Cybersecurity assessments and security audits

Find the weaknesses before an attacker, a client, or your insurer does.

Vantara assesses and audits the security of law firms, accounting firms, family offices, PE-backed companies, and healthcare organizations. We find the weaknesses, rank them by business risk, and tell you plainly what to fix first.

Scope an assessment Which one do I need?
What an assessment surfacesPick a sector. Illustrative findings, not client data.
Areas reviewed
Findings, ranked by risk
    Select a finding to see why it matters and how to fix it.
    Ready
    Independent security reviews for
    Why now

    Clients, insurers, and regulators no longer take your word for it.

    Corporate clients send security questionnaires with every panel review. Cyber insurers ask detailed questions about MFA, backups, and patching at every renewal. Regulators expect a documented risk assessment, not a policy binder.

    Firms our size are targeted precisely because they hold valuable data with smaller security teams. Most incidents start with something ordinary: an unpatched remote access device, a reused password, an email that looked like it came from a partner.

    An independent assessment tells you where you actually stand, and gives you evidence you can show the people who ask.

    Questions we answer
    Could an attacker get in from the internet today?
    Would we pass our largest client's security audit?
    Does our insurance application match what's really in place?
    If ransomware hit tomorrow, could we recover?
    Assessments and audits

    Six ways we look at your security.

    We only assess and audit. We don't resell security products or managed security services, so our findings are never a sales pitch.

    ServiceWhat we examineWhat you get
    Vulnerability assessment
    External and internal networks, servers, and endpoints, scanned with and without credentials. We validate every finding to remove false positives.
    Risk-ranked findings with evidence and fixes, then a retest.
    Cybersecurity risk assessment
    Your whole program measured against NIST CSF 2.0: governance, protection, detection, response, and recovery.
    Maturity scores by function, your top risks, and a 12-month roadmap.
    Microsoft 365 and cloud review
    Identity, conditional access, email protection, sharing, and logging across Microsoft 365, Azure, AWS, or Google Workspace.
    Configuration findings against published benchmarks, with prioritized fixes.
    Security controls audit
    An independent test of whether controls exist and actually work, against CIS Controls v8, NIST CSF 2.0, or your own policies.
    A control matrix with evidence, gaps, and management responses.
    Regulatory and client readiness
    HIPAA Security Rule, FTC Safeguards Rule, NYDFS Part 500, SOC 2 or ISO 27001 readiness, and the requirements in your client contracts.
    A gap report, a remediation plan, and documentation ready for auditors, clients, or regulators.
    Third-party risk review
    The security of the vendors, platforms, and IT providers that hold or reach your data.
    Vendor risk ratings, contract gaps, and a review process your team can keep running.
    Which one do you need?

    Three kinds of review, three different questions.

    Many firms combine them: quarterly vulnerability assessments, with a risk assessment or audit once a year.

    Vulnerability assessment
    Risk assessment
    Security audit
    The question
    What weaknesses exist in our systems right now?
    Where is our program weakest, and what should we fix first?
    Do our controls meet the standard we've committed to?
    How we do it
    Automated scanning, then manual validation
    Interviews, documentation review, and configuration checks
    Control testing, evidence sampling, and interviews
    Measured against
    Known vulnerabilities (CVEs) and vendor advisories
    NIST CSF 2.0
    CIS Controls v8, NIST CSF, a regulation, or client requirements
    Most useful to
    Your IT team or provider
    Leadership deciding where to invest
    Clients, insurers, regulators, and boards
    How often
    Quarterly, and after major changes
    Annually
    Annually, or before a certification or renewal
    Frameworks and requirements

    We assess against the standard you're held to.

    NIST CSF 2.0The common language for security programs and board reporting.
    CIS Controls v8Prioritized safeguards, sized for smaller organizations.
    ISO/IEC 27001Gap and readiness assessment ahead of certification.
    SOC 2Readiness against the Trust Services Criteria before your CPA firm's examination.
    HIPAA Security RuleSecurity risk analysis for covered entities and business associates.
    FTC Safeguards RuleInformation security program requirements for tax preparers and other covered firms.
    NYDFS Part 500Cybersecurity requirements for entities regulated by New York DFS.
    SEC Regulation S-PSafeguards and incident response for registered investment advisers.
    Client requirementsOutside counsel guidelines, security questionnaires, and contract terms.
    Cyber insuranceThe controls insurers ask about at application and renewal.

    We assess readiness and test controls. SOC 2 reports are issued by licensed CPA firms and ISO 27001 certificates by accredited certification bodies; we prepare you for those audits and can work alongside your auditor.

    How an engagement runs

    From scope to a clean retest.

    Select a step to see what we do and what you get.

    Agree what's in scope and how we'll work.

    We confirm systems, locations, and frameworks, set testing windows that won't disrupt the business, and put written authorization and rules of engagement in place before anything is scanned.

    You get: a signed scope and testing plan.
    • Systems and locations in scope
    • Framework or requirement selected
    • Testing windows and contacts
    • Written authorization to test
    • Confidentiality agreements
    What you receive

    Evidence you can hand to the people who ask.

    Every engagement ends with documents written for their audience: plain language for leadership, detail for IT, and proof for clients and insurers.

    1. Executive summary

      Where you stand, the risks that matter most, and the effort to fix them, in a few pages.

      For leadership
    2. Technical findings report

      Each finding with evidence, affected systems, severity, and step-by-step remediation.

      For IT
    3. Prioritized remediation roadmap

      What to fix this week, this quarter, and this year, with owners.

      For both
    4. Control matrix

      Every control mapped to your framework, with its status and evidence.

      For auditors
    5. Retest summary

      Confirmation of what was fixed, ready to share.

      For clients and insurers
    Why Vantara

    Independent findings from people who've run firm technology.

    Independent by design

    We don't resell security products or managed security services. We have no stake in what you buy to fix a finding.

    We've been on your side of the table

    Our founder has served as CIO, CTO, and CDO in law and accounting firms, including as CTO of Jackson Lewis, Chief Digital Officer of Citrin Cooperman, and CIO of Berdon. We know what clients, insurers, and regulators ask for, and what's realistic to fix.

    Risk in business terms

    We rank findings by what they mean for clients, revenue, and reputation, not just by a scanner's score.

    Confidential by default

    NDAs on every engagement, business associate agreements where patient data is involved, minimal data collection, and secure report delivery.

    Ways to engage

    Start with one review, or cover the year.

    Point in timeOne-time or quarterly

    Vulnerability assessment

    External and internal scanning with manual validation, a risk-ranked report, and a retest. A strong first step if you've never had an independent look.

    Scope a vulnerability assessment
    Framework-basedAnnual or as required

    Security audit

    A control-by-control audit against NIST CSF 2.0, CIS Controls v8, a regulation, or a client's requirements, with a control matrix and gap report.

    Scope a security audit
    Year-roundOngoing assurance

    Annual assurance program

    Quarterly vulnerability assessments, an annual risk assessment or audit, retests, and help answering client questionnaires and insurance renewals.

    Discuss an annual program
    Common questions

    What firms ask before an assessment.

    Prefer to talk it through? Call us at 347 674-1471.

    What's the difference between a vulnerability assessment and a penetration test?
    A vulnerability assessment finds and validates known weaknesses across your environment. A penetration test goes further, attempting to exploit weaknesses to show how far an attacker could get. Our practice focuses on assessments and audits. If your findings or a client requirement call for a penetration test, we'll tell you and help you scope one.
    Do you issue SOC 2 reports or ISO 27001 certificates?
    No. SOC 2 reports are issued by licensed CPA firms, and ISO 27001 certificates by accredited certification bodies. We assess your readiness, help your team close the gaps, and prepare the evidence so the formal audit goes smoothly.
    Will scanning disrupt our systems?
    Scans run in agreed windows and are tuned for production systems. We coordinate with your IT team or provider beforehand, and you can pause testing at any time.
    Do you fix what you find?
    We give you a prioritized roadmap with clear remediation steps, then retest once fixes are made. Your IT team or provider does the remediation, which keeps our assessment independent of the work being assessed.
    How often should we be assessed?
    Most firms benefit from quarterly vulnerability assessments and an annual risk assessment or audit, plus a scan after major changes. Clients, insurers, or regulators may set specific requirements, and we'll align to them.
    How do you protect our findings?
    We sign NDAs, and business associate agreements where patient data is involved, collect only the data we need, and deliver reports securely. Some firms engage assessors through outside counsel to help protect privilege; ask your counsel whether that fits your situation.

    Know where you stand before someone else tells you.

    Tell us what's behind the question: a client audit, an insurance renewal, a regulator, or your board. We'll recommend the right assessment and scope it to your firm.

    Scope an assessmentSee all services