By The KTech team · Published 10 November 2026
A cyber security audit Devon businesses can actually use is a structured check of the accounts, email, devices, network and backups that keep the business running, followed by a written list of fixes in priority order. KTechnology Solutions carries out these reviews for shops, offices, trades, holiday-let owners and professional firms from our base near Kingsbridge, across the South Hams and Devon.
This guide explains what we look at, how the review runs, what you receive at the end and how to prepare, so you know exactly what a security audit involves before you book one.
What is a cyber security audit for a small business?
It is a review of how well the business is protected today, measured against the threats small firms in Devon actually face: phishing emails, invoice fraud, account takeover, ransomware and lost or stolen laptops. The aim is a clear picture of real exposure and a short plan to close the biggest gaps first, rather than a thick report nobody reads.
Our cyber security service describes the wider work. The audit is usually the first step, because it tells us and you where effort and budget will make the most difference.
What does the audit check?
We work through six areas. Each one is checked on your real systems, with you or your nominated person, not from a questionnaire alone.
- Accounts and sign-in: who has access to email, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, banking and key systems, whether multi-factor sign-in is switched on, and whether old staff accounts are still live.
- Email security: spoofing protection for your domain, forwarding rules that should not be there, and how suspicious messages are handled.
- Devices: laptops, desktops and Macs checked for supported operating systems, updates, disk encryption, screen locks and working endpoint protection.
- Network and WiFi: router and firewall settings, default passwords, separation between staff, guest and card-payment devices, and remote access.
- Backups and recovery: what is backed up, where the copies live, whether one copy is kept away from the main systems, and whether a restore has ever been tested.
- People and process: how payment changes are verified, what staff do when something looks wrong, and who to call in an incident.
How does a cyber security audit run, step by step?
Most reviews follow the same simple sequence, sized to the business. A sole trader with two laptops takes far less time than an office with a server and twenty users.
- Scoping call: we agree which sites, devices, accounts and systems are in scope, and who our contact is.
- On-site or remote review: we inspect settings and devices with you, at your premises or over a secure remote session.
- Findings: each issue is recorded with what it means for the business in plain words.
- Prioritised plan: fixes are ordered by risk and effort, so the quick, high-value changes come first.
- Walk-through: we go through the plan with you and agree which items we put right for you.
What do you get at the end?
You receive a written posture review with findings in priority order, a short action plan and, where it helps, briefing notes your staff can follow. If you would like us to carry out the fixes, such as switching on multi-factor sign-in, configuring endpoint protection, separating guest WiFi or setting up a tested backup, we agree that work and the price in writing before anything starts.
For organisations that also need continuity planning, single-point-of-failure registers and recovery testing, our operational resilience work extends the audit into a full recovery plan.
Do Devon businesses need an audit for GDPR or insurance?
UK GDPR expects businesses that hold personal data to protect it with appropriate security measures, and many cyber insurance forms ask about multi-factor sign-in, backups, updates and staff training. An audit gives you evidence of where you stand on each of those questions and a record of what has been improved. It is also a sensible starting point if you are working towards a recognised scheme such as Cyber Essentials, because the controls overlap closely.
How should I prepare for a security review?
A little preparation keeps the review quick and focused.
- A list of the computers, laptops, phones and tablets used for work, including personally owned ones that open business email or files.
- Your email and Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace admin access, or the person who holds it.
- Router and broadband details, and who installed them.
- Where your important files live, and how they are backed up today.
- Any recent scares: odd emails, payment requests, pop-ups or account lock-outs.
What happens if the audit finds something serious?
If we find signs that an account or device has already been compromised, we tell you straight away and move to containment first: securing the affected accounts, checking forwarding rules and protecting your backups. Our hacked help and ransomware help pages explain those first steps. The rest of the review continues once the immediate risk is under control.