Cybersecurity Services

What it does

Cyber threats don't stop when your business closes. Pulsar IT Managed SOC combines continuous security monitoring with specialist security analysts to help detect, investigate and respond to threats around the clock.

Why your business needs it

Attacks often start outside office hours, when nobody is looking at alerts. A managed SOC means suspicious activity on covered systems is investigated by specialist analysts around the clock, with supported containment and a clear escalation route to Pulsar IT, without the cost of building your own security team.

What's included

• 24/7 SOC analyst investigation of alerts on successfully onboarded devices (included in Advanced IT & Security)
• Threat validation and alert triage for covered devices
• Supported containment actions you have authorised, such as device isolation
• Escalation of confirmed threats to Pulsar IT, with findings and recommended next steps
• Onboarding, agent deployment and service management by Pulsar IT

Benefits

• 24/7 analyst investigation of threats on covered devices
• Suspicious activity validated, so you hear about real threats rather than noise
• Supported containment, such as isolating an affected device, where you have authorised it
• Confirmed threats escalated to Pulsar IT with clear findings and next steps

Limitations and exclusions

• 24/7 analyst coverage applies only to endpoints and services that have been successfully onboarded to an active Managed SOC service, and starts once onboarding is complete. Response actions run only where supported by the relevant products and authorised by you.
• A managed SOC significantly improves your ability to detect and contain attacks, but no service can prevent every incident. Good backups, updates and staff awareness remain essential.
• Not included: Monitoring of systems, accounts or log sources that are not onboarded to an active Managed SOC service, including any period before onboarding is complete
• Not included: Microsoft 365 identity threat monitoring, unless added to your plan

What it does

A firewall sits between your business network and the internet and decides which connections are allowed in and out. It only protects you if it is configured properly, kept up to date and watched. Managed Firewalls hands that job to Pulsar IT.

Why your business needs it

The firewall is the front door to your network, yet many small business firewalls are installed once and left alone. Rules pile up, firmware falls behind and nobody reads the logs, so an attack in progress can go unnoticed. Managed firewalls keep the configuration effective and put automated monitoring, backed by our team, on watch.

What's included

• Firewall configuration, rule management and firmware updates
• Security policy administration with change control and documentation
• Automated monitoring of firewall logs through our SIEM platform
• Review of security alerts by our team, in line with your agreed service level
• Approved automated response, where supported by your firewall and authorised by you

Benefits

• One team responsible for your network perimeter, across every site
• Firewall rules reviewed, documented and changed under control
• Firewall logs analysed automatically by our SIEM platform
• Suspicious activity reviewed by our team, with clear next steps

Limitations and exclusions

• Firewall monitoring is automated and alerts are reviewed by our team in line with your agreed service level. 24/7 SOC analyst coverage applies only to endpoints and services onboarded to Pulsar IT Managed SOC, and does not include firewalls.
• Automated responses depend on your firewall's features and licences and run only under policies you have authorised. Older or unsupported firewalls may need replacing before they can be monitored or respond automatically.
• Not included: Firewall hardware, security licences and vendor subscriptions, unless agreed in your proposal
• Not included: 24/7 SOC analyst investigation of firewall alerts; alerts are reviewed by our team in line with your agreed service level (24/7 analyst coverage is available for subscribed services through Pulsar IT Managed SOC)

What it does

Every laptop and desktop runs an operating system and applications that regularly turn out to contain security flaws. Managed Endpoint Security is our fully managed tier for those devices: we find the flaws, fix them in order of risk and keep watch for signs of attack.

Why your business needs it

Many attacks on small businesses start on a device: an unpatched application, an outdated browser or a malicious attachment. Knowing a vulnerability exists is only half the job; it has to be fixed, and devices need watching in case something gets through. This tier does both, so findings don't sit in a report waiting for someone to have time.

What's included

• Vulnerability detection on each enrolled device (replaces Basic Endpoint Vulnerability Scanning)
• Vulnerability remediation: identified CVEs prioritised and fixed by our team
• Automated monitoring of endpoint security events through our SIEM platform
• Alert review by our team in line with your agreed service level
• Approved automated response, such as isolating a device, where supported by your endpoint tools and authorised by you

Benefits

• Known vulnerabilities fixed by our team, highest risk first
• Replaces basic scanning, so you are never charged for both on the same device
• Endpoint security events analysed automatically by our SIEM platform
• Alerts reviewed by our team, with approved actions such as isolating a device

Limitations and exclusions

• Some vulnerabilities have no fix available yet, or can only be resolved by replacing software or hardware. We explain the options and any interim measures, such as restricting the affected software.
• Monitoring is automated and alerts are reviewed by our team in line with your agreed service level. Automated responses run only where your endpoint tools support them and you have authorised the policy.
• Not included: Endpoint Protection, which is required on each device and priced separately unless included in your plan
• Not included: Software licences, upgrades or hardware needed to fix a vulnerability, such as replacing unsupported software

What it does

Security flaws are found all the time in operating systems, browsers and everyday business applications. Once a flaw is public, attackers look for devices that haven't been updated. Basic Endpoint Vulnerability Scanning tells you which of your devices are exposed.

Why your business needs it

You can't fix what you don't know about. Many attacks use flaws that were made public, and fixed by the software vendor, long before. Regular scanning gives you an accurate picture of which devices are exposed, so you or your IT team can act before an attacker does.

What's included

• Agent-based vulnerability detection on each enrolled workstation and laptop
• Identification of missing updates and known CVEs, with severity ratings
• Regular vulnerability reports

Benefits

• A clear list of missing updates and known vulnerabilities on every device
• Severity ratings that show which findings matter most
• Evidence of whether patching is actually working
• Included in the Advanced IT & Security plan

Limitations and exclusions

• Scanning finds known, published vulnerabilities. It can't detect flaws that haven't been disclosed yet, or weaknesses that come from how systems are set up together.
• Finding a vulnerability doesn't fix it. The risk remains until the report is acted on, by routine patching, your IT team or our managed tier.
• Not included: Vulnerability remediation beyond routine patching
• Not included: SIEM monitoring and automated response

What it does

An endpoint is any device your staff use to work, such as a desktop or laptop. Endpoint protection is security software that runs on each one to stop malicious software (malware) and harmful activity.

Why your business needs it

Laptops and desktops are where staff open email, browse the web and plug in USB drives, so they are where malware most often arrives. Protection that is missing, switched off or out of date on even one device leaves a gap. Central management means every device is covered and its detections are seen.

What's included

• Deployment of the endpoint protection agent on each workstation and laptop
• Central management and policy configuration agreed with you
• Agent and protection updates
• Coverage checks so unprotected devices are spotted
• Follow-up of detections that need attention, as part of your support

Benefits

• Known malware and suspicious behaviour blocked on each device
• Deployed, updated and centrally managed by Pulsar IT
• Protection policies agreed with you and applied consistently
• Devices that stop reporting or fall out of date are spotted

Limitations and exclusions

• Endpoint protection reduces the risk of malware, but no product detects every threat. It works best alongside patching, email filtering, backups and staff awareness.
• The protection features available depend on the product and licence level agreed in your proposal, and on the operating systems your devices run.
• Not included: SIEM monitoring, vulnerability remediation and automated response, which are part of Managed Endpoint Security
• Not included: Personal or unmanaged devices, unless specifically agreed

What it does

Laptops are only part of your network. Firewalls, routers, switches, Wi-Fi equipment, servers, printers and internet-facing systems all run software that can contain known vulnerabilities, and they are easy to forget once installed.

Why your business needs it

Network equipment and servers often go years without the attention laptops get, and anything reachable from the internet is routinely probed by automated tools. A vulnerability in a firewall, VPN gateway or server can give an attacker a route in that endpoint protection on laptops cannot see. An assessment shows where those weaknesses are.

What's included

• Scoping of the sites, address ranges and systems to be assessed
• Vulnerability scanning of in-scope network devices, servers and internet-facing systems
• Review and prioritisation of findings by our team
• A findings report with recommended remediation
• Repeat assessments at the agreed frequency, if you choose quarterly or annually

Benefits

• Visibility of weaknesses in network devices and servers, not just laptops
• Internal and internet-facing systems checked for known vulnerabilities
• Findings reviewed and prioritised, so you know what to fix first
• Repeat assessments to track progress over time

Limitations and exclusions

• Scanners find known vulnerabilities. They can miss weaknesses in custom software or in how systems are configured together, and some findings turn out to be false positives.
• An assessment reflects your network when the scan runs. New devices, configuration changes and newly published vulnerabilities change the picture, which is why regular reassessment helps.
• Not included: Exploitation of vulnerabilities or penetration testing
• Not included: Remediation work, unless scoped separately

What it does

Your business has a public face on the internet: the IP addresses of your office connections, your firewall, the VPN (virtual private network) gateway your remote staff connect to, email and web servers, and any other service reachable from outside. Automated tools scan addresses like these constantly, looking for a way in.

Why your business needs it

Anything reachable from the internet can be found and probed by anyone. A misconfigured firewall rule, an out-of-date VPN gateway or a forgotten test server can be enough for an attacker to get in. Testing from the outside, with your written permission, shows you those weaknesses before someone without permission finds them.

What's included

• Scoping of the internet-facing systems to be tested
• Coordination of written authorisation and rules of engagement
• Testing within the agreed scope by qualified specialist testers, subject to specialist availability and approval
• A report with risk-prioritised findings and remediation recommendations

Benefits

• An outsider's view of what your business exposes to the internet
• Evidence of which weaknesses can really be exploited, not just which might exist
• A report with risk-prioritised findings and practical fixes
• Scoping, coordination and remediation handled through one provider

Limitations and exclusions

• A penetration test is a snapshot of the in-scope systems during the testing window. New services, changes and newly published vulnerabilities can change the picture afterwards.
• Testing covers only the agreed scope and time, so it can't find every weakness. A test with no serious findings is reassuring, but it isn't proof that your systems are secure.
• Not included: Testing of any system without written authorisation from its owner
• Not included: Third-party hosted systems where the provider's permission can't be obtained

What it does

Firewalls and email filtering keep many threats out, but not all of them. A member of staff opens a convincing phishing email, a visitor plugs into a spare network socket, or a supplier's laptop is already infected. Once inside, an attacker's aim is to move from that first device to the systems and data that matter.

Why your business needs it

The damage from ransomware and data theft often depends on what an attacker can do after getting in: reach file servers, take over administrator accounts and spread across the network. If internal defences are weak, one compromised laptop can become a business-wide incident. An internal test shows whether your segmentation, account security and patching would slow an attacker down.

What's included

• Scoping of the internal networks, sites, starting point and exclusions
• Coordination of written authorisation and rules of engagement
• Internal testing from the agreed starting point by qualified specialist testers, subject to their availability and approval
• A risk-prioritised report describing attack paths, findings and remediation recommendations

Benefits

• A realistic view of how far one compromised device could lead
• Weaknesses in accounts, permissions and Active Directory brought to light
• Evidence of whether your network segmentation actually works
• Risk-prioritised findings with practical recommendations

Limitations and exclusions

• An internal test shows what could be reached within the agreed scope and time. It won't find every weakness, and new devices, accounts and vulnerabilities change the picture over time.
• Testing inside a live network carries some risk of disruption. Fragile systems can be excluded or tested in agreed windows, and emergency contacts are agreed before testing starts.
• Not included: Testing of systems without written authorisation from their owner
• Not included: Phishing and physical security testing; for staff phishing tests see Phishing Simulations

What it does

A web application penetration test is an authorised, simulated attack on an application your business runs over the web: a customer portal, an online booking or ordering system, a client login area, an internal web app, or the APIs (application programming interfaces) behind a mobile app. The tester looks for ways someone could reach data or functions they shouldn't, and shows how it could be done.

Why your business needs it

Web applications are often the part of a business most exposed to the internet and closest to customer data. Automated scanners find many known issues, but they cannot judge whether one customer can see another customer's records or whether an approval or payment step can be skipped. An authorised test by a skilled person looks for those problems before someone else does, and gives you a written record that the application has been checked.

What's included

• Scoping call and written scope covering applications, APIs, user roles and environments
• Arranging written authorisation from the application owner, and the hosting provider where its terms require it
• Agreed rules of engagement, testing windows and points of contact
• Coordination of testing by qualified specialist testers within the agreed scope
• Report with findings prioritised by risk and remediation recommendations

Benefits

• Weaknesses in logins, permissions and data handling that scanners miss
• Testing carried out only under written authorisation and an agreed scope
• Findings ranked by risk, with recommendations your developers can act on
• Help from Pulsar IT to plan and coordinate remediation

Limitations and exclusions

• A penetration test is a snapshot of the application at the time of testing, within the agreed scope and time. It reduces risk but cannot find every possible weakness, and new code or configuration changes can introduce new issues.
• Testing is delivered by qualified specialists, subject to specialist availability and approval. Timescales and tester details are confirmed in writing during scoping.
• Not included: Changes to your application's code, which remain with your developers or software supplier
• Not included: Testing of systems you do not own or are not authorised to test, including third-party services, unless their owner gives written permission

What it does

Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed certification scheme, overseen by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), that shows your organisation has basic technical controls in place against the most common cyber attacks. You complete an online self-assessment questionnaire, which is reviewed by an independent certification body licensed through IASME, the NCSC's Cyber Essentials delivery partner.

Why your business needs it

Cyber Essentials is required for many UK central government contracts and is increasingly requested by customers of all kinds. The requirements are short but strict: one cloud service without multi-factor authentication (MFA), one unsupported operating system or a router with a default password can be enough to fail. A readiness review finds these issues before you submit, rather than after.

What's included

• Scoping session to agree what the assessment will cover
• Readiness assessment against the five control areas and the current requirements
• Prioritised gap list highlighting likely fail points
• Technical remediation of agreed gaps, as set out in your proposal
• Help gathering information and preparing your questionnaire answers

Benefits

• A clear picture of where you stand against the current requirements
• Gaps found and fixed before your assessment, not after
• A scope you can explain, including cloud services and home-working devices
• Support preparing accurate answers for the self-assessment questionnaire

Limitations and exclusions

• Pulsar IT prepares organisations for assessment; it does not assess or certify. The certification decision rests with the certification body.
• Cyber Essentials is a baseline against common attacks. Certification is a strong starting point, but it does not mean an organisation is protected against every threat.
• Not included: The certification itself, which is issued through an IASME-licensed certification body
• Not included: Certification body assessment fees, which are paid separately

What it does

Cyber Essentials Plus uses the same requirements as Cyber Essentials, covering the same five control areas: firewalls, secure configuration, security update management, user access control and malware protection. The difference is that, instead of relying only on your questionnaire answers, an assessor from an IASME-licensed certification body checks your systems in a hands-on technical audit. It must be completed within three months of your Cyber Essentials certification.

Why your business needs it

The audit tests what is actually happening on your devices, not what your policies say should happen. Issues found during the audit must be fixed within a limited window, so finding them beforehand reduces the risk of a failed audit and a rush to fix problems against the clock.

What's included

• Review of your Cyber Essentials scope and the deadline for the audit
• Help preparing written permission and scope information for the certification body
• Pre-audit checks on a sample of devices across every operating system in scope
• Checks of patching, malware protection, admin separation and cloud MFA
• Review of internet-facing services on your public IP addresses, with your written authorisation

Benefits

• Pre-audit checks focused on what the assessor will test
• Patching, malware protection and MFA confirmed on real devices and accounts
• Every operating system in scope prepared, not just the obvious ones
• Help fixing issues quickly if the audit finds any

Limitations and exclusions

• Pulsar IT helps you prepare but does not audit or certify. The assessor chooses the test sample and decides the outcome, so pre-audit checks reduce the risk of failure rather than remove it.
• Cyber Essentials Plus must be completed within three months of your Cyber Essentials certification. If preparation starts late, there may not be enough time for larger fixes such as replacing unsupported devices.
• Not included: The audit and the certificate, which are carried out and issued by an IASME-licensed certification body
• Not included: Certification body audit and assessment fees

What it does

Microsoft secures the platform, but how your tenant is configured is your responsibility. Many security features are switched off, left at permissive defaults or only available on certain licences. Microsoft 365 Security is our tenant-wide security configuration: the settings that protect sign-ins, admin accounts, email, shared files and devices across your organisation.

Why your business needs it

Microsoft 365 is one of the first places attackers try, because a single stolen password can open up email, files and calendars. Stolen passwords are behind a large share of account compromises, and MFA stops most of these attacks. Configuring the right settings, keeping them in place and knowing which ones your licences include closes the most common gaps.

What's included

• Review of your Microsoft 365 licences and current security settings
• MFA configured for all users, with admin accounts protected
• Conditional Access policies, where your licences include them
• Anti-phishing and email protection policies using the features in your licences
• Secure sharing settings for SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams

Benefits

• MFA enforced for every user, with stronger protection for admin accounts
• Sign-in policies matched to your licences, including Conditional Access on Business Premium
• Email protection against phishing, impersonation and malicious attachments
• Sharing settings that keep files inside the business unless there is a reason to share

Limitations and exclusions

• Good configuration greatly reduces risk but cannot stop every attack. Some phishing messages will still reach inboxes, which is why staff training matters too.
• Some changes, such as enforcing MFA or blocking legacy sign-in, can affect older devices and apps. We identify these first and agree a plan so business systems keep working.
• Not included: Microsoft 365 licences and subscriptions, which are billed separately
• Not included: Controls your licences do not include; we will tell you where an upgrade would be needed

What it does

A Microsoft 365 Security Assessment is a structured, one-off review of how your tenant is configured. It answers a simple question: are the security settings that protect your email, files and accounts switched on, and set sensibly for your business?

Why your business needs it

Microsoft 365 settings drift over time: old admin accounts linger, mailbox rules appear, sharing links multiply and new features arrive switched off. Many businesses also pay for security features in their licences that have not been turned on. An independent review shows what is actually configured and what to fix first.

What's included

• Agreed scope and secure access arrangements
• Review of tenant security settings, including sign-in, MFA and Conditional Access
• Admin account and role review
• Mailbox, forwarding rule and email protection review
• External sharing, device settings and audit logging review

Benefits

• An independent view of your Microsoft 365 security settings
• Findings ranked by risk, so you know what to fix first
• Clarity on which improvements your current licences already support
• Suspicious mailbox and forwarding rules brought to light

Limitations and exclusions

• The assessment reflects your settings at the time of review. Settings change as people make changes and Microsoft updates its services, so findings can go out of date.
• Some checks depend on your licences and the access granted. Where something cannot be reviewed, the report says so.
• Not included: Making changes to your tenant during the assessment
• Not included: Incident response or forensic investigation of a suspected compromise

What it does

Email security and filtering checks incoming email for spam, phishing, malware and impersonation before it reaches your team's inboxes, based on policies we configure with you. Suspicious messages are blocked, quarantined or marked, and links and attachments are checked for known threats.

Why your business needs it

Phishing emails are how many attacks begin: a fake invoice, a convincing login page or a message that appears to come from a director. Well-configured filtering reduces how many of these reach staff, and domain protection makes it harder for criminals to send email that looks as though it came from you.

What's included

• Review of your current email protection, licences and domain records
• Configuration of anti-spam, anti-phishing and anti-malware policies
• Link and attachment checks using the features in your licences or filtering service
• Quarantine policies and an agreed release process
• SPF, DKIM and DMARC configuration advice

Benefits

• Fewer spam, phishing and malware emails reaching staff
• Links and attachments checked for known threats
• Protection against emails impersonating colleagues or suppliers, where supported
• Your domain made harder to spoof with SPF, DKIM and DMARC

Limitations and exclusions

• No filtering service stops every phishing email. Some well-crafted or brand-new attacks will get through, so staff training, MFA and an easy way to report suspicious emails remain essential.
• Impersonation protection, Safe Links and Safe Attachments depend on your Microsoft 365 licence or an additional filtering service. We explain what your current licences include before recommending anything extra.
• Not included: Microsoft 365 licences, including upgrades to Business Premium
• Not included: Third-party filtering subscriptions, unless agreed in your proposal

What it does

Security awareness training helps your staff understand the everyday threats they face and what to do about them. Instead of one long annual session that is quickly forgotten, it uses short, regular modules that fit around work.

Why your business needs it

Email filtering and other security tools stop most threats, but some messages will always get through, and many attacks rely on persuading someone to click a link, make a payment or share a password. Staff who know what to look for, and who feel comfortable reporting mistakes straight away, give the business a better chance of stopping a problem early.

What's included

• Agreed training programme and schedule
• Short, regular training modules for each enrolled user
• Enrolment of staff and new starters
• Completion reporting
• Periodic review of topics with you

Benefits

• Staff better able to recognise phishing and payment fraud
• Short, regular modules that fit around the working day
• A culture where people report concerns quickly, without blame
• Completion reporting so you can see who has taken part

Limitations and exclusions

• Training lowers the chance of people falling for an attack, but it doesn't remove it. It works best alongside email filtering, MFA and endpoint protection.
• Results depend on staff taking part. Visible support from leadership and time set aside for training both help.
• Not included: Phishing simulations, which are a separate service
• Not included: Professional qualifications or accredited certification for staff

What it does

Phishing is when criminals send emails, and sometimes texts or messages, that pretend to come from someone you trust. The aim is to trick staff into clicking a link, opening an attachment, entering a password or paying a fake invoice. Email filtering stops many of these messages, but some still get through.

Why your business needs it

Your team is often the last check between a convincing email and your business systems. Practising on safe, realistic examples helps staff recognise warning signs and report suspicious messages quickly, and shows you where extra support is needed based on evidence rather than guesswork.

What's included

• Campaigns planned and agreed with you in advance
• Safe, realistic simulated phishing emails
• Landing pages that explain the warning signs after a click
• Reporting on clicks, reports and trends over time
• Follow-up guidance for staff who would benefit from it

Benefits

• Staff practise on realistic examples in a safe setting
• Every campaign planned and agreed with you before anything is sent
• Clear reporting on clicks, reports and trends over time
• Supportive follow-up for anyone who needs it, with no naming and shaming

Limitations and exclusions

• Simulations show how people respond to particular messages on the day; they can't predict every real attack. Results are most useful as trends over several campaigns, alongside email filtering and other technical controls.
• Some email security tools open links automatically to check them, which can register as a click. We account for this when setting up campaigns and reading the results.
• Not included: Any testing that hasn't been agreed with you in advance
• Not included: Collecting real passwords: test pages are designed so that they are not captured

What it does

This page covers two connected things. The first is security monitoring: how suspicious activity is spotted and handled within our existing managed services. The second is incident response readiness: making sure your business has a clear, practical plan for what happens if an attack or data breach does occur.

Why your business needs it

Even well-protected businesses can be affected by an incident, and the first hours are often confused: people aren't sure who decides, who to call or what to leave untouched. Monitoring helps spot problems sooner, and a rehearsed plan helps your team respond calmly, limit disruption and meet obligations to insurers, customers and regulators.

What's included

• Review of your current monitoring, plans and arrangements
• A written incident response plan tailored to your business
• A contact and escalation list
• Evidence preservation and communications guidance within the plan
• A walkthrough of the plan with your team

Benefits

• A clear explanation of what is monitored and how alerts are reviewed
• A written incident response plan with roles, contacts and escalation steps
• Basic evidence-preservation steps your team can follow
• An agreed approach to communicating with staff, customers and suppliers

Limitations and exclusions

• The monitoring described here is automated. Alerts are reviewed by our team in line with your agreed service level, and automated responses run only where supported by your systems and authorised by you. 24/7 SOC analyst coverage applies only to endpoints and services onboarded to Pulsar IT Managed SOC, which is included in Advanced IT & Security.
• A plan reduces confusion and delay, but it can't prevent every incident or decide its outcome. Decisions about notifying regulators, insurers or the police remain with your business, and we don't provide legal advice.
• Not included: 24/7 SOC analyst monitoring, which is a separate Pulsar IT Managed SOC subscription; standard monitoring is automated, with alerts reviewed by our team in line with your agreed service level
• Not included: Legal, regulatory or public relations advice

What it does

Most businesses now rely on cloud services: Microsoft 365 for email and files, and often other platforms such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud or specialist business applications. The provider secures its own infrastructure, but how your account is set up, who has access and what is shared remains your responsibility. This split is often called the shared responsibility model.

Why your business needs it

Cloud settings drift as people join and leave, apps are connected and quick fixes become permanent. A forgotten administrator account or a publicly shared folder can expose data without anyone noticing. An independent review shows where you stand and what matters most.

What's included

• An agreed list of cloud services and accounts in scope
• Identity, access and MFA review
• Administrator role review
• Logging, storage and sharing review
• Configuration review against good practice

Benefits

• A clear view of who can access your cloud services, and with what rights
• Gaps in multifactor authentication and administrator protection identified
• Over-shared files, storage and links highlighted
• Findings ranked by risk, so effort goes where it matters most

Limitations and exclusions

• The assessment reflects your configuration at the time of the review. Settings change as people and apps change, so it's a snapshot rather than ongoing monitoring.
• What we can review depends on the access provided and the licences and features available on each platform. Any areas we couldn't review are noted in the report.
• Not included: Making changes to your cloud services, unless agreed as separate work
• Not included: Penetration testing or attempts to break into your cloud services

What it does

A firewall sits between your network and the internet and decides what traffic is allowed in and out, using a list of rules called a rulebase. Over time, rules are added for new systems, suppliers and quick fixes, and are rarely taken away. The result can be a firewall that allows far more than anyone intended.

Why your business needs it

A firewall is only as good as its rules. Unused, overly broad or forgotten rules can quietly open paths into your network, and weak administration settings can let an attacker change the firewall itself. A structured review finds these issues so they can be fixed in a controlled way.

What's included

• Rulebase review covering unused, shadowed, duplicated and overly broad rules
• Administration access and firmware review
• VPN configuration review
• Logging and alerting review
• Documentation review

Benefits

• An independent view of what your firewall actually allows
• Unused, duplicated and overly broad rules identified
• Weaknesses in admin access, firmware and VPN settings highlighted
• Clear, prioritised recommendations in plain English

Limitations and exclusions

• The review reflects the configuration at the time it was exported. Rule usage counters and logs only show recent activity, so rules that look unused are confirmed with you before anything is removed.
• Firewall exports contain sensitive details. Please don't send them, or any passwords, through our website or quote form; we agree a secure way to exchange them during the engagement.
• Not included: Penetration testing or attempts to exploit the firewall; see External Penetration Testing
• Not included: Changes to your firewall during the assessment, unless separately agreed

What it does

When your team works away from the office, their laptops connect through networks you don't control: home broadband, hotel Wi-Fi, a coffee shop or a phone hotspot. Secure Remote Working gives those devices a protected path back to your business.

Why your business needs it

Staff increasingly work from home, on the move and on networks you cannot vet. Without a protected path back to the business, company data crosses untrusted networks and remote devices miss the filtering and monitoring your office firewall provides.

What's included

• Review of your firewall, devices and remote-working requirements
• VPN design, including full-tunnel or agreed split-tunnel routing
• Firewall and VPN client configuration on supported devices
• Multifactor authentication for VPN access
• Pilot testing on home, hotel and mobile connections

Benefits

• Remote devices connect automatically, with no button for staff to forget
• Business traffic encrypted across untrusted networks
• The same firewall policies and web filtering at home as in the office
• Access to business systems tied to verified users with multifactor authentication

Limitations and exclusions

• A VPN protects the network path, but it does not make an infected or unmanaged device secure. Devices still need endpoint protection, updates and management.
• Full-tunnel behaviour, captive portals (hotel and venue login pages), always-on availability, compatible operating systems, licensing, roaming between networks and any exceptions are confirmed during design, because they depend on your firewall and devices.
• Not included: Firewall hardware, VPN licences and subscriptions, unless agreed in your proposal
• Not included: Devices and operating systems the VPN client does not support

What it does

In many small business networks, every device sits on one flat network: staff laptops, the file server, guest Wi-Fi, desk phones, CCTV cameras, printers and smart devices. That's simple to run, but it means one compromised device can try to reach everything else.

Why your business needs it

When everything shares one network, a single infected laptop, compromised camera or careless guest can reach your servers and sensitive data. Segmentation backed by properly controlled firewall policies limits how far an incident can spread, protects your most important systems and makes unusual traffic easier to spot.

What's included

• Review of your current network, equipment and firewall capability
• Segmentation design agreed with you
• VLAN configuration on supported switches and Wi-Fi
• Inter-VLAN firewall policy implementation
• Guest, voice and CCTV/IoT separation

Benefits

• Sensitive systems kept apart from guests, cameras and smart devices
• Each group of devices reaches only what it genuinely needs
• Incidents are less likely to spread across the whole organisation
• Clear firewall policies controlling traffic between network segments

Limitations and exclusions

• VLAN separation alone isn't a complete security boundary. Segments are only protected when communication between them is appropriately controlled by firewall policies, and those policies are kept up to date.
• Layer 7 application control depends on your firewall's features, inspection capability and licensing. We confirm what is available during the review.
• Not included: Network hardware, firewall licences and subscriptions, unless agreed in your proposal
• Not included: Structured cabling work, unless specifically included

What it does

Most businesses have some form of backup, but fewer have checked recently whether it covers everything important, whether it would hold up against a ransomware attack and how long a full restore would really take. Those questions are often only asked during an emergency.

Why your business needs it

Ransomware often goes after backups first, deleting or encrypting them before live systems, and untested backups can fail just when they're needed. Checking protection, separation and recovery now means decisions are based on facts rather than assumptions.

What's included

• Backup coverage review
• Protection, immutability and separation review
• Review of access and credentials for backup systems
• Monitoring and alerting review
• A test restore of agreed data, or a review of your recovery plan

Benefits

• A clear picture of what is and isn't backed up
• Weaknesses that could let ransomware reach your backups identified
• Evidence of whether data can actually be restored
• Recovery expectations compared with what your business needs

Limitations and exclusions

• The assessment reflects your backups at the time of the review. A successful test restore shows that the data tested could be recovered on that day; it doesn't promise that future restores will succeed or take the same time.
• Immutability, separation and alerting options depend on your backup platform, storage and licences. Where a test restore could affect live systems, we agree the approach with you first.
• Not included: Backup software, storage, licences or hardware
• Not included: Recovering live data during an actual incident, which is separate work