Product security leadership, on demand

Turn product security into a growth advantage.

Product security leadership, hands-on application security, and penetration testing for software, connected-product, and AI teams. We build the program, strengthen the product, and validate real-world risk.

Build your security roadmap See the operating model
✓ Product vCISO
✓ Application security
✓ Penetration testing

PRODUCT SECURITY / OPERATING BRIEF

Program pulse

On track
68 /100
MATURITY TREND Foundation established

Ownership, priorities, and delivery cadence are active.

90-DAY PRIORITIES OWNER / STATUS
01
Close critical product risks
ENG
02
Launch secure design reviews
SEC
03
Build customer assurance kit
GRC
RISKS OWNED12 / 12
DECISIONS DUE03
NEXT REVIEW14 DAYS
01 One accountable leader
02 One measurable roadmap
Built for teams shipping:
SaaS AI systems Connected products APIs & platforms

What changes

Security becomes a working discipline, not a fire drill.

We connect product risk, engineering execution, and executive decisions in one program your team can run.

01

Risk gets owned

Every material risk has context, a decision, an accountable owner, and a due date.

02

Teams move faster

Clear patterns and review points help engineers make secure choices without constant escalation.

03

Evidence stays ready

Customer, compliance, and board requests draw from current evidence instead of a last-minute scramble.

04

Progress is visible

Leaders see the few metrics that matter and know where intervention is needed.

Core services

Leadership where product, security, and business meet.

Choose a focused starting point or combine capabilities into an ongoing product security function.

01 / LEAD

Fractional Product Security vCISO

An experienced security leader who works inside your existing operating rhythm, with clear ownership from day one.

Explore Product Security vCISO
  • Program strategy & roadmap
  • Executive and board communication
  • Risk ownership & governance
  • Security team coaching
02 / BUILD

Application Security Consulting

Practical AppSec across architecture, code, pipelines, release, and vulnerability response.

Explore Application Security
  • AppSec program design & maturity
  • Threat modeling & architecture review
  • Secure code review & remediation
  • CI/CD, tooling & developer enablement
03 / TEST

Penetration Testing

Human-led testing that goes beyond scanner output to uncover exploitable attack paths, business-logic flaws, and chained risk.

Explore Penetration Testing
  • Web application & API testing
  • Mobile, cloud & network testing
  • Authentication & business-logic abuse
  • Clear reporting, retest & executive brief
04 / SPECIALIZE

AI & Connected Product Security

Specialized security assessment for products where software meets models, devices, embedded systems, or physical outcomes.

  • AI and LLM abuse-case testing
  • IoT, embedded & hardware interfaces
  • Mobile, backend & ecosystem attack paths
  • Product threat and safety analysis
05 / ASSURE

Customer & Compliance Readiness

Translate technical work into credible evidence for enterprise buyers, auditors, partners, and leadership.

  • Customer assurance package
  • Control and framework mapping
  • Security questionnaire system
  • Incident readiness exercises

The Specters operating model

A repeatable path from uncertainty to control.

Every engagement follows the same decision-driven system, adapted to your product, stage, and risk profile.

WEEK 01-02
01

Discover

Understand the product, threat landscape, business commitments, and real operating constraints.

Baseline + risk landscape
DAY 15-30
02

Align

Turn findings into owned priorities, clear decisions, and a roadmap leadership can support.

Charter + 90-day roadmap
DAY 31-60
03

Build

Install the workflows, guardrails, evidence, and team habits that make the roadmap executable.

Controls + playbooks
DAY 61-90+
04

Operate

Measure performance, unblock decisions, validate progress, and continuously reset priorities.

Scorecard + governance cadence

Your first 90 days

From assessment to a functioning program.

Use the phases to preview what your team will know, own, and operate at each milestone.

PHASE 01

Baseline and decide

Establish a shared view of risk and make the first high-value decisions.

KEY ACTIONS
  • Stakeholder and architecture discovery
  • Product security maturity baseline
  • Top-risk validation and ownership
  • Program charter and decision rights
EXIT CRITERIA

Leadership agrees on the top risks, accountable owners, target state, and funded 90-day priorities.

Ways to engage

Start where you are. Build what you need.

Each plan has a defined operating rhythm and tangible outputs. Scope is tailored after a short fit call.

FOCUSED START

Foundation Sprint

6-week engagement

For teams that need a clear baseline, immediate priorities, and an actionable plan.

BEST FOR New programs, leadership transitions, investor or customer pressure
  • Product security maturity baseline
  • Prioritized product risk register
  • Program charter and ownership model
  • Executive-ready 90-day roadmap
  • Final leadership working session
MOST FLEXIBLE
ONGOING LEADERSHIP

Fractional Product vCISO

Monthly partnership

For growing companies that need accountable security leadership and steady execution.

BEST FOR Scaling SaaS, AI, platform, and connected-product teams
  • Everything in the Foundation Sprint
  • Embedded leadership and coaching
  • Weekly delivery and monthly executive reviews
  • Secure product lifecycle rollout
  • Customer and board assurance support
APPSEC ENABLEMENT

AppSec Accelerator

Project or ongoing support

For engineering teams that need a practical AppSec foundation or a specific capability brought to life.

BEST FOR SSDLC launches, architecture programs, tooling resets, developer enablement
  • AppSec maturity and workflow review
  • Threat-model and design-review process
  • Testing and CI/CD strategy
  • Secure coding guidance and coaching
  • Metrics and operating playbook
OFFENSIVE VALIDATION

Penetration Test

Scoped assessment

For teams that need expert, human-led validation before a launch, customer review, or major decision.

BEST FOR Web apps, APIs, mobile, cloud, networks, AI, and connected products
  • Collaborative scoping and threat focus
  • Manual testing and attack-path analysis
  • Evidence-rich technical findings
  • Executive impact briefing
  • Remediation guidance and retest

Need red teaming, source review, AI testing, hardware assessment, or another focused engagement? Tell us the outcome you need and we’ll recommend the smallest useful scope.

Built-in accountability

A cadence that keeps the program moving.

Security programs stall when decisions disappear between meetings. Our operating rhythm keeps owners, evidence, and priorities current.

THE RULE Every meeting ends with a decision, an owner, or a closed loop.
WEEKLY / 30 MIN

Delivery pulse

Unblock work, confirm owners, and move the roadmap.

BIWEEKLY / 45 MIN

Product risk review

Make risk decisions with product and engineering leaders.

MONTHLY / 45 MIN

Executive scorecard

Review trends, commitments, and decisions that need air cover.

QUARTERLY / 60 MIN

Strategy reset

Reassess threats, outcomes, investment, and the next roadmap.

Why Specters

Security leadership with an attacker’s eye and an operator’s discipline.

01

Offense-informed

We prioritize credible attack paths and material impact. Scanner volume is not the goal.

02

Product-centered

Controls fit your architecture, delivery model, customer promises, and engineering reality.

03

Executive-ready

Technical truth is translated into decisions, ownership, investment, and measurable business outcomes.

Questions, answered

Before we get started.

Have a different question? Email us directly.

How is a product security vCISO different from a traditional vCISO?

A product security vCISO focuses on the security of what you build and sell: product architecture, software delivery, engineering practices, abuse cases, vulnerability management, and customer assurance. We still connect that work to enterprise risk and executive governance.

Do you replace our internal security or engineering team?

No. We provide senior leadership, structure, and leverage. We clarify priorities, coach owners, fill program gaps, and help your existing teams execute with less friction.

Can we start with a fixed project before an ongoing engagement?

Yes. The Foundation Sprint is designed for that. It produces a baseline, risk register, ownership model, and 90-day roadmap that your team can run independently or continue with us.

Do you help with SOC 2, ISO 27001, or customer questionnaires?

Yes, where those needs intersect with product security. We map existing work to control expectations, close product-related evidence gaps, and build reusable assurance materials. We do not act as your certification auditor.

What happens in the first call?

We spend 30 minutes understanding your product, business trigger, team, and desired outcome. If there is a fit, we send a concise recommended scope and first-90-day outline.

Start with clarity

Tell us what security needs to unlock.

Share a little context. We will reply with an informed first take on your situation.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
  1. 01

    We review your product, trigger, and desired outcome.

  2. 02

    We hold a focused 30-minute fit and strategy call.

  3. 03

    You receive a recommended scope and first steps.

Email directly [email protected]
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