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Technical Security Services

Penetration testing, training, tabletop exercises and operational security services—delivered through our own team and trusted specialist partners.

Compliance frameworks demand evidence that controls actually work, not just that they’re documented. Technical Security Services provide that evidence—and they often reveal issues that policy reviews and audits don’t surface.

We deliver technical security work through our own team and a small, trusted network of specialist partners. The work is scoped, overseen, and made commercially useful by the same consultants you already work with on your compliance and governance programme. You get the depth of specialist technical work without losing context, accountability, or a single point of contact.

What we provide

Penetration testing and security testing

Scoped engagements covering external infrastructure, internal networks, web applications, cloud environments, and other targets. Depending on scope and specialism, delivered in-house or through one of our specialist partners. We scope the test, choose the right delivery model, review the findings, and translate them into prioritised, actionable terms.

Phishing simulations

Targeted email-based simulations to assess and improve staff awareness of phishing and social engineering. Reported with practical follow-up rather than naming and shaming.

Security awareness training

Practical, role-appropriate training delivered by our own team—either as one-off sessions for specific cohorts (developers, executives, customer-facing staff) or as part of an ongoing programme. Content is tailored to your actual risk profile and use cases rather than generic compliance slides.

Tabletop exercises

Incident response and crisis management exercises built around scenarios that reflect your real environment, supply chain, and incident response plan. Delivered in-house. Outcomes feed directly into improvements to your incident response procedures and business continuity arrangements.

Vulnerability scanning

Recurring or one-off vulnerability scanning across internal and external attack surfaces, with prioritised remediation guidance. Often delivered as part of a broader retainer or as an input to certification audits.

Identity and access reviews

Independent review of user accounts, privileged access, role assignments, and authentication arrangements—useful for ISO 27001 scope, access certifications, and removing the accumulated risk of “we’ll get to that someday” accounts.

Cloud configuration reviews

Assessment of AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud environments against security best practices and your own risk profile—delivered with our cloud-specialist partners where deeper specialism is needed.

Why work this way

Most boutique consultancies either:

  • Pretend they deliver everything in-house when they really subcontract, or
  • Tell you to go elsewhere for technical work, breaking the engagement

We take a different approach. We’re honest about what’s in-house and what’s partner-delivered, and we add real value by:

  • Scoping the work properly — defining what should be tested, how, and to what depth
  • Choosing the right specialist — drawing on partners we know and trust personally
  • Translating the findings — connecting raw technical findings to your management system, your compliance obligations, and your real risks
  • Coordinating remediation — helping you act on results rather than archiving the report

We don’t take commissions or referral fees from partners. Our recommendation is based on fit, not financial incentive.

Who benefits

Technical Security Services are particularly useful for:

  • Organisations approaching certification (ISO 27001, SOC 2) that need testing evidence as part of the audit
  • Companies responding to customer security demands that require recent penetration test reports
  • Virtual CISO clients for whom technical testing is part of the security programme
  • Regulated organisations (under NIS2 or sector regulators) that must demonstrate operational testing
  • Businesses with limited internal security capability who need an accountable partner to coordinate technical work

What to expect

Engagement structure depends on scope. Penetration tests are scoped projects of one to three weeks plus remediation support. Training and tabletop exercises are scoped to your audience. Vulnerability scanning is typically retained.

We’ll propose a structure—and the right delivery model—after understanding what you actually need.

Common questions

Do you deliver penetration testing in-house or via partners?
Both, depending on the engagement. For smaller or scoped testing we may deliver in-house; for larger or more specialised engagements (red team, web application deep-dives, cloud-native pen testing, niche infrastructure) we engage trusted specialist partners. In all cases we scope the work, oversee delivery, translate findings into business and compliance terms, and remain accountable to you throughout.
Who delivers your security awareness training and tabletop exercises?
Awareness training and tabletop exercises are delivered in-house by our own consultants. Tabletop scenarios are built around your actual risks and incident response procedures—not generic templates—so the exercise stress-tests the things that would matter in a real incident.
Why use Axlio rather than going directly to a pen testing firm?
Two reasons. First, you get a consultant who understands your wider compliance and management system context, which means findings are interpreted and prioritised in business terms rather than handed over as a raw report. Second, we scope and oversee the engagement—choosing the right partner for the scope, holding them to quality, and helping you act on the results. Many clients find this 'quarterback' role more valuable than the testing itself.
How are partners selected and how do you ensure quality?
We work with a small number of specialist partners we know personally and have a track record with. We don't accept commissions or referral fees from partners—our recommendation is based on fit and quality, not on what pays us back. Engagements are scoped jointly with the partner, and we review deliverables before they reach you.
What scope of testing do you typically support?
Common engagements include external network and infrastructure testing, internal network and lateral movement, web application security testing, cloud configuration reviews (AWS, Azure, GCP), phishing simulations, and tabletop incident response exercises. Specialised scopes (OT, hardware, mobile, red team) are also possible via partner.
Can you support remediation after testing?
Yes. We can help interpret findings, prioritise remediation based on actual risk to your business, advise on technical fixes, and re-test (or coordinate re-testing) to verify closure. For organisations with limited internal capacity, this often makes more practical difference than the original test.

Ready to discuss your requirements?

Let's have a conversation about how we can help your organisation.

Let's talk