Virtual CISO · Cybersecurity Strategy · Risk Leadership

Your Defense.
Our Mission.

Thorngate Advisory brings enterprise-grade cybersecurity leadership to financial services firms that can’t afford enterprise-grade risk — fractionally, practically, and without the noise.

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Virtual CISO
Fractional CISO-level leadership — enterprise security strategy without the full-time cost.
Risk Assessments
Identify gaps and prioritize remediation with a framework-aligned security posture review.
Regulatory Compliance
SOC 2, HIPAA, GLBA, FFIEC, NYS-DFS — stay ahead of examiners and regulators.
GRC Program Buildout
Policies, controls, board reporting, and metrics dashboards built from the ground up.
Who We Are

The CISO Your Firm Needs.
Without the Full-Time Cost.

Thorngate Advisory
James M. Vignone
Founder & Virtual CISO
CISSP NYU Stern MBA Cooper Union BE
Prior Experience
Bloomberg DTCC Rabobank Barclays Capital Verizon
About Thorngate

Enterprise Experience.
Delivered Fractionally.

Built from inside the world’s most scrutinized financial institutions.

Small and mid-sized financial firms deserve the same caliber of cybersecurity leadership as institutions that can afford a full-time CISO — Thorngate makes that possible without the full-time overhead.

James Vignone brings 20+ years of hands-on experience building and leading security, risk, and compliance programs at some of the most heavily regulated organizations in global finance and technology — institutions held to the highest standards by the SEC, Federal Reserve, and international regulators.

James has deep experience building and leading Cybersecurity Governance, Risk and Compliance functions across organizations of varying size and complexity — from global systemically important financial institutions to lean, high-growth firms. He has designed and implemented control frameworks, led cross-functional GRC teams, and translated complex cybersecurity risk into clear, actionable reporting for Boards and senior leadership.

He has personally managed regulatory examinations with the SEC, Federal Reserve, NYS-DFS, and ESMA — and brings that examiner’s perspective directly to your program.

What We Do

Services

Focused, high-impact cybersecurity engagements for financial services firms navigating complex threats and evolving regulatory requirements.

01
Cybersecurity Risk Assessments

Framework-aligned evaluation of your security posture — identifying gaps, prioritizing risks, and delivering a clear remediation roadmap your board can act on.

NIST CSFISO 27001Gap Analysis
02
Regulatory Compliance

Navigate complex financial regulations with confidence. Thorngate maps your controls to applicable requirements so you’re ready before the examiner arrives.

SOC 2HIPAAGLBAFFIECNYS-DFS
03
GRC Program Buildout

For firms that need a security program, not just a checklist. We build the full governance structure: policies, control inventories, board reporting, and metrics dashboards.

PoliciesBoard ReportingControl Frameworks
04
Virtual CISO (vCISO)

Fractional CISO-level leadership embedded in your organization. Strategic planning, incident escalation, vendor oversight — your dedicated security executive at a fraction of the cost.

Fractional LeadershipStrategic PlanningVendor Mgmt
05
Exam & Audit Readiness

Drawing on direct experience with the SEC, Federal Reserve, and NYS-DFS, Thorngate prepares your team to face examiners with a defensible, well-documented compliance posture.

SECFederal ReserveNYS-DFS
06
Board & Executive Advisory

Translate complex cyber risk into board-level language — risk profiles, metrics dashboards, and emerging threat briefings that drive informed decision-making at the top.

Board ReportingRisk MetricsExecutive Briefings
Get In Touch

Every Engagement Starts With A Conversation.

No pressure, no pitch. Reach out directly and we’ll find a time to talk through where your organization stands and where it needs to go.

james@thorngateadvisory.com
Serving Banks, Credit Unions & Hedge Funds Nationwide
First discovery call is no cost to you