Penetration Testing
Authorised simulated attacks on your network, web applications, and systems — exposing real exploitable vulnerabilities before attackers discover them first.
ISC2-Certified Cybersecurity Consultant
Cybersecurity Consulting for US Businesses — Identify, Reduce, and Manage Cyber Risk
Penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, network security review, risk assessment, and security awareness training — professional cybersecurity consulting backed by ISC2 certification, IEEE-published malware research, and a Master's in Information Technology.
Cyber threats do not only target large enterprises. 43% of cyberattacks hit small businesses, and most US SMBs are significantly under-protected. As an ISC2-certified cybersecurity consultant with formal academic training and peer-reviewed research in malware classification, I bring a genuinely professional standard of expertise to businesses that need more than basic antivirus software.
Credentials:
ISC2 Certified
IEEE Published
MIT (Jahangirnagar U)
Google Cybersecurity
CISCO
Why This Matters
The Cyber Threat Landscape Facing US Businesses in 2025
Cybercrime is not slowing down — and small to mid-sized US businesses are increasingly the primary targets because they hold valuable data but often lack enterprise-level defences.
43%
SMBs Are Primary Targets
43% of all cyberattacks target small and medium-sized businesses — yet most SMBs lack the security posture to detect or respond to them effectively.
$200K
Average SMB Breach Cost
The average cost of a cybersecurity breach for a small US business exceeds $200,000 — enough to permanently close most SMBs that are not adequately insured or prepared.
197
Days to Detect a Breach
On average, organisations take 197 days to detect a data breach — meaning attackers are often inside your systems for months before anyone notices.
95%
Breaches Involve Human Error
95% of cybersecurity breaches involve some form of human error — making security awareness training one of the highest-ROI investments a business can make.
60%
SMBs Close After a Breach
60% of small businesses that suffer a significant cyberattack close within six months — demonstrating that cybersecurity is a business continuity issue, not just a technical one.
74%
Attacks Use Stolen Credentials
74% of breaches involve the use of stolen or weak credentials — weak passwords and no multi-factor authentication remain one of the most exploited entry points.
What's Included
Cybersecurity Consulting Services for US Businesses
A full spectrum of cybersecurity consulting services — from proactive threat assessment and penetration testing to staff training, incident planning, and ongoing risk management.
Vulnerability Assessment
Systematic scanning and review of your systems, applications, and network to identify, classify, and prioritise security weaknesses by business impact and exploitability.
Network Security Review
Assessment of your network architecture, firewall rules, open ports, traffic segmentation, intrusion detection, and wireless security configuration.
Security Risk Assessment
Identifying, analysing, and prioritising cybersecurity risks to your specific business — producing a risk register and actionable remediation roadmap.
Security Awareness Training
Educating your team on phishing, social engineering, password hygiene, safe email practices, and how to recognise and report security incidents.
Incident Response Planning
Developing a structured incident response plan so your team knows exactly what to do when — not if — a security incident occurs, minimising downtime and data loss.
OSINT Assessment
Open-source intelligence gathering on your business's publicly exposed digital footprint — identifying what attackers can learn about your organisation without any direct access.
Access Control Review
Auditing user privileges, role assignments, least-privilege enforcement, multi-factor authentication deployment, and identity management policies across your systems.
Security Policy Development
Creating or reviewing your organisation's cybersecurity policies — acceptable use, password policy, data classification, remote work security, and breach notification procedures.
Core Disciplines
Five Core Cybersecurity Consulting Disciplines
Each consulting engagement is built around one or more of these five disciplines — tailored to your specific risk profile, industry, and business size.
Consulting Discipline 01
Penetration Testing
Penetration testing is the most direct way to understand your real security posture — by simulating the techniques actual attackers use in a controlled, authorised engagement. Unlike a vulnerability scanner, a penetration test demonstrates which vulnerabilities can actually be exploited and what the business impact of a successful attack would be.
Test Coverage
- Network penetration testing
- Web application testing
- Credential attack simulation
- Social engineering (phishing)
- Privilege escalation testing
- Lateral movement assessment
Tools Applied
- Kali Linux (testing platform)
- Metasploit Framework
- Burpsuite (web application)
- Nmap (port & service scanning)
- Hashcat (password auditing)
- OSINT reconnaissance tools
Consulting Discipline 02
Vulnerability Assessment
A vulnerability assessment provides a comprehensive picture of known security weaknesses across your infrastructure — systematically identifying CVEs in software, misconfigurations, and security gaps before they can be exploited. Every finding is prioritised by severity and business impact, giving your team a clear remediation roadmap.
Assessment Covers
- Network & host vulnerabilities
- Software CVE identification
- Misconfiguration detection
- Web application weaknesses
- Outdated software audit
- SSL/TLS configuration review
Deliverables
- Executive summary report
- Technical findings (CVSS scored)
- Risk-prioritised remediation list
- Remediation guidance per finding
- Re-test after fixes (optional)
- Compliance gap notes
Consulting Discipline 03
Network Security Review
Your network is the backbone of your business operations — and a poorly configured network is one of the most common entry points for attackers. A network security review examines your firewall rules, traffic segmentation, open ports, wireless security, and intrusion detection to identify gaps that expose your business to lateral movement attacks and unauthorised access.
Review Scope
- Firewall ruleset review
- Open port analysis (Nmap)
- Network segmentation assessment
- Wireless security audit (WPA3)
- IDS/IPS configuration (Snort/Suricata)
- Traffic analysis (Wireshark)
Recommendations Cover
- Firewall rule hardening
- Unnecessary port closure
- Network segmentation design
- VPN configuration review
- Remote access security
- Zero-trust architecture guidance
Consulting Discipline 04
Security Risk Assessment
A security risk assessment is the strategic foundation of any cybersecurity programme — identifying what your most critical business assets are, what threats they face, how likely those threats are to materialise, and what the business impact would be. The output is a risk register that gives leadership a clear, prioritised view of where to invest security resources first.
Assessment Process
- Asset identification & valuation
- Threat modelling
- Likelihood & impact scoring
- Current control evaluation
- Risk gap analysis
- Risk tolerance calibration
Output Documents
- Risk register (scored matrix)
- Executive summary
- Prioritised action roadmap
- Budget guidance per risk area
- Compliance alignment notes
- Quarterly review schedule
Consulting Discipline 05
Security Awareness Training
With 95% of breaches involving human error, your employees are simultaneously your biggest security vulnerability and your best potential line of defence. Security awareness training equips your team to recognise and respond correctly to the most common attack vectors — phishing emails, social engineering, suspicious links, and unsafe password practices.
Training Topics
- Phishing email identification
- Social engineering tactics
- Password hygiene & MFA
- Safe email & attachment handling
- Incident reporting procedures
- Remote work security
Delivery Format
- Team workshops (remote/in-person)
- Written training materials
- Phishing simulation exercises
- Policy documentation
- Security quick-reference guides
- Q&A and scenario walkthroughs
Credentials & Research
Credentials & Research Behind This Consulting Service
Cybersecurity consulting is only as credible as the expertise behind it. These credentials represent formal certification, academic research, and hands-on training — not self-study certificates — providing a professional standard of security knowledge that is genuinely rare in the consulting market.
ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)
Globally recognised cybersecurity certification from ISC2 — the world's leading cybersecurity professional organisation. Covers security principles, access controls, network security, incident response, and security operations.
ISC2 · Global RecognitionGoogle Cybersecurity Professional Certificate
Professional-level programme covering threat analysis, SIEM tools, network security, Python for security automation, and incident response frameworks — applied practical cybersecurity training at scale.
Google · Professional ProgrammeCISCO Intro to Cybersecurity
CISCO's foundational cybersecurity programme covering network infrastructure security, attack types, identity and access management, and how organisations build security programmes from the ground up.
CISCO · Network SecurityEthical Hacking — Ostad Track
Hands-on ethical hacking and penetration testing training — covering reconnaissance, exploitation, vulnerability analysis, post-exploitation, and responsible disclosure workflows using real tools.
Ostad · Ethical HackingCybersecurity for Everyone — University of Maryland
Academic cybersecurity programme from the University of Maryland covering policy, cryptography, risk management, privacy law, and the systemic factors that make cybersecurity a governance and business issue — not just a technical one.
UoM · Academic ProgrammeMaster of Information Technology — Jahangirnagar University
Postgraduate academic qualification in Information Technology providing the theoretical foundations in computer science, system architecture, network engineering, and research methodology that underpin all practical security work.
MIT · JU · PostgraduateIEEE Research: Malware Classification Using Hybrid Deep Neural Networks — 96.76% Accuracy (2025)
Published at IEEE IATMSI 2025 — a hybrid DNN + RNN + CNN ensemble model achieving 96.76% malware classification accuracy. This academic-level malware analysis research demonstrates a depth of understanding about how malware behaves, propagates, and can be detected that goes far beyond any certification or course. Read the research →
IEEE Research: Smart Presence & Face Recognition Access Control — 99% Accuracy (IEEE CCET 2022)
Published at IEEE CCET 2022 — a smart presence management and face recognition system achieving 99% accuracy for access control. Directly relevant to physical and logical access control consulting — demonstrating hands-on research experience in one of the most critical security domains. Read the research →
Industries Served
Industries Served With Cybersecurity Consulting
Every industry faces a unique combination of cyber threats, compliance requirements, and data sensitivity — cybersecurity consulting is tailored accordingly.
Healthcare & Medical
HIPAA-relevant security practices, patient data protection, ransomware resilience, and secure remote access for healthcare providers.
Finance & FinTech
Financial data protection, PCI-DSS alignment, access control, fraud prevention, and secure payment system architecture review.
E-Commerce & Retail
Customer data protection, secure checkout systems, card skimming prevention, and supply chain security assessment for online retailers.
Legal & Professional Services
Client privilege protection, secure document management, communication security, and phishing defence for law firms and consultancies.
Construction & Contracting
Protecting project data, bid documentation, subcontractor communications, and remote site access from targeted business email compromise attacks.
Education & EdTech
Student data protection, secure learning management systems, staff awareness training, and FERPA-aligned data handling practices.
Startups & Tech Companies
Security-by-design integration, API security, cloud security posture, developer security training, and pre-funding security due diligence preparation.
Hospitality & SMBs
POS security, guest data protection, Wi-Fi security, and practical, budget-appropriate security frameworks for small and medium-sized businesses.
Professional Toolkit
Security Tools & Technologies Used
A professional-grade toolkit spanning penetration testing, network analysis, traffic monitoring, and cryptographic assessment — the same tools used by enterprise security teams.
Penetration Testing
- Kali Linux (testing platform)
- Metasploit Framework (exploitation)
- Burpsuite (web application testing)
- Nmap (port & service scanning)
Network Security
- Wireshark (packet analysis)
- Snort (intrusion detection)
- Suricata (IDS/IPS engine)
- OpenSSL (SSL/TLS validation)
Cryptography & Access
- Hashcat (password strength auditing)
- AES & RSA cryptographic review
- MFA configuration & assessment
- PKI & certificate validation
OSINT & Reconnaissance
- Shodan (exposed device search)
- Maltego (OSINT visualisation)
- theHarvester (email/domain recon)
- Google Dorks (passive recon)
Why Choose Me
Why Work With Me for Cybersecurity Consulting?
Formal credentials, academic research, and practical ethical hacking training — a rare combination that brings genuine cybersecurity depth to every client engagement.
Formally Certified — Not Self-Declared
ISC2 CC certification means the core security knowledge applied to your business has been formally examined and validated by the world's leading cybersecurity professional body.
IEEE-Published Security Research
Two peer-reviewed IEEE publications in malware classification (96.76%) and access control (99%) demonstrate academic-level security expertise — not just practitioner knowledge.
Ethical Hacking Training
Trained in penetration testing and exploitation methodology — understanding how attackers think and operate means I find the vulnerabilities they would find, before they do.
Academic IT Foundations (MIT, JU)
A Master of Information Technology provides the theoretical depth in systems, networks, and architecture that separates principled security reasoning from surface-level checklist compliance.
SMB-Focused — Not Enterprise Only
Cybersecurity consulting calibrated for US small and medium businesses — practical, prioritised, and budget-aware recommendations, not enterprise frameworks that overwhelm small teams.
WordPress + Security Combined
As both a WordPress developer and certified security consultant, I can simultaneously assess and remediate web application vulnerabilities — no hand-off between two separate contractors.
Clear, Actionable Reports
Every engagement delivers written reports — executive summary for leadership and technical detail for your IT team — prioritised by risk level so you know exactly where to act first.
Long-Term Security Partnership
Cybersecurity is an ongoing practice, not a one-time project. I am available for follow-up assessments, remediation verification, and evolving risk management as your business grows.
How I Work
My Cybersecurity Consulting Process
A structured engagement process that ensures every cybersecurity consulting project is scoped accurately, executed professionally, and delivers actionable results.
Scoping & Initial Consultation
Understanding your business, industry, existing security posture, compliance requirements, and specific concerns — defining the exact scope of the engagement before work begins.
Authorisation & Rules of Engagement
For any active testing, documenting and agreeing the authorisation scope, test windows, systems included/excluded, and communication protocols — ensuring all work is legally authorised.
Assessment & Testing
Executing the agreed assessment — vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, network review, risk analysis, OSINT, or awareness training — using professional tools and methodology.
Analysis & Risk Scoring
Analysing all findings — scoring vulnerabilities using CVSS, prioritising by business impact and exploitability, and identifying the critical issues requiring immediate attention.
Report & Recommendations
Delivering a written report with executive summary, technical findings, risk-scored remediation roadmap, and specific guidance for each identified issue — in plain language your team can act on.
Remediation Support & Re-Test
Supporting your team through remediation — answering questions, verifying fixes, and offering a re-test to confirm critical vulnerabilities have been successfully addressed.
At a Glance
Cybersecurity Consulting at a Glance
5
Cybersecurity Certifications Held
2
IEEE Cybersecurity Papers Published
96.76%
Malware Classification Accuracy (IEEE 2025)
70+
WordPress Projects With Security Hardening
FAQ
Cybersecurity Consulting Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about cybersecurity consulting services, penetration testing, timelines, what to expect, and whether your business needs professional security assessment.
What cybersecurity consulting services do you offer for US businesses?
Cybersecurity consulting services include: penetration testing (network, web application, and social engineering), vulnerability assessment, network security review, security risk assessment, security awareness training for staff, incident response planning, OSINT assessment, access control review, and security policy development. Each engagement is scoped to the client's specific risk profile, industry, and budget.
What is the difference between penetration testing and a vulnerability assessment?
A vulnerability assessment identifies and catalogues known security weaknesses in your systems and network without actively exploiting them — it tells you what vulnerabilities exist. Penetration testing goes further by actually attempting to exploit those vulnerabilities in a controlled, authorised way — simulating what a real attacker would do to demonstrate the actual business impact. Both deliver a risk-scored report; a penetration test provides stronger evidence of real-world risk and is the higher-value engagement.
How long does a cybersecurity consulting engagement take?
A focused vulnerability assessment typically takes 3–5 business days including the report. A comprehensive penetration test covering network, web application, and social engineering vectors may take 1–2 weeks. A security risk assessment varies by organisation size but typically requires 1–3 weeks. Security awareness training sessions run 2–4 hours. All timelines are confirmed and agreed during the initial scoping consultation before work begins.
Is cybersecurity consulting only for large enterprises?
No — in fact, small and medium-sized US businesses are disproportionately targeted by cybercriminals because they hold valuable data but often lack enterprise-level defences. 43% of cyberattacks target small businesses. 60% of small businesses that suffer a significant breach close within six months. Professional cybersecurity consulting tailored to SMB budgets and risk profiles is not a luxury — it is a business continuity investment that is increasingly accessible and necessary.
What does a penetration test report include?
A penetration test report includes: an executive summary in non-technical language for leadership; a full technical findings section with each vulnerability described, how it was exploited, and evidence of exploitation; CVSS risk scores for each finding; a prioritised remediation roadmap with specific guidance for fixing each issue; and an overall risk rating. For web application tests, specific payload details and affected endpoints are documented. A re-test after remediation is available to verify fixes.
Is remote cybersecurity consulting available for US businesses?
Yes — all cybersecurity consulting services are available remotely for US businesses. Network and web application penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, risk assessments, security policy development, and awareness training sessions are all conducted remotely with no requirement for physical on-site presence. Secure communication channels and data handling practices are used throughout every engagement.
How does cybersecurity consulting differ from WordPress security services?
WordPress security services focus specifically on WordPress website threats — malware removal, Wordfence setup, hardening the CMS, and protecting against WordPress-specific attack vectors. Cybersecurity consulting covers a broader scope — your entire business network, infrastructure, employee practices, risk management framework, and organisational security posture. Many clients benefit from both: WordPress security to protect their web presence, and cybersecurity consulting to address the broader business risk landscape.