assessment with a scored debrief
- Assessment-day preparation and real-time support
- Post-engagement phone and email support
Not Sure Where to Start?
Tell us about your organization and goals. We’ll recommend the right mix of services — no obligation and no sales pressure.