Security retainer: a fractional security advisor
After the project ends, someone keeps an eye on it. Once a month, in writing.
- Price
- Fixed-fee, quoted after a free call.
- Typical timeline
- Ongoing, monthly
Sound familiar?
- We fixed things last year. Are they still fixed?
- Nobody looks at the security alerts until something breaks.
- We want someone to call with IT questions without hiring a full-time person.
What is included
- A monthly review of sign-in activity and risky sign-ins.
- Patch status across devices and key systems.
- Backup results checked every month, with a periodic test restore.
- Review of security alerts and anything that needs follow-up.
- A set block of advisory hours each month for questions, planning and vendor decisions.
What you receive at the end
- A one-page monthly report: what was checked, what was found and what was done about it.
- A standing slot for planning, so IT decisions stop being made in a hurry.
Who it suits
- Clients who have finished an assessment or hardening project and want it to stay that way.
- Businesses whose IT provider handles day-to-day support but not security oversight.
Where this work happens
Remote. The monthly review and the advisory hours happen over video calls, with an occasional on-site visit for Carson City and Reno clients when a project needs it.
Related services
Most clients start with the $1,500 IT and security assessment, so the scope is grounded in facts. This project pairs well with IT and security assessment and Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 security hardening.
Security retainer: common questions
Is this 24/7 monitoring?
No. It is a scheduled monthly review and advisory time, not an around-the-clock security operations center or an on-call service.
Does it replace our IT provider?
No. Day-to-day support stays with your provider. The retainer is the second set of eyes and the advisor in your corner.
Can we start with the retainer?
It usually starts after an assessment, so there is a known baseline to measure against each month.
Talk it through first
Every security retainer project is fixed-fee, quoted after a free call. Many clients start with the $1,500 IT assessment so the scope is grounded in facts.