Cybersecurity
Assessment Services
Find out what's really putting your business at risk
A cybersecurity assessment is an expert-led review of your security posture. Cyber Unit's assessment includes structured interviews with your team, a hands-on review of 22 security areas, a written report documenting observations and recommendations, and a findings walkthrough with our analysts.
When Your Business Needs
a Cybersecurity Assessment
A cybersecurity assessment is most valuable when your organization faces a compliance requirement, a renewal deadline, a new contract, or a question from the board. A documented, independent review gives stakeholders confidence that security decisions are grounded in fact, not assumption.
How is a cyber security assessment different from a vulnerability scan or penetration test? A vulnerability scan runs automated checks against known weaknesses; a penetration test actively tries to break in. Neither tells you whether your team follows secure practices or whether your policies are up to date. An assessment evaluates the whole picture: people, process, and technology across 22 areas, then delivers a written roadmap your leadership team and cyber insurer can rely on.
Beyond a Self-Assessment:
A Documented, Expert Opinion
Our free assessment is a great starting point: a self-guided quiz that gives you an instant score in under 5 minutes. But a quiz can only reflect what you already know to ask about, and it cannot verify anything.
The Professional Security Assessment is different. One of our analysts sits down with your team, walks through how your business actually operates day to day, and reviews your environment firsthand. The result is a documented, independent opinion your leadership team, board, or insurer can rely on, with specific, prioritized recommendations for your business, not generic advice.
Real Conversations, Not Just Forms
Structured interviews with your team surface risks that a checklist alone would miss.
Hands-On Technical Review
We look at your actual systems, configurations, and third-party exposure, not just what's reported.
A Report You Can Act On
A formal, written deliverable built for leadership, insurers, and your IT team alike.
A Complete Picture of
Your Security Posture
Every assessment is delivered as a structured, professional report, built to be read by leadership and acted on by your IT team.
Executive Summary & Priority Actions
A plain-English summary for leadership, plus a ranked list of what to fix first so you know exactly where to focus.
22-Point Category Review
From endpoint protection to incident response, every major security area is reviewed and documented. See the full list below.
Observations & Recommendations Report
A formal written report pairing what we found with exactly what we recommend doing about it, category by category.
Findings Walkthrough & Q&A
A working session with our team to walk through the results, answer questions, and align on next steps.
A Roadmap, Not Just a List
Recommendations are prioritized by risk, so you know what to tackle first, whether you fix it yourself or bring us in to help.
What the Report
Actually Looks Like
Every category follows the same format: what we observed, and what we recommend doing about it. Illustrative example shown below.
Security Assessment
Observations & Recommendations
Password Management
Observations
- Credentials for multiple systems are stored in a shared spreadsheet and reused across sites, so one leaked password can expose several environments at once.
- An employee in accounts payable keeps login credentials written on a sticky note attached to their monitor, visible to anyone passing the desk.
- No minimum length or complexity requirement is enforced. Several active accounts were found using passwords under 8 characters.
Recommendations
- Move to a business password manager with a unique credential per system, role-based access, and full audit logging.
- Rotate every password that was previously stored in the shared spreadsheet, since exposure can't be ruled out.
- Adopt a written password policy covering minimum length, complexity, and rotation after any suspected exposure.
- Prohibit writing down credentials on sticky notes or notebooks. Rely on the password manager's autofill instead.
Illustrative example. Your report reflects your actual environment.
From First Call to
Finished Report
A straightforward process designed to get you a real answer, not just a score.
Discovery
We learn how your business actually works
Structured interviews with your team to understand your environment, workflows, and the safeguards already in place. Conducted remotely over Zoom or Teams, no on-site visit required.
Hands-On Review
We verify, not just ask
Our analysts examine your systems, configurations, and third-party exposure across 22 security areas.
Report & Roadmap
You get a clear answer, not a data dump
You receive your written findings report along with a working session to walk through results and prioritize what's next.
Cybersecurity Assessments
Across Canada and the United States
Vancouver and the Lower Mainland are our home base. Our team is based here, and all assessments are conducted remotely over Zoom or Teams. Many clients follow an assessment with ongoing managed IT support in Vancouver to implement the recommendations.
We also serve the Greater Toronto Area, Burlington, and Hamilton as a remote service area. A cyber security assessment (also written cybersecurity assessment) works the same way whether your business is in Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington, or Hamilton: our analysts conduct structured interviews with your team over Zoom or Teams, review your systems and configurations remotely, and deliver the same written report with prioritized recommendations. There is no physical office or local team in Ontario, and no on-site visit is required. For more on what the assessment covers in those areas, see our guide to cybersecurity assessments for Hamilton and Burlington businesses.
Our cybersecurity assessment services are available to businesses anywhere in Canada and the United States. Whether your team is in Seattle, Chicago, or another city, you receive the same thorough, expert-led review across 22 security areas, delivered as a formal written report. The findings give your leadership team, board, or cyber insurer a documented, independent view of where you stand.
Free Assessment vs.
Professional Assessment
Not sure which makes sense for your business? Most companies start with the free assessment, then move to the professional assessment once they need documentation they can act on or share with others. Canadian businesses looking for a framework-aligned starting point can also use the cybersecurity assessment checklist from Cybersecurity Canada, which maps to the 13 CCCS baseline controls.
5 Minutes vs. A Real Engagement
The free tool gives you a directional score instantly. The professional assessment is a scoped engagement with our team.
Self-Reported vs. Independently Reviewed
The quiz relies on what you tell it. The professional assessment verifies findings through interviews and a hands-on review.
A Score vs. A Documented Report
The professional assessment produces a formal deliverable suitable for leadership, insurers, or a board.
- Instant, directional score
- No cost, no signup
- Self-reported answers
- No hands-on verification
- Not a formal deliverable
- Expert-led interviews
- Hands-on technical review
- Formal written report
- Prioritized roadmap
- Findings walkthrough included
Who Requests a
Professional Assessment
Renewing Cyber Insurance
Insurers increasingly expect documented controls. A formal report helps you answer application questions accurately and close real gaps before renewal.
Already Took the Free Assessment
You have a score, and now you want the full picture: verified findings and a plan built around your actual environment.
No Internal IT or Security Team
You need an independent, expert opinion on where you stand, without hiring a full-time security hire.
Growing Past Ad-Hoc Security
Your security practices formed informally as you scaled. You want a clear, documented picture of where things actually stand today.
Assessment
FAQ
How is this different from the free assessment?
The free assessment is a self-guided quiz you complete in about 5 minutes for an instant score. The professional assessment is expert-led: our team interviews your staff, reviews your environment firsthand, and delivers a formal written report with recommendations specific to your business.
How much does it cost?
Pricing depends on the size and complexity of your environment. Get in touch and we'll put together a custom quote.
What do we get at the end?
A written report with an executive summary, a prioritized list of recommended actions, and a category-by-category breakdown across 22 security areas, followed by a walkthrough session with our team.
Is this a penetration test?
No. This is a risk and gap assessment covering people, process, and technology. It's not a penetration test, though we can scope one separately if that's what your business needs.
How long does it take?
It depends on the size of your organization and scheduling with your team, but most assessments are completed within a couple of weeks from kickoff to final report.
Do you help fix what you find?
Yes. Many clients move directly from the assessment into our Managed IT and Cybersecurity Services, where we implement the recommendations and monitor your environment going forward.
What is included in a cybersecurity assessment?
A cybersecurity assessment includes structured interviews with your team, a hands-on review of your systems and configurations across 22 security areas, a written report documenting observations and recommendations, and a findings walkthrough with our analysts.
How is a cybersecurity assessment different from a penetration test?
A cybersecurity assessment evaluates your people, processes, and technology through interviews and configuration reviews. A penetration test actively attempts to exploit vulnerabilities in your systems. Most businesses benefit from an assessment before investing in penetration testing.
Do you offer cybersecurity assessments in Burlington and Hamilton?
Yes. Our cybersecurity assessments are conducted remotely over Zoom or Teams, so we serve businesses in Burlington, Hamilton, and throughout the Greater Toronto Area, as well as Metro Vancouver and across Canada and the US. For more on what the assessment covers, see our guide to cybersecurity assessments for Hamilton and Burlington businesses.
Do you offer cybersecurity assessments in the GTA?
Yes. We serve businesses across the Greater Toronto Area, including Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville, and the surrounding region. Our assessments are conducted remotely over Zoom or Teams. There is no physical office or local team in Ontario, and no on-site visit is required.
Is a cyber security assessment the same as a cybersecurity assessment?
Yes. Cyber security assessment and cybersecurity assessment refer to the same service. Both spellings are common, with cybersecurity (one word) being more widely used in the industry today. Our assessment covers 22 security areas regardless of how you search for it.
What do cybersecurity assessment services include?
Cybersecurity assessment services include structured interviews with your team, a hands-on review of your systems and configurations across 22 security areas, a written report documenting observations and recommendations, and a findings walkthrough with our analysts. The report is designed for leadership, boards, and cyber insurers.
Is there a free cybersecurity assessment for Canadian businesses?
Yes. Cyber Unit offers a free 22-area self-assessment. Canadian businesses can also use the free CCCS baseline assessment from Cybersecurity Canada, which is aligned to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security's 13 baseline controls.
Ready to See Where
You Really Stand?
Talk to our team about your business and we'll put together a custom quote for your professional security assessment.