Security Audit Process: How Amvia Assesses and Improves Your Cybersecurity

A security audit (also called a cybersecurity assessment or IT security audit) with Amvia is a structured review for UK SMEs that identifies vulnerabilities, maps gaps to regulations such as UK GDPR Article 32, Cyber Essentials, SRA, FCA and PCI DSS, and delivers a prioritized remediation roadmap. Outcomes include board-ready cyber risk views, evidence needed for regulators and insurers, and practical steps to move from ad‑hoc security to robust, compliant posture.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

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AMVIA Cybersecurity Audit Report

Most organisations who book this audit recognise at least one of these:

🔒

Handling personal or payment data?

GDPR, PCI DSS compliance requires regular security testing

→ Required for compliance
📋

Need Cyber Essentials or insurance?

Most insurers and tenders require security audit evidence

→ If yes, audit recommended
📅

No audit in 12+ months?

Threat landscape evolves rapidly; annual reviews are best practice

→ Insurance risk flagged
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Written by
Amvia Cybersecurity Team
Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Ethical Hacker (CEH), PCI Qualified Security Assessor (QSA)
Published: Dec 17, 2025 | Updated: Dec 17, 2025
AMVIA Cybersecurity Audit Report on Laptop

What Is a Security Audit?

A security audit (also called a cybersecurity assessment, IT security audit, vulnerability audit, or security review) is a systematic review of systems, data, people and processes to identify vulnerabilities and control gaps. For UK SMEs, a security audit provides evidence for regulators, clients and cyber insurers that appropriate technical and organisational measures are in place.[2][7][8][1]

Bottom line

For most UK SMEs, a security audit delivers £3,000–£8,000 of value by converting regulatory requirements and cyber risks into a board-ready, prioritized action plan with clear ROI.

Why UK SMEs Need a Security Audit in 2025

UK businesses face escalating cyber threats that demand structured security assessments. A security audit (also known as cybersecurity assessment) transforms threat landscape into concrete, prioritized action plans for businesses.

Key Facts – UK SME Risk Landscape

•

43% of UK Businesses Hit by Cyber Attacks

UK Government's Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025 reports 43% of UK businesses experienced cyber breaches or attacks in the last 12 months, including 67% of medium and 74% of large businesses.[9][10][1]

•

£3.4 Billion Annual Losses

UK SMEs lose estimated £3.4 billion annually due to inadequate cybersecurity, with average incidents costing £3,398–£5,001 for small businesses.[9][1]

•

£27 Billion Total UK Economic Impact

Cybercrime costs UK economy around £27 billion annually, with ransomware and phishing remaining dominant threats.[11][12][9]

•

204 Nationally Significant Attacks

NCSC handled 204 nationally significant attacks in the year to August 2025 – roughly four major incidents per week targeting UK infrastructure.[12][13]

•

GDPR Requires Regular Testing

Regulators expect ongoing security testing: GDPR Article 32 explicitly calls for regular testing, assessing and evaluating security measures.[14][15][5][16][8]

A structured security audit (sometimes called vulnerability assessment or IT security review) converts these threat statistics into prioritized, board-ready action plans for UK SMEs.

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Security Audit vs Vulnerability Scan vs Pen Test

Choose the right level of security assessment for your organization

Bronze

Vulnerability Assessment

  • Scope: Automated scans only
  • Duration: 3-5 days
  • Cost: £1,500-£2,500
  • Best for: Quick baseline
RECOMMENDED

Silver

Security Audit

  • Scope: Comprehensive assessment
  • Duration: 2-6 weeks
  • Cost: £3,000-£8,000
  • Best for: Most SMEs

Gold

Penetration Testing

  • Scope: Attack simulation
  • Duration: 2-4 weeks
  • Cost: £5,000-£15,000+
  • Best for: High-risk orgs

Most organisations choose this as their annual security baseline

Feature Bronze Silver Gold
Methodology Automated scanning tools only Automated + manual analysis + interviews Manual ethical hacking simulation
Scope Systems and software only People, process, technology, suppliers Narrow, attack-path focused
Output Format List of vulnerabilities Executive report + risk register + roadmap Exploitation report + proof-of-concept
Risk Discovery 50-60% of actual vulnerabilities 80-90% of actual vulnerabilities 95-99% of exploitable vulnerabilities
Compliance Value Basic compliance evidence Full GDPR, Cyber Essentials, PCI alignment Advanced regulatory validation
Best For Ongoing hygiene, budget-conscious Board-level view, compliance, insurance High-risk industries, investor due diligence
Response Time SLA Not applicable (not continuous) 2-4 week remediation planning Immediate findings + executive briefing
Typical UK SME Cost £500-£2,000 per run[17][18][19] £3,000-£8,000[17][18][20] £5,000-£15,000+[17][18]
Bottom line

For most UK SMEs, the Silver tier (Security Audit) delivers the best ROI by combining comprehensive assessment with practical, actionable remediation plans.

For many SMEs, security audit (also called cybersecurity assessment) becomes anchor activity, with vulnerability scanning and penetration testing (also known as pen testing or ethical hacking) scheduled as follow‑ups for high‑risk areas.

How Amvia's Security Audit Process Works

Amvia's security audit (also called cybersecurity assessment or IT security audit) follows a structured, extractable process designed to meet both technical and regulatory expectations for UK SMEs.[15][7][8][20]

1

Scoping, Asset Discovery and Objectives

Security audit starts by agreeing scope, objectives and regulatory drivers. Amvia maps critical assets: servers, endpoints, cloud services, applications, and connectivity. Assets containing personal data or payment data are flagged for GDPR Article 32, Cyber Essentials or PCI DSS attention.[3][4][5]

Duration: 3–5 working days
Who's involved: IT lead + management
Disruption: None
2

Technical Vulnerability Assessment

Amvia combines automated vulnerability scanning with targeted manual checks to identify exploitable weaknesses across infrastructure. This uses industry-standard tools combined with expert analysis.[18][20][22]

Typical issues surfaced:

  • Unpatched operating systems and applications
  • Exposed remote access services without MFA
  • Weak or shared administrator passwords
  • Misconfigured firewalls and open ports
Duration: 1–2 weeks
Who's involved: IT team
Disruption: Read-only, no downtime
3

Policy, Controls and Regulatory Compliance Review

Security audit evaluates policies, processes and controls against UK GDPR Article 32, Cyber Essentials, and sector-specific frameworks (SRA, FCA, PCI DSS).[5][4][34]

Duration: 3–5 days
Who's involved: Management + compliance lead
Disruption: Low (interviews only)
4

Human Factors and Awareness

Regulators emphasise that weaknesses often lie in behaviour and culture. Amvia assesses staff awareness of phishing, incident reporting confidence, and user account processes.[50][37]

Duration: 2–3 days
Who's involved: Sample of staff
Disruption: None
5

Executive Report and Remediation Roadmap

Amvia's security audit report includes a one‑page scorecard for executives and detailed remediation steps for technical teams, with timelines (Immediate / 0–30 days / 30–90 days / 3–12 months).[27][29]

Duration: 3–5 days
Who's involved: Amvia team
Disruption: None
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Ready to Secure Your Business?

Get a comprehensive security audit from CISM, CEH and PCI QSA certified experts. Identify vulnerabilities, achieve compliance, and protect your business with a clear remediation roadmap.

Book a Security Audit Call 0333 733 8050

No obligation consultation · UK-based experts · 90-second response time

"If we don't believe an audit is appropriate for your organisation, we'll tell you."

Typical Outcomes and Solution Paths

Amvia's security audit is designed to lead directly into practical solution outcomes rather than leaving organizations with static report documents.

Common Findings and Mapped Solutions

Security Audit Finding Risk Typical Amvia Solution
No MFA on email or remote access High risk of credential theft[9] Enable MFA and conditional access
Incomplete or untested backups Ransomware downtime risk[12] Implement 3‑2‑1 backup strategy
Out‑of‑date endpoint protection Malware infection risk[11] Deploy modern EDR/XDR
No incident response plan Regulatory exposure[48] Develop incident response runbook
Lack of Cyber Essentials alignment Lost tenders, weaker insurance[4] Cyber Essentials certification support
Poor supplier risk management Supply chain attacks[12] Supplier assessment framework

From Audit to Ongoing Protection

Based on security audit remediation roadmap, most SMEs follow one of three paths:

  • Bronze – Remediate & Stabilise: Implement urgent patches, MFA, basic backup hardening.[20]
  • Silver – Standard Security Posture: Quarterly reviews, Cyber Essentials certification, scheduled vulnerability scanning.[31]
  • Gold – Managed Security & Continuous Monitoring: 24/7 SOC monitoring, incident response support.[57]

Sector‑Specific Security Audit Focus

Law Firms

Law firms carry heightened exposure due to client confidentiality and sensitive personal data. Both SRA and Law Society expect appropriate steps to protect client information.[36][38]

  • Email security and Friday afternoon fraud scenarios
  • Secure document management and remote access
  • Breach reporting and communications plans

Key regulations: GDPR · SRA · Law Society · ICO

Financial Services

Financial services firms face strict expectations around operational resilience, incident response and governance of cyber risk.[35][39]

  • Impact tolerances for important business services
  • FCA and PRA cyber risk management alignment
  • Board-level oversight of cyber resilience

Key regulations: FCA · PRA · Operational Resilience · GDPR

Retail & E‑commerce

Retailers processing card payments must comply with PCI DSS, regardless of size.[24][25]

  • Payment card data flows and PCI DSS controls
  • Network segmentation between payment and business systems
  • Incident response for payment data breaches

Key regulations: PCI DSS · GDPR · Payment Card Acquirer Requirements

Logistics & Transport

Logistics organisations face compounding risks from supply chain attacks, fleet system disruption and third‑party dependencies.[55][56]

  • Fleet management systems and telematics security
  • Supplier and third‑party risk management
  • Business continuity linked to physical operations

Key regulations: Cyber Security and Resilience Bill · NIS Regulations · GDPR

What Does a Security Audit Cost?

For UK SMEs, typical security audit engagement ranges:

  • Small businesses (1–50 staff): £3,000–£5,000
  • Mid‑market firms (50–250 staff): £5,000–£8,000[29][17]
  • Highly regulated environments: Custom pricing[35]
Cost variables

Number of systems/locations, regulatory frameworks (GDPR, Cyber Essentials, SRA, FCA, PCI DSS), ongoing support requirements, on-site vs remote delivery.

Get a scoped audit recommendation

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a security audit take?
For typical UK SME with 50–250 staff, Amvia's security audit takes 2–4 weeks end‑to‑end. Larger environments may require up to 6–8 weeks.[21][22]
How often should we carry out a security audit?
Most regulators expect regular testing. GDPR Article 32 explicitly calls for ongoing testing. For SMEs, annual full security audit with quarterly reviews is practical baseline.[33][30]
Will a security audit disrupt day‑to‑day operations?
Security audits are designed to be non‑intrusive. Most technical scanning occurs out of hours with read‑only access. Workshops are scheduled around business availability.[60][61]
Do we need a security audit for cyber insurance?
While not always mandatory, many UK insurers request evidence of security testing. A structured security audit provides documentation insurers look for – often improving cover terms and reducing premiums.[53][62]
How is Amvia different from a one‑off checklist audit?
Amvia's approach combines technical testing, policy review, and behavioural analysis aligned to UK regulator expectations. Outcome is practical, prioritized roadmap linked directly to business operations.[39][42]

Next Steps: Book a Security Audit with Amvia

If your organisation handles sensitive data, needs to demonstrate compliance, or has not had independent security assessment in past 12–18 months, then a security audit is likely most efficient way to understand and reduce cyber risk.

Book Security Audit Explore Managed SOC

"If we don't believe an audit is appropriate for your organisation, we'll tell you."

Additional resources:

References

Methodology & Sources

This page is reviewed quarterly and references UK Government, NCSC, ICO, FCA, SRA, and recognised industry research. Sources are provided for transparency and auditability.

View All 62 Citations
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  2. NCSC Cyber Threat Report
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  4. IASME Cyber Essentials
  5. GDPR Article 32
  6. NCSC Cyber Essentials Overview
  7. GDPR Local - Article 32
  8. ICO Guide to Data Security
  9. eClarity - Cybersecurity for UK SMEs 2025
  10. Business Cloud - UK Cyberattacks Data
  11. AN Security - UK Cybersecurity Stats 2025
  12. NCSC Annual Review 2025
  13. NCSC - UK Cyber Attacks Weekly
  14. ISMS Online - GDPR Article 32 Compliance
  15. Complyance - GDPR Article 32 Guide
  16. Imperva - GDPR Article 32
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  18. Qualysec - Vulnerability Assessment Reports Guide
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  28. IBM - Cybersecurity Risk Assessment
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  32. UK Gov - Cyber Essentials Guide
  33. Vanta - Cyber Essentials Checklist
  34. Legal Compliance - SRA Guidelines
  35. Clifford Chance - Cyber Attack Briefing
  36. Law Society - Cybersecurity for Solicitors
  37. Cyber Rebels - FCA Expectations 2025
  38. Sharp - Cyber Security Law Firms
  39. FCA - Operational Resilience
  40. Qualysec - PCI DSS Benefits UK
  41. RCO - GDPR Solicitors
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  48. Mayer Brown - GDPR Non-Compliance
  49. Clifford Chance - ICO Fines Capita
  50. Cybertec - UK Roundup 2025
  51. RH-ISAC - Vulnerability Management
  52. Conosco - Cyber Insurance 2025
  53. ITIF - Cyber Security Bill
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  55. Cloud & More - UK Cyber Attacks 2025
  56. UK Gov - Cyber Security Bill
  57. NCSC - NCSC NCA Report
  58. SRA - Reporting Obligations
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  60. FantasticIT - Risk Assessment Guide
  61. TechMagic - Security Audit
  62. MB Digital - Cyber Essentials Insurance 2025