Cybersecurity Consulting in Cary, NC
Cary’s tech companies, pharmaceutical firms, and healthcare organizations face cyber threats that demand expert guidance — not generic checklists. Petronella Technology Group, Inc. provides strategic cybersecurity consulting for Cary businesses, combining 30+ years of hands-on security expertise with deep knowledge of the compliance frameworks governing the Research Triangle’s most regulated industries. From risk assessments and security architecture to vCISO services and compliance roadmaps, we deliver the advisory expertise your Cary organization needs to build a resilient security program.
BBB Accredited Since 2003 • Founded 2002 • 2,500+ Clients • CMMC Certified Registered Practitioner
Strategic Security for Cary’s Innovation Economy
Tech companies, pharma, and healthcare organizations need more than tools — they need expert strategy.
Navigate Complex Compliance
Cary pharma companies face FDA 21 CFR Part 11 and NIST requirements. Healthcare practices must satisfy HIPAA. Tech companies pursuing enterprise clients need SOC 2 Type II. Defense contractors require CMMC. A cybersecurity consultant who understands all of these frameworks builds unified programs that satisfy multiple mandates without redundant effort.
Protect Intellectual Property
SAS Institute, Epic Games, and the Cary pharma corridor generate intellectual property worth billions. Proprietary algorithms, game engines, drug compounds, and clinical trial data are prime targets for nation-state actors and criminal groups. A security consulting engagement identifies gaps in your IP protection and builds defenses matched to the threat.
Board & Investor Confidence
Cary’s VC-backed startups and publicly traded companies face increasing pressure from boards and investors to demonstrate cybersecurity governance. A structured security program designed by experienced consultants provides the metrics, documentation, and assurance that stakeholders require.
Fill the Security Leadership Gap
Most Cary businesses cannot justify a full-time CISO. Our virtual CISO and cybersecurity consulting engagements provide senior security leadership — strategic planning, risk management, vendor evaluation, and board reporting — at a fraction of the cost of a dedicated executive hire.
Cybersecurity Consulting Tailored to Cary’s Industries
Cary has emerged as one of the Research Triangle’s most important business centers. The town’s corporate landscape spans analytics software (SAS Institute), interactive entertainment (Epic Games), pharmaceutical research and manufacturing, clinical research organizations, financial advisory firms, insurance companies, and a rapidly expanding ecosystem of startups attracted by Cary’s talent pool, infrastructure, and quality of life.
Each of these industries faces distinct cybersecurity challenges. A pharmaceutical company on Regency Park Drive managing clinical trial data needs 21 CFR Part 11 compliance, data integrity controls, and protection against industrial espionage. A SaaS startup near the Cary tech corridor pursuing Series B funding needs SOC 2 Type II to close enterprise deals. A healthcare practice near WakeMed Cary Hospital needs HIPAA compliance and EHR security. A defense subcontractor needs CMMC Level 2 certification to maintain government contracts.
Petronella Technology Group, Inc. provides cybersecurity consulting that addresses these diverse needs with a unified approach. Craig Petronella — a licensed digital forensic examiner and CMMC Certified Registered Practitioner — leads every engagement. Our consulting methodology begins with understanding your Cary business’s specific threat landscape, regulatory obligations, and strategic objectives, then designs a security program that addresses all of them with a single, efficient control framework.
Unlike large consulting firms that rotate junior analysts through generic assessment templates, we assign senior practitioners who stay with your engagement from assessment through implementation. Our team speaks the language of your compliance officers, engineering leaders, and C-suite — translating technical risk into business impact and prioritizing investments that deliver the highest risk reduction per dollar spent.
Cybersecurity Consulting Services for Cary
Strategic advisory and hands-on implementation from senior security practitioners.
Risk Assessments & Security Gap Analysis
Every consulting engagement begins with understanding where you stand. We conduct comprehensive risk assessments aligned with NIST Cybersecurity Framework, evaluating your technical controls, policies, procedures, personnel awareness, and compliance posture. For Cary pharma companies, we assess 21 CFR Part 11 controls. For healthcare, HIPAA safeguards. For tech companies, SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria.
The assessment produces a risk-ranked findings report with clear remediation priorities, estimated effort, and business impact context that enables your leadership team to make informed investment decisions.
vCISO & Security Leadership
Our virtual CISO service provides Cary businesses with senior security leadership on a fractional basis. Your vCISO develops security strategy, manages risk registers, evaluates security vendors, reports to your board or investors, leads incident response, and ensures compliance programs stay current as regulations evolve.
For Cary startups preparing for SOC 2 audits, our vCISO service is particularly valuable — providing the security governance structure that auditors expect without the $300K+ salary of a full-time CISO.
Compliance Program Development
We build compliance programs from the ground up or mature existing ones. For HIPAA, we develop complete administrative, physical, and technical safeguard documentation. For SOC 2, we implement Trust Services Criteria controls and prepare evidence packages. For CMMC, Craig Petronella guides Cary defense contractors through the certification process as a Registered Practitioner.
Our cross-mapping methodology means Cary businesses facing multiple compliance obligations build one program that satisfies all of them — reducing audit fatigue, eliminating duplicated effort, and keeping costs proportional to organization size.
Security Architecture & Design
Cary tech companies building new products, migrating to the cloud, or expanding infrastructure need security baked into the architecture — not bolted on afterward. We design network segmentation strategies, zero-trust frameworks, cloud security architectures, identity and access management systems, and data protection schemes aligned with your threat model and compliance obligations.
For Cary SaaS companies, we review application security architecture, CI/CD pipeline controls, container security, and Infrastructure-as-Code templates to ensure secure-by-design development practices.
Security Awareness & Training Programs
Human error remains the leading cause of security incidents. We develop and deliver security awareness training programs tailored to Cary industries — phishing simulations, role-based training for finance teams, HIPAA workforce training for healthcare staff, and executive security briefings for leadership teams.
Training programs satisfy HIPAA workforce training requirements, SOC 2 security awareness criteria, and CMMC awareness and training practices. We track completion, measure effectiveness through simulated phishing campaigns, and report results to your leadership team quarterly.
M&A Cybersecurity Due Diligence
Cary’s active M&A market — driven by pharma consolidation, PE-backed tech roll-ups, and strategic acquisitions — creates cybersecurity risk during transitions. We conduct cybersecurity due diligence for acquirers, assessing target companies’ security posture, compliance status, historical incidents, and integration risks before deals close.
For Cary companies being acquired, we prepare security documentation packages that demonstrate program maturity to potential buyers, protecting valuation during the transaction process.
How We Consult With Cary Organizations
A structured methodology that delivers actionable results, not shelf-ware reports.
Discovery & Scoping
We learn your Cary business, its industry context, regulatory landscape, technology stack, and strategic priorities. This discovery phase ensures our consulting engagement addresses your actual risks and business objectives — not a generic checklist.
Assessment & Analysis
Senior practitioners evaluate your security posture through technical testing, policy review, interviews, and compliance gap analysis. We benchmark against NIST CSF, CIS Controls, and your applicable regulatory frameworks to produce a comprehensive current-state picture.
Strategy & Roadmap
We deliver a prioritized security roadmap with clear milestones, resource requirements, and business justifications. Recommendations are phased to deliver quick wins first while building toward long-term program maturity — critical for Cary companies managing security investments against growth timelines.
Implementation Support & Ongoing Advisory
We do not hand you a report and walk away. Our team supports implementation — deploying controls, developing policies, configuring tools, and training staff. For ongoing engagements, our vCISO and advisory services provide continuous security leadership as your Cary business evolves.
Why Cary Organizations Choose Petronella Technology Group, Inc.
Senior Practitioners, Not Junior Analysts
Craig Petronella personally leads every consulting engagement. You work with experienced security professionals who understand Cary’s industries — not recent graduates running automated scanning tools.
Multi-Framework Compliance Expertise
HIPAA, SOC 2, CMMC, NIST 800-171, PCI DSS, 21 CFR Part 11 — we build cross-mapped programs that satisfy multiple frameworks simultaneously. One program, multiple compliance outcomes.
Implementation, Not Just Advice
We do not deliver reports that collect dust. Our consulting engagements include implementation support — deploying controls, writing policies, configuring systems, and training staff to execute the recommendations we make.
Local Presence, Enterprise Capability
Based in the Triangle, we provide the responsive, relationship-driven service of a local firm with the technical depth and compliance expertise that Cary’s most demanding organizations require.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cybersecurity Consulting in Cary
What industries in Cary do you consult for?
Technology, pharmaceutical, biotech, healthcare, financial services, defense contracting, professional services, and manufacturing. Our multi-industry expertise means we understand the regulatory and threat landscape specific to your Cary business.
How is cybersecurity consulting different from managed security?
Consulting is strategic advisory — assessments, architecture, compliance programs, and security roadmaps. Managed security is ongoing operational services like 24/7 monitoring, incident response, and endpoint management. Many Cary clients use both: consulting to design the program and managed services to operate it.
Can you help our Cary startup achieve SOC 2 certification?
Yes. We accelerate SOC 2 readiness for Cary tech companies through gap assessment, policy development, control implementation, evidence automation, mock audits, and auditor coordination. Most companies achieve Type II readiness within four to six months.
Do you offer vCISO services for Cary companies?
Yes. Our vCISO service provides senior security leadership including strategy, board reporting, risk management, vendor evaluation, and compliance oversight at a fraction of a full-time CISO salary.
Can you help Cary pharma companies with FDA cybersecurity requirements?
Yes. We implement 21 CFR Part 11 controls for electronic records and signatures, data integrity safeguards for laboratory systems, and NIST-based security programs that satisfy FDA expectations for clinical data protection.
How long does a security consulting engagement take?
Initial risk assessments typically complete in two to four weeks. Compliance program development takes three to six months. vCISO engagements are ongoing. We scope every engagement to your timeline and budget.
Do you provide security consulting for Cary organizations using AI?
Yes. Our AI services include AI security assessments, governance framework development, and secure deployment guidance for Cary organizations integrating AI into their products and operations.
How do we get started?
Call 919-348-4912 or schedule a consultation. We begin with a discovery conversation to understand your Cary organization’s security challenges, compliance requirements, and business objectives, then propose a scoped engagement tailored to your needs.
Ready for Expert Cybersecurity Consulting in Cary?
Schedule a consultation with Craig Petronella to discuss your Cary organization’s security challenges, compliance requirements, and strategic objectives. We help tech companies, pharma firms, healthcare practices, and growing businesses build security programs that protect data, satisfy regulators, and enable growth.
Petronella Technology Group, Inc. • 919-348-4912 • Raleigh, NC 27606 • BBB Accredited Since 2003 • Founded 2002 • 2,500+ Clients