Service
Understand how well your security controls stand up to scrutiny. We assess your configuration, architecture, processes and controls to identify weaknesses, understand risk and prioritise the improvements that matter.
Understanding security audits
A security audit takes a structured look at the controls, configurations, architecture and processes that protect your organisation, assessing whether they are appropriate, effective and aligned with your requirements. We review evidence, identify weaknesses and assess risks in context, highlighting gaps that penetration testing may not be designed to find.
The result is a clear, independent view of your security posture, with findings prioritised by risk and practical recommendations to help technical teams address weaknesses and leadership understand what needs attention.
Benefits of security audits
Security controls can exist on paper without working effectively in practice. An independent audit gives you evidence of how your controls, configurations, architecture and processes are operating, where gaps exist, and what those gaps mean for your organisation.
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An audit gives you a structured, independent view of the security measures protecting your organisation. We examine the controls, configurations, architecture and processes in place to establish what is working, where weaknesses exist and where your security posture may differ from your intended position.
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Security weaknesses are not always exposed through penetration testing alone. An audit can identify insecure configurations, inconsistent controls, process weaknesses and gaps in governance that may leave your organisation exposed even when they are not directly exploitable during a technical test.
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Your security controls should support the requirements of your organisation, customers, regulators and other stakeholders. We assess controls against defined requirements, recognised standards or appropriate security benchmarks, helping you understand where you meet expectations and where further work is required.
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Not every gap deserves the same level of attention. We consider findings in the context of your organisation, its systems, data and operational requirements, helping you distinguish between issues that require urgent attention and those that can be addressed through planned improvement.
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Internal teams can be too close to the systems and processes they operate, while existing documentation may not reflect how controls work in practice. An independent assessment provides an objective challenge to assumptions and gives leadership greater confidence in the effectiveness of the security measures they rely on.
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The value of an audit is not simply a list of deficiencies. Our findings explain the underlying weakness, its significance and the improvements that should be considered, giving technical and security teams practical evidence they can use to plan and prioritise their next steps.
When to audit
Security audits provide independent assurance that the controls, configurations, architecture and processes you rely on are appropriate and operating as intended. They are particularly valuable when requirements change, environments evolve or you need clear evidence of your current security posture.
New platforms, infrastructure and technologies can introduce changes to your security architecture and control environment. An audit can assess how security has been designed and implemented before new technology becomes business-critical.
Mergers, restructures, technology changes and changes to operating models can affect how security controls are implemented and managed. An independent audit can identify gaps created by change and establish whether existing controls remain appropriate.
Customers, regulators, auditors and other stakeholders may require evidence that security controls are appropriately designed and operating effectively. We can assess your environment against defined requirements, recognised standards or appropriate security benchmarks.
Controls can exist on paper without operating consistently in practice. An audit provides an independent review of the evidence, configurations and processes behind your security controls, helping identify gaps that may not be visible through technical penetration testing alone.
Regular audits provide a structured way to review your security posture as the organisation and its technology evolve. Periodic assessment helps identify weaknesses early and provides leadership with an independent view of progress over time.
An independent assessment can challenge assumptions, validate internal understanding and provide evidence for security decisions. This is particularly valuable when leadership, customers or other stakeholders need confidence that security controls are working as intended.
What we audit
We assess the configuration, controls and processes that protect your environment, identifying weaknesses and providing clear, risk-based recommendations for improvement.
We review cloud environments for insecure configuration, excessive permissions, exposed services, weak identity controls and other settings that could increase your attack surface or allow unnecessary access to sensitive resources.
We assess commercially available and internally hosted applications against security hardening requirements, identifying insecure defaults, unnecessary functionality, configuration weaknesses and opportunities to reduce exposure.
We review servers, network devices and supporting infrastructure for insecure configuration, unnecessary services, weak access controls and other technical weaknesses that could undermine your security posture.
We assess how identities, privileges and access are managed across your environment, looking for excessive permissions, weak authentication controls, inconsistent access policies and opportunities to reduce unnecessary privilege.
We examine how systems, networks, applications and security controls fit together, identifying architectural weaknesses, unnecessary trust relationships and areas where security controls could provide stronger protection.
We review the processes and governance that support your technical security controls, helping identify gaps in areas such as vulnerability management, change management, security responsibilities and operational oversight.
Where appropriate, we assess systems and configurations against recognised security baselines, customer requirements or defined internal standards, providing evidence of where the environment meets expectations and where further improvement is required.
How we audit
Our security audits combine structured assessment with experienced security judgement. We examine the controls, configurations, processes and architecture that protect your organisation, using evidence to establish what is working, where gaps exist and what those gaps mean in the context of your risk.
We establish what you need to understand, what is in scope and which requirements or objectives the audit needs to address. Clear boundaries ensure the assessment is relevant, proportionate and focused on the areas that matter to your organisation.
We review the documentation, configurations, policies and other evidence needed to understand how your security controls are designed and implemented. We assess the evidence critically rather than assuming that documented controls operate as intended.
We assess whether relevant security controls are appropriate, correctly implemented and operating effectively. Where weaknesses are identified, we consider their practical significance rather than treating every control gap as having the same level of risk.
We examine relevant system and security configurations alongside the architecture in which they operate. This helps identify insecure settings, unnecessary exposure, excessive access and architectural weaknesses that may undermine otherwise effective security controls.
We examine the processes and responsibilities that support your security controls, including areas such as vulnerability management, access management, change management and operational oversight. Where appropriate, we speak with relevant stakeholders to understand how these processes operate in practice.
Where required, we assess your environment against recognised security standards, industry benchmarks, customer requirements or defined internal controls. This provides clear evidence of where expectations are being met and where gaps require attention.
We validate significant findings and assess them in the context of your organisation, considering the likelihood, impact and wider security environment. This ensures recommendations reflect meaningful risk rather than simply the presence of a technical or procedural gap.
Findings are supported by evidence and presented with clear risk context, prioritisation and practical recommendations. We provide the detail technical teams need while making the wider implications clear to security and leadership.
Our deliverables
A security audit should give you a clear and defensible understanding of how your controls are operating, where gaps exist and what those gaps mean for your organisation. Our deliverables provide evidence for technical teams, security management, leadership and other stakeholders.
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Detailed findings covering scope, evidence, controls, risk, relevant requirements and practical recommendations for improvement.
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A concise overview of the security posture, key control gaps, areas of risk and priority improvements for leadership and stakeholders.
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Audit findings supplied in your preferred format, including control references, gaps, risk, recommendations, ownership and remediation status.
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We’ll help you understand which controls are working, where the gaps are, and which improvements deserve attention first.