Government & Public Sector Cyber Security
Defending critical national infrastructure, citizen data, and public services from state-sponsored threats, insider risk, and supply chain compromise. CREST accredited.
CREST-accredited security that protects your public services.
Full-spectrum government cyber security from NCSC IT Health Checks and GovAssure assessments to 24/7 SOC monitoring and red team operations. Security Checked consultants, Crown Commercial supplier, G-Cloud approved.
Talk to a Cleared ConsultantPrecursor Security is a CREST-accredited cyber security provider for UK central and local government organisations. Our Security Checked consultants deliver NCSC IT Health Checks, GovAssure CAF assessments, red team operations, and 24/7 SOC monitoring. All services are available via G-Cloud and Digital Outcomes and Specialists frameworks as a Crown Commercial supplier.
- Generic annual penetration test
- No CREST accreditation for ITHC
- No Security Checked consultants for environments
- CREST-accredited ITHC and GovAssure assessments
- Security Checked consultants for classified environments
- Crown Commercial supplier via G-Cloud and DOS
Public Sector Risk Profile.
Government and public sector organisations account for 40% of all UK cyber attacks, making it the most targeted sector.
The average cost of a public sector data breach continues to rise, driven by regulatory fines, remediation, and reputational damage.
UK public sector organisations report millions of cyber incidents annually across central government, local authorities, and arm's-length bodies.
Public Sector Threat
Landscape.
Government organisations and critical national infrastructure face persistent, well-resourced threat actors with geopolitical motivations and the resources of nation states behind them.
State-Sponsored Cyber Attacks
Nation-state actors from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea persistently target UK government networks for espionage, disruption, and strategic advantage. The NCSC responds to hundreds of incidents annually targeting central and local government.
Insider Threat & Privilege Abuse
Large public sector organisations with complex access hierarchies face significant insider threat risk. Clearance holders with privileged access to OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE and SECRET systems can cause catastrophic damage if compromised or malicious. Lateral movement from compromised accounts remains a primary attack vector.
Supply Chain Compromise
Government supply chains involve hundreds of contractors and sub-contractors. The SolarWinds and MOVEit incidents demonstrated how supply chain compromise can propagate across the entire public sector, affecting dozens of government departments simultaneously.
Legacy Infrastructure & Technical Debt
Many government departments operate ageing IT estates with unsupported systems, complex hybrid environments, and limited patching windows. Windows Server 2012, end-of-life applications, and bespoke legacy systems persist across departments, creating persistent vulnerability exposure that compensating controls must address.
Data Classification & Handling
Handling OFFICIAL, OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE, and SECRET data across interconnected systems requires rigorous security controls, network segmentation, and continuous assurance testing. Cross-domain solutions and data spillage prevention add further complexity.
Services Mapped to Government Requirements.
Every service aligned to GovAssure, PSN compliance, and Cyber Essentials requirements. Delivered by Security Checked consultants via Crown Commercial frameworks.
Red Team Operations
NCSC-aligned adversary simulation testing detection and response capabilities against realistic state-sponsored attack scenarios.
Learn moreInternal Network Penetration Testing
Security Checked consultants testing internal government networks for lateral movement, Active Directory compromise, and data exfiltration.
Learn moreExternal Attack Surface Assessment
Internet-facing assessment of government web applications, APIs, VPNs, and remote access gateways exposed to public networks.
Learn more24/7 SOC Monitoring
Continuous monitoring with detection rules tuned for government environments including privileged access abuse, lateral movement, and data exfiltration indicators.
Learn moreManaged Detection & Response
Threat detection and response for PSN-connected, HSCN, and OFFICIAL-tier government infrastructure with Security Checked analysts.
Learn moreNCSC IT Health Check (ITHC)
CREST-accredited infrastructure assessment required for PSN compliance, GovAssure, and Secure by Design. Delivered by Security Checked consultants.
Learn moreCyber Essentials Plus
Achieve Cyber Essentials Plus certification, mandatory for many central and local government contracts.
Learn moreWhen Do You Need This?
GovAssure Assessment Due
Your department is required to undergo annual independent assessment against the NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework as part of the Cabinet Office GovAssure programme.
PSN Compliance Renewal
Your PSN connection is due for renewal and requires an NCSC IT Health Check (ITHC) delivered by a CREST-accredited team with Security Checked consultants.
NCSC Threat Advisory
The NCSC has issued a threat advisory targeting your sector. You need assurance that your defences can withstand the specific attack techniques described.
Contract Compliance Requirement
A central government contract or framework agreement mandates Cyber Essentials Plus, penetration testing, or independent security assurance as a supplier obligation.
Security Incident or Near-Miss
A security incident has occurred or threat intelligence indicates your department has been targeted. You need post-incident assessment and hardened controls.
Digital Transformation Programme
A major migration to cloud, hybrid, or shared services is underway and requires security validation before connecting to production government networks.
Government Compliance Framework Coverage.
The regulatory and assurance frameworks governing cyber security across UK central and local government. Every engagement maps findings to relevant compliance obligations.
NCSC CAF
4 ObjectivesCyber Assessment Framework used for GovAssure compliance across central government departments
GovAssure
Annual AssessmentCabinet Office annual cyber security assurance programme for government departments
PSN Compliance
NCSC ITHCPublic Services Network connectivity requiring annual NCSC IT Health Checks by CREST-accredited teams
Cyber Essentials Plus
CE+ CertificationGovernment-backed certification mandated for many public sector contracts
UK GDPR / DPA 2018
Article 32Data protection obligations for government bodies handling citizen data
Secure by Design
NCSC PrinciplesSecurity embedded into digital service delivery across government transformation programmes
CREST Accredited
Crown Commercial supplier via G-Cloud and Digital Outcomes and Specialists frameworks
Engagement Workflow
From scoping and clearance verification through to continuous monitoring and annual assurance renewal.
Scoping & Clearance Verification
Define testing scope across government networks, confirm Security Checked requirements, identify PSN/HSCN boundaries, and align engagement to GovAssure, PSN compliance, or contract obligations.
CREST-Accredited Testing
CREST-accredited assessment of government infrastructure including internal networks, web applications, Active Directory, and cloud environments. All testing by Security Checked consultants.
Compliance Mapping & Reporting
Findings mapped to NCSC CAF objectives, PSN compliance requirements, and Cyber Essentials standards. CVSS-scored vulnerabilities with government-specific remediation guidance.
Continuous Monitoring & Assurance
24/7 SOC monitoring with government-specific detection rules. Quarterly testing cycles, annual ITHC renewal support, and continuous vulnerability management for PSN-connected infrastructure.
What You Receive.
Government security is not a single assessment. It is a continuous programme.
Annual ITHCs and GovAssure assessments satisfy compliance obligations, but threat actors do not operate on audit schedules. Extend your security posture with 24/7 monitoring, threat hunting, and incident response capability purpose-built for government environments.
Discuss Continuous SecurityThreat Hunting
Proactive threat hunting across government networks by Security Checked analysts.
Managed Detection & Response
24/7 SOC monitoring with government-specific detection rules.
Incident Response
Rapid response retainer for government security incidents.
Security Operations Centre
Dedicated SOC capability for public sector organisations.
Full Penetration Testing Catalogue
Comprehensive penetration testing services tailored to your environment.
Internal Testing
Post-perimeter assessments targeting Active Directory, lateral movement, privilege escalation, and segmentation validation from inside your network.
The best time to test your defences is now.
Join the high-growth companies relying on Precursor for continuous offensive and defensive security.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this service, methodologies, and deliverables.
Public sector cyber security services typically range from £5,000 to £100,000+ annually depending on organisation size and compliance requirements. A local authority implementing Cyber Essentials Plus and annual penetration testing typically costs £8,000 to £15,000/year. Mid-sized government departments with ITHC requirements, quarterly penetration testing, and vulnerability management typically cost £25,000 to £50,000 annually. Large central government departments with 24/7 SOC monitoring, incident response retainer, GovAssure assessment, and continuous testing typically cost £60,000 to £120,000 annually. Specific pricing examples: NCSC IT Health Check (£8,750 to £21,250), GovAssure CAF assessment (£15,000 to £30,000), Cyber Essentials Plus certification (£2,500 to £4,000), 24/7 SOC monitoring for government (£4,000 to £10,000/month). All services are available via G-Cloud and DOS frameworks for streamlined procurement.
While government IT teams maintain operational security, they cannot fulfil roles requiring independence: (1) PSN compliance mandates CREST-accredited teams deliver IT Health Checks, internal assessment does not satisfy this requirement, (2) GovAssure requires independent assessment against the NCSC CAF by external assessors, (3) Internal teams focus on availability and operations while penetration testing requires adversarial thinking and exploitation skills they do not practice, (4) Security Checked external consultants can test classified environments without creating insider risk concerns, (5) Government IT teams are under severe resource pressure and lack capacity for comprehensive annual testing programmes, and (6) External testers provide fresh perspective on environments internal teams see daily. Most government organisations use internal IT for security hygiene and external specialists for compliance testing, ITHCs, and incident response.
An IT Health Check is a penetration test and infrastructure assessment delivered by an NCSC CREST-accredited team. It is mandatory for PSN-connected government networks and forms a key component of GovAssure compliance. The ITHC covers external and internal infrastructure testing, web application assessment, and build reviews against NCSC standards.
Yes. Our government-facing consultants are Security Checked, allowing them to work within classified environments and access OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE systems. All consultants are DBS checked and experienced in operating within government environments with formal change control procedures.
GovAssure is the Cabinet Office's annual cyber security assurance programme for government departments. It requires departments to undergo independent assessment against the NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF) covering four objective areas: managing security risk, protecting against cyber attack, detecting cyber security events, and minimising the impact of incidents.
Yes. As a CREST-accredited team, we deliver PSN compliance testing including external and internal penetration testing, web application assessments, and build reviews required for PSN connection. Our Security Checked consultants can access government networks and test from within secure environments.
Yes. Local authorities are increasingly targeted by ransomware groups who perceive them as having weaker defences than central government. Local authorities hold valuable citizen data (council tax, benefits, housing, social services) that attackers monetize through ransomware and extortion. The 2024 Redcar and Cleveland attack cost £10.4M in recovery, far exceeding annual security investment. Local authority security packages start from £8,000 covering Cyber Essentials Plus and annual penetration testing.
Yes. We work with local authorities, combined authorities, NHS bodies, and arm's-length bodies across England, Scotland, and Wales, not just central government departments. All services are available via G-Cloud and Digital Outcomes and Specialists frameworks for streamlined procurement.