Virtual CISO for UK Professional Services

Your firm handles sensitive data.
Is it actually protected?

We take solicitors, accountants, and healthcare practices from vulnerable to fully protected in 90 days. Fixed price. No jargon. Both founders on every engagement.

90 days Complete transformation
3–4× Faster than competitors
£5–8k Fixed price, no surprises
90%+ Risk reduction target
The Problem

You know security matters.
You just can’t justify a £250k hire.

43%

of UK businesses breached in the last year

Professional services firms are disproportionately targeted because they hold high-value client data — legal files, financial records, patient information.

£10,830

Average cost per incident

That’s before regulatory fines. DPP Law was fined £60,000 by the ICO after a ransomware attack — not for being attacked, but for failing to have adequate controls in place.

57%

of SMEs have no formal security policies

No incident response plan. No data handling procedures. No documented controls. If the ICO investigates, “we meant to get around to it” is not a defence.

0

The number of affordable alternatives

A full-time CISO costs £250k+. Large consultancies charge £40–80k for 6–12 month engagements. Your IT support company doesn’t do governance. Until now, there was no middle ground.

The 90-Day Programme

From vulnerable to protected.
Three months. Fixed price.

Every deliverable is tangible, documented, and yours to keep. Your time investment across the entire programme is 13–18 hours — roughly one hour per week. We do the rest.

Month 1
Foundation
  • Kickoff and discovery assessment
  • External attack surface scan
  • User access audit
  • 10 immediate security fixes
  • Risk register with priorities
  • Board report #1
Outcome: 60–70% immediate risk reduction
Month 2
Framework
  • 7 core security policies (plain English)
  • Cyber Essentials gap analysis
  • Certification application & support
  • Staff security awareness training
  • Board report #2
Outcome: Complete policy framework operational
Month 3
Maturity
  • Tabletop incident response exercise
  • Backup and recovery testing
  • Vendor risk assessments
  • Security operations playbook
  • 90-day transformation report
  • Board presentation
Outcome: Self-sufficient security operation
Book a Free Discovery Call
Why ApplicU

The honest comparison

Full-time CISO ApplicU Large Consultancy IT Support Co.
Annual cost £250,000+ £5,000–8,000 one-off £40,000–80,000+ £500–2,000/mo
Timeline Ongoing hire 90 days 6–12 months Reactive
Governance & compliance Yes Yes — legal & finance background Variable No
Technical delivery Yes Yes — MSc Cyber Security, NCSC centre Yes Basic
Board reporting Yes Monthly, metrics-driven Sometimes No
SME-appropriate Over-resourced Built for 10–50 staff firms Enterprise scaled down Under-qualified
Who you get The hire Both founders, every time Junior consultants Helpdesk
Who We Work With

Security designed for your sector

§

Solicitors & Law Firms

You hold client-privileged information under SRA obligations. Friday Afternoon Fraud, conveyancing scams, and client file exposure are sector-specific threats your IT support company doesn’t understand.

SRA · ICO · GDPR
£

Accountants & Finance

Payroll data, HMRC submissions, client financial records. FCA-regulated firms face additional requirements. A single breach can trigger regulatory action and client loss simultaneously.

FCA · ICAEW · HMRC
+

Healthcare Practices

Patient records are among the most sensitive data categories under GDPR. CQC expects documented security measures. A breach doesn’t just cost money — it costs patient trust.

CQC · NHS DSPT · ICO
Free Resources

Start improving your security today

No email required. No sales pitch. Genuinely useful guides you can implement yourself. If you want help going further, we’re here.

PDF Checklist

10 Security Fixes You Can Do This Week

Ten practical fixes, no budget required. Each takes 10–30 minutes. Covers MFA, backups, admin access, email filtering, and more.

Download free
Self-Assessment

Cyber Essentials Readiness Scorecard

25 plain-English questions across the five CE control areas. Instant score tells you exactly where you stand and what’s blocking certification.

Take the assessment
Interactive Tool

Security ROI Calculator

Enter your firm size and sector. See the estimated cost of a breach versus the cost of getting protected. Built for board conversations.

Calculate your risk
Why Us

Dual expertise is rare. We have both.

Technical depth

MSc Cyber Security from King’s College London — an NCSC Academic Centre of Excellence. Hands-on vulnerability assessment, system configuration, and incident response.

Governance and compliance

Background in law, accounting, finance, and computing. We write your policies in plain English, prepare your board reports, and navigate your regulatory obligations.

Founder-led, always

You get both founders on every engagement. No bait-and-switch with junior consultants. The people who built the programme are the people who deliver it.

Get Started

Find out where you stand.
30 minutes. No obligation.

We’ll ask about your firm, your data, and your current security posture. If we can help, we’ll tell you how. If we can’t, we’ll point you to someone who can.

Book Your Free Discovery Call

Usually available within 48 hours · Video call · No preparation needed