Can you provide an example of a cyber security assessment?

In today’s hyperconnected digital world, cybersecurity is no longer optional—it’s essential. With the growing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats, organizations must proactively assess and strengthen their cyber defenses. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through a cybersecurity assessment.

But what does a cybersecurity assessment look like in practice? Let’s explore the concept and walk through a detailed example that illustrates how organizations conduct these assessments to identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks, and protect their digital assets.

What is a Cybersecurity Assessment?

A cybersecurity assessment is a comprehensive evaluation of an organization's IT infrastructure, policies, and procedures to identify potential security risks and vulnerabilities. The goal is to understand the current state of cybersecurity defenses, detect weaknesses, and provide actionable recommendations to enhance security posture.

These assessments vary depending on the size, complexity, and industry of the organization, but generally include:

Risk identification and prioritization

Network and system vulnerability scanning

Policy and procedure reviews

Compliance checks with regulatory standards

Physical security evaluations (if applicable)

Penetration testing (optional but valuable)

Example Scenario: Cybersecurity Assessment for a Mid-Sized Healthcare Provider

To understand how a cybersecurity assessment works in practice, let’s walk through a fictional but realistic example involving a mid-sized healthcare provider, HealthFirst Clinics, which operates multiple locations and maintains sensitive patient data through electronic health records (EHRs).

Step 1: Initial Scoping and Planning

The cybersecurity assessment begins with scoping discussions between the healthcare provider’s IT leadership and a cybersecurity consulting firm. The objectives are clearly outlined:

Identify vulnerabilities in the network infrastructure

Ensure compliance with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)

Evaluate internal policies and staff security awareness

Recommend mitigation strategies

Key systems to be evaluated include:

EHR database servers

Internal wired and wireless networks

Cloud-based backup solutions

Staff endpoints (desktops, laptops, mobile devices)

Third-party vendor access

The assessment is scheduled for two weeks, including documentation, scanning, and analysis.

Step 2: Asset Inventory and Data Collection

The assessment team begins by compiling an inventory of all IT assets—servers, switches, routers, endpoints, applications, and user accounts. They also collect documentation such as:

Network diagrams

IT policies and procedures

Access control logs

Firewall and antivirus configurations

Employee onboarding/offboarding processes

This step ensures the team understands the scope of the digital environment and any existing controls.

Step 3: Vulnerability Scanning

Next, automated tools like Nessus and OpenVAS are used to scan the internal and external network for vulnerabilities. This step reveals:

Unpatched operating systems

Outdated software applications

Open ports on servers and routers

Weak or default passwords

Insecure configurations on firewall rules

The results show multiple moderate and high-risk vulnerabilities, such as:

An EHR database server running outdated MySQL software

Several employee laptops missing the latest antivirus updates

A VPN gateway allowing weak encryption algorithms

Step 4: Policy and Procedure Review

The assessors review cybersecurity policies for completeness and alignment with best practices and HIPAA requirements. They evaluate areas such as:

Password management policies

Data encryption standards

Access control and user privilege assignment

Incident response procedures

Security awareness training

Findings include:

No formal incident response plan

Infrequent employee security training

Inconsistent enforcement of multi-factor authentication (MFA)

These gaps indicate potential vulnerabilities in the “human layer” of security, often the weakest link.

Step 5: Penetration Testing (Optional Add-On)

HealthFirst Clinics agrees to a limited-scope penetration test targeting their external-facing systems, including their patient portal and cloud-based services.

Ethical hackers attempt to breach the system using simulated attacks such as:

SQL injection on login forms

Cross-site scripting (XSS)

Password spraying

The testers successfully exploit a vulnerable plugin on the patient portal, gaining access to non-sensitive test data. While no patient records are compromised, the test highlights a real threat vector that requires immediate patching.

Step 6: Risk Analysis and Prioritization

All findings are documented and analyzed based on the potential impact and likelihood of exploitation. Each vulnerability is assigned a risk level:

Critical: Outdated MySQL server vulnerable to remote code execution

High: Lack of incident response plan

Medium: Weak encryption on VPN

Low: Infrequent password changes among staff

The assessment team uses a risk matrix to help prioritize remediation efforts, focusing first on critical and high-risk issues that could lead to data breaches or compliance violations.

Step 7: Recommendations and Reporting

The final step is delivering a detailed cybersecurity assessment report. It includes:

Executive Summary: A high-level overview of findings, risks, and recommended actions

Technical Details: In-depth analysis of each vulnerability, with screenshots, logs, and test results

Compliance Gap Analysis: Specific areas where the organization falls short of HIPAA and NIST Cybersecurity Framework standards

Actionable Recommendations: A prioritized roadmap for remediation, such as:

Patch the EHR server and update MySQL

Enforce MFA across all systems

Develop and test an incident response plan

Provide staff training on phishing awareness

Schedule regular vulnerability scans and policy reviews

The report also includes timelines and estimated resource requirements to help the healthcare provider plan their next steps.

Step 8: Post-Assessment Support

Many cybersecurity firms offer ongoing support after the initial assessment. In this case, HealthFirst Clinics opts for:

Quarterly vulnerability scanning

Managed detection and response (MDR) services

Annual cybersecurity awareness training

These services ensure that security remains a continuous process, not just a one-time event.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity assessments are crucial for identifying risks, ensuring compliance, and protecting sensitive data. The example of HealthFirst Clinics illustrates how a structured and methodical approach can uncover vulnerabilities across technology, people, and processes—and offer clear, actionable solutions.

Whether you operate in healthcare, finance, education, or any other sector, cybersecurity assessments are an essential investment in resilience. With cyber threats evolving daily, periodic assessments help organizations stay one step ahead, minimize risk exposure, and build trust with customers and stakeholders.

If your organization hasn’t undergone a cybersecurity assessment recently, now is the time to act. Prevention is always better—and far less costly—than responding to a breach.