A strong cybersecurity posture starts with a clear understanding of what needs protecting and where your defenses may be falling short. A cybersecurity audit gives you that clarity. It’s about gaining a true picture of your vulnerabilities, prioritizing what matters most, and taking proactive steps to strengthen your defenses before a threat exploits them.
At Mayfield, we approach cybersecurity audits as more than a technical exercise. We work closely with leadership and technical teams to uncover practical insights, align security goals with business needs, and help build a security foundation that can actually withstand pressure.
So where do you begin? A good cybersecurity audit follows a clear structure, one that helps you spot gaps, measure risk, and build toward long-term resilience. Here’s how to do it right!
Step 1: Define the Scope and Objectives
Every business is different. Before you start an audit, clarify what you are assessing. Are you evaluating your entire organization, a specific department, cloud infrastructure, or remote access policies?
Set clear objectives. These may include:
- Identifying current vulnerabilities
- Assessing compliance with internal or regulatory standards
- Evaluating incident readiness
- Understanding human and technical exposure
The clearer the scope, the more useful and focused your audit will be.
Step 2: Take Inventory of Assets and Systems
You cannot protect what you do not know exists. Begin by cataloguing:
- All hardware and software systems
- Cloud environments and SaaS platforms
- User accounts and access privileges
- Data repositories and sensitive information flows
This step helps uncover shadow IT, unmanaged devices, and potential entry points that may be overlooked in day-to-day operations.
Step 3: Review Policies and Controls
Examine your existing security policies and how they are enforced. This includes:
- Password and authentication protocols
- Endpoint protection measures
- Patch management processes
- Data encryption and backup strategies
- User access controls
Assess whether policies are not only documented but understood and followed across the organization.
Step 4: Analyze Threat Detection and Response
How well can your business detect, contain, and recover from a threat?
Audit your:
- Logging and monitoring systems
- Incident response procedures
- Employee reporting channels
- Communication protocols during an attack
Real resilience comes from readiness, not just prevention.
Step 5: Evaluate Third-Party Risks
Vendors, contractors, and service providers can introduce unseen risks.
Review:
- Which third parties have access to your data or systems
- Whether they meet your security standards
- How those relationships are managed and monitored
Third-party exposure is one of the fastest-growing risks in cybersecurity and often one of the least examined.
Step 6: Identify Gaps and Prioritize Action
Once you’ve completed your audit, prioritize what needs fixing. Some vulnerabilities may pose a high risk and require immediate attention. Others may be longer-term improvements.
At Mayfield, we help organizations map findings into practical action plans breaking large issues into achievable steps that balance urgency with business impact.
Stronger Security Starts with a Clearer Picture
A cybersecurity audit is not a one-time checklist. It is part of a continuous effort to improve visibility, reduce risk, and adapt to evolving threats.
Mayfield helps businesses go beyond surface-level reviews. With our support, your audit becomes a roadmap one grounded in real insight, real priorities, and real protection.
Ready to take a closer look at your cybersecurity posture?
Connect with our team to schedule an audit or learn more about how Mayfield can help.