IT Risk assessment

Organisations today face growing risks from cyber threats, regulatory scrutiny, and increasing reliance on cloud platforms and third parties. VMGroup’s IT Risk Assessment services help organisations understand their exposure, prioritise risk, and demonstrate accountability across security, privacy, and compliance.

Our approach is practical, evidence-based, and aligned with recognised frameworks such as NIST, ISO 27001, CIS Benchmarks, GDPR, and Irish regulatory expectations.

What is an IT Risk Assessment?

An IT risk assessment evaluates:

• What data and systems you hold

• Where your most valuable or sensitive information sits

• How well it is protected

• Where vulnerabilities and weaknesses exist

• What risks could realistically impact your organisation

• What actions will reduce risk most effectively

For many organisations, this becomes the foundation for:

• Cyber security strategy

• GDPR accountability

• Board-level risk reporting

• Insurance requirements

• Regulatory preparedness

• Supplier and customer assurance

Common Questions We Help Organisations Answer

What data do we actually hold, and where is it located?

We perform data landscape and data mapping assessments to help you understand:

• Where personal data, sensitive data, and business-critical data reside

• How data flows between systems, teams, and third parties

• Where data is duplicated unnecessarily

• Where retention risks may exist

This supports GDPR accountability and reduces both security and compliance risk.

How secure is the data we are responsible for?

We assess the security controls protecting your data, including:

• Access controls and permissions

• Identity and authentication (e.g. MFA)

• Encryption practices

• Cloud security configurations

• Endpoint and device protections

• Logging, monitoring, and detection capabilities

The goal is to clearly answer:

“If we were breached tomorrow, where would the greatest exposure be?”

Are our projects introducing new privacy or security risks?

VMGroup conducts Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) and broader risk impact assessments on new initiatives such as:

• New software platforms

• HR or monitoring technologies

• AI tools

• Customer data platforms

• Marketing technologies

• Surveillance or tracking systems

We help you demonstrate that risks have been identified, assessed, and proportionately managed.

How vulnerable are we to external attack?

We provide penetration testing (ethical hacking) across:

• Internal networks

• External-facing infrastructure

• Cloud environments

• Web applications

• VPN and remote access solutions

This allows organisations to answer:

• What would a real attacker be able to access?

• How quickly could they escalate privileges?

• Could they reach sensitive systems or data?

Findings are prioritised by real-world risk, not just technical severity.

Is our Microsoft 365 / Office 365 environment securely configured?

Many breaches originate from misconfigured cloud platforms rather than malware. Our Microsoft 365 Security Reviews assess:

• MFA enforcement and conditional access

• Privileged roles and admin accounts

• External sharing and guest access

• Email security and anti-phishing controls

• Audit logging and retention

• Third-party app permissions

This helps answer:

“Is our most business-critical platform configured defensibly?”

Are we actually compliant with GDPR and data protection law?

Our GDPR and Data Protection compliance assessments evaluate:

• Governance structures

• Records of Processing Activities (ROPA)

• DPIA maturity

• Incident and breach procedures

• Subject rights handling

• Accountability documentation

• Training and awareness

This supports defensible answers to regulators, customers, auditors, and partners.

Typical Use Cases

• Boards seeking visibility of cyber and data risk

• Organisations preparing for ISO 27001 certification

• Businesses responding to customer or supplier security questionnaires

• Companies experiencing growth, mergers, or digital transformation

• Organisations that have suffered a security incident

• Firms preparing for regulatory audits or inspections

• Leadership teams needing evidence-based security investment planning

What deliverables do our clients receive?

Our risk assessment engagements typically provide:

• Executive risk summary for leadership and boards

• Detailed findings mapped to business impact

• Prioritised remediation roadmap

• Compliance alignment (GDPR, ISO, NIST, CIS)

• Practical, implementable recommendations

• Evidence suitable for auditors, regulators, insurers, and partners

Reports are written for both technical and non-technical audiences, ensuring clarity at all levels.

Why VMGroup for IT Risk Assessments?

Clients choose VMGroup because we combine:

• Cyber security expertise

• Digital forensics and incident response experience

• GDPR and regulatory understanding

• Real-world breach experience

• Irish regulatory and DPC alignment

• Clear, defensible documentation

We don’t just identify issues — we help organisations understand risk in context and act on it effectively.