Cyber Security: A Complete Checklist
As cyber threats continue to escalate, UK businesses are under increasing pressure to safeguard their operations, data, and people with robust cyber security. The recent cyberattack on Marks & Spencer is a reminder of how even household names are vulnerable. In April 2025, the hacking group Scattered Spider targeted M&S, disrupting online services, halting contactless payments, and causing an estimated £300 million in lost sales and recovery costs.
This high-profile breach highlights the real-world consequences of cybercrime and the importance of having strong, multi-layered defences in place.
At Redsquid, we’ve seen the impact of cyberattacks first-hand, from financial losses and downtime to reputational damage that’s difficult to recover from. That’s why we’ve created a comprehensive Cyber Security Checklist to help your business stay protected. Whether you’re just starting or building on existing systems, this guide outlines every layer of defence you need and how Redsquid can help implement it.
Cyber Security Essentials: Your Foundational Defence
If you implement nothing else, these are the non-negotiables. They form your first line of defence against the most common and disruptive cyber threats.
Endpoint Antivirus: This is not just about basic antivirus. Our endpoint protection uses multiple layers of defence to prevent, detect, and block malware, ransomware, and other known threats. It also includes system hardening and behaviour analysis, offering proactive protection before threats can cause harm.
Operating System & Application Patch Management: Cybercriminals often exploit outdated software. That’s why we manage and apply security updates daily, if possible, to your operating systems and applications. This eliminates known vulnerabilities across all your endpoints and servers, closing the door before attackers enter.
Enhanced Email Security: Email is still the number one entry point for cyber attacks. Basic spam filters aren’t enough. Our enhanced email security blocks phishing attempts, malicious links, and harmful attachments, giving your team a safe inbox and peace of mind.
Brand Reputation Protection (DMARC, SPF, DKIM): Your email domain is your identity. We help protect it with industry-standard protocols like DMARC, SPF, and DKIM. This prevents attackers from impersonating your business and stops spoofed emails from reaching your customers or suppliers.
Security Awareness Training: Employees are often the weakest link — but they can become your strongest defence. We provide engaging, easy-to-understand training and simulated phishing attacks to build a culture of cyber vigilance across your organisation.
Multifactor Authentication (Security Defaults): Passwords alone aren’t enough. We enable multifactor authentication (MFA) across your systems and disable legacy authentication methods that could be exploited by attackers.
Full Data Backup & Test Restores: Backups are your safety net. We ensure daily backups of critical data, including cloud platforms, and run regular restore tests to ensure your recovery plan works when you need it most.
Managed Firewall Security Updates: Keeping your firewall effective means more than just updating firmware. We take a comprehensive approach by managing all critical updates—including firmware, threat intelligence feeds, signature updates, and content filtering databases. It’s proactive protection that adapts to new threats and your business needs.
Secure Endpoint & Server Configuration: We lock down endpoints and servers with best-practice configurations — including the removal of default passwords, admin rights, and unauthorised applications. This minimises risk and ensures secure daily operations.
Microsoft 365 Security Strengthening: Your Microsoft 365 environment holds valuable data. We work with you to monitor and improve your Secure Score, regularly audit accounts, and apply best-practice policies to safeguard your cloud tools.
Mobile Device Security: Business data on mobile devices is a growing risk. We secure devices with PIN/biometric access, ensure firmware is current, and apply security policies to prevent unauthorised access or data leakage.
Managed Domain Names & Website Hosting: We secure your digital presence through registrar locks, DNS monitoring, and high-quality hosting services. You stay protected from domain hijacking and downtime, and we handle all the technical details.
Cyber Security Basics: Optimising Your Security
With a solid foundation in place, it’s time to strengthen your defences and improve detection and response capabilities.
Conditional Access Multifactor Authentication: Conditional Access goes a step beyond basic MFA. It uses signals like user location, device health, and login behaviour to enforce dynamic security policies — a key part of any Zero Trust strategy.
Mobile Device Management (MDM): Using Microsoft MDM, we centrally manage mobile devices to protect business data. This includes remote wiping, app control, and enforcing compliance rules — keeping your data safe even if a device is lost or stolen.
Vulnerability Scanning: Our automated tools regularly scan your environment for security weaknesses. By identifying vulnerabilities before attackers do, you can prioritise fixes and reduce risk across your network.
Enhanced Endpoint Antivirus with MDR: Managed Detection and Response (MDR) takes antivirus to the next level. It provides 24/7 monitoring and expert analysis, enabling rapid response when advanced threats bypass initial defences.
SaaS Application Security: SaaS apps are everywhere, but they often go unmanaged. We catalogue your SaaS tools, enforce MFA, and review access permissions every six months — preventing privilege creep and minimising data exposure.
Penetration Testing: We conduct annual penetration tests on your network, firewalls, web apps, and Microsoft Azure environment. This identifies gaps in your defences using the same tactics as real-world attackers.
Dark Web Monitoring: Our monitoring tools scan the dark web for leaked credentials linked to your domain. If we find anything, you’ll be alerted immediately, allowing you to act before a breach occurs.
Cyber Security: Advanced Level Protection
For organisations with high-risk environments or compliance obligations, our premium services offer top-tier protection.
Zero Trust Architecture: Zero Trust assumes your environment is already compromised. It continuously verifies every user and device, whether inside or outside your network. This model eliminates implicit trust and strengthens your overall security posture.
Red Teaming & Social Engineering Tests: Our ethical hackers simulate real-world attacks — including phishing, phone scams, and physical intrusion — to test your defences. The goal is to expose weaknesses in people, processes, and technology before an actual attacker does.
Enhanced Endpoint Antivirus with XDR: Extended Detection and Response (XDR) builds on MDR by collecting and correlating threat data from multiple sources — not just endpoints. This improves detection accuracy, speeds up incident response, and provides full visibility across your IT environment.
Why This Matters Now
Cyber attacks are no longer a question of if, but when. From small businesses to large business’s, we’re seeing a rise in:
- Phishing
- Credential theft
- Ransomware
- Business email compromise
Attackers are more organised, persistent, and well-funded than ever before, and with the rise of AI, it’s now easier for them to launch more convincing, targeted, and automated attacks at scale. Tools powered by artificial intelligence can be used to craft highly realistic phishing emails, bypass traditional security filters, and even mimic user behaviour to evade detection.
This is why Redsquid has developed this actionable checklist — to give your business a clear roadmap to building robust cyber resilience. Whether you’re just getting started or fine-tuning your defences, our cyber security experts are here to help.
Ready To Get Secure
Cyber security isn’t a one-time fix — it’s an ongoing journey. It requires:
- The right technology
- The right partner
- A commitment to improvement
Let’s ensure your business doesn’t become tomorrow’s headline. Speak to our team today to review your current defences and customise this checklist to your organisation’s specific needs.
Contact Redsquid today to protect what matters most.