Turning Assessment into Action: How DEEP Redefines Security Value
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Cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving, and no organisation can afford to be complacent. For CISOs, technology executives, and business leaders alike, one pressing question remains: How secure are we, really?
Security assessments provide a practical answer – they shine a light on hidden control gaps, vulnerabilities, benchmark your defences, and guide improvements before attackers strike. From broad cybersecurity maturity assessments to focused reviews like security architecture audits, third-party risk evaluations, M&A due diligence, and technology change security assessments, these activities help transform cybersecurity from a reactive scramble into a proactive strategy. They not only uncover weaknesses but also drive a cycle of continuous enhancement when aligned with frameworks like NuroShift’s DEEP approach.
Types of Security Assessments to Consider
- Security Maturity Assessment: A top-down evaluation of your organisation’s overall security program maturity, ideally benchmarked against others in the same sector using industry studies or services like Bitsight/Trianz, and assessed against an industry-recognised framework such as NIST CSF V2.
- Security Architecture Assessment: A deep dive into the design of your technical security controls and infrastructure, including the use of threat models to proactively identify and mitigate potential security risks.
- Third-Party Security Assessment: An evaluation of the security posture of vendors, suppliers, or partners, including an assessment of supply chain risk and resilience, specifically considering the potential impact of third-party compromise and outage.
- Pre- and Post-M&A Cybersecurity Assessments: Due diligence and integration assurance around acquisitions, mergers, and divestitures, encompassing a thorough review of the target organisation's cybersecurity posture before acquisition, ensuring secure integration of systems and data post-transaction, and secure separation of systems and data during divestiture.
- Security Assessment (Technology Change): Reviews the security implications of major changes such as cloud migration, ERP upgrades, AI adoption, or digital transformation – ensuring innovation doesn’t outpace resilience. This would also include a focused review of your organisation's ability to effectively respond to and recover from cyber incidents, with a particular emphasis on the robustness and effectiveness of your company's Incident Response plans.
- Compliance and Framework Assessment: An evaluation against required or desired standards and frameworks, such as Cyber Essentials or PCI DSS, to ensure adherence to regulatory requirements and industry best practices. This assessment helps identify gaps in compliance and provides a roadmap for achieving and maintaining certification.
- Attack Surface Scanning and Testing: This combines regular automated perimeter scans to identify external vulnerabilities and misconfigurations visible from the internet, with penetration testing by ethical hackers to uncover exploitable weaknesses in systems, applications, and networks.
The Five Key Benefits of Security Assessments
- Enhanced Security Posture – Identify vulnerabilities and strengthen defences.
- Risk Mitigation and Proactive Threat Management – Spot and address risks before attackers do.
- Compliance and Regulatory Alignment – Meet requirements, avoid penalties, and demonstrate due diligence.
- Cost Savings through Breach Prevention – Reduce breach costs by up to 67% through proactive investment.
- Improved Incident Response and Recovery – Ensure readiness, faster detection, and smoother recovery.
From Assessment to Action: The DEEP Framework Connection
NuroShift’s DEEP framework turns assessment into measurable progress:
- Define: Understand risk, align on priorities, and build a strategy that scales.
- Execute: Turn strategy into action with minimal disruption and maximum impact.
- Evaluate: Measure progress, assess effectiveness, and adapt to new threats and changes.
- Progress: Sustain momentum, scale what works, strengthen governance, and stay ahead.
By integrating assessments into DEEP, organisations create a feedback loop: assessments inform action, action reduces risk, and measured results inform the next steps.
Building Resilience Proactively
In summary, conducting regular security assessments – whether a broad Cyber Security Maturity Assessment or specialised reviews like architecture, third-party, M&A due diligence, or technology change – empowers your organisation to stay one step ahead of cyber threats.
By tying them into NuroShift’s DEEP framework, businesses can reduce risk, enable innovation, and build trust – all without compromising momentum. It’s about being decisive and proactive: knowing where you stand, taking smart action, measuring results, and always pushing forward.
In today’s cyber landscape, such preparedness isn’t just valuable – it’s vital.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
At NuroShift, we specialise in helping executives and boards quietly strengthen their cyber resilience through assessments, strategy, and our DEEP framework. Whether you’re planning a transformation, assessing vendors, or navigating a merger, our discreet and AI-powered approach ensures you gain clarity and confidence without disruption.
Learn more at nuroshift.ai and start defining your path to stronger security today.
Matt leads security architecture and AI integration at NuroShift. Formerly Global Head of Security Architecture at Visa, he led teams across the US, Europe, and Asia Pacific, and served as a senior voting member of the Global Technology Architecture Review Board. He has led cybersecurity due diligence for acquisitions and overseen technology integration for acquired entities. With over 25 years of experience across payments, trading, banking, and telecoms, Matt is CISSP and CISM certified and a Fellow of the British Computer Society. He’s passionate about developing next-generation cybersecurity talent, a keen reader, and an amateur gardener.
