Cyber security firm Vertical Structure has recently achieved CHECK status, an accolade shared by fewer than 50 organisations across the UK.
A challenging status to achieve, the CHECK scheme requires an organisation to meet a meticulous set of standards and requirements before it can be certified.
This requires staff to hold specific NCSC approved qualifications, have the relevant experience, and to conduct penetration testing using NCSC approved methodologies; all while providing reporting and recommendations under a recognised standard.
The ability to certify as a CHECK organisation follows Vertical Structure’s recently planned expansion, investment in upskilling and certifying their team and the pursuit of other organisation-wide accreditations.
To summarise this achievement, Vertical Structure CEO Simon Whittaker commented: "Being recognised as a CHECK organisation has been a long running ambition for myself, my business partner Marc Dowie, and our wider team.
"Given the incredibly small pool of CHECK providers in the UK, it demonstrates the bar which must be met before an organisation can be approved to deliver penetration testing under the scheme. Being so highly regarded, it involves a lengthy and intricate application process requiring commitment from individuals right across a business - not just at management level.
"It’s a real privilege and I feel very proud to work alongside such a talented and committed group of individuals who have played an instrumental role in helping us achieve this fantastic accolade."
Founded in 2006, Vertical Structure is an independent cyber security consultancy with a ‘human-first’ approach. They specialise in providing security consulting services such as accreditation to ISO27001 and many more. They are also experts in penetration testing of web applications, cloud infrastructure, network infrastructure and mobile applications.
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Becoming CHECK certified allows Vertical Structure to continue expanding, engaging with customers at the highest of levels across public and private sectors.
When asked about this recognition, Vertical Structure’s Head of Pen Testing, Michelle Simpson explains: "The global threat from threat actors is an unfortunate trend that continues to grow with a recent UK Government Cyber Breaches Survey revealing that 50 per cent of UK businesses had suffered a cyber-attack or security breach in the previous 12 months an 11 per cent increase from 2022.
"It’s therefore critical for businesses such as Vertical Structure to stay at the forefront of pen testing methodologies to continue offering services at the highest of standards."
