How do supply chain attacks affect UK businesses?

Only 14% of UK businesses formally review cyber risks from their immediate suppliers. 35.5% of all global data breaches in 2024 originated from third-party compromises. Supply chain attacks add an average of £241,620 to the total cost of a breach and take 267 days to detect and contain.

What is the most common type of cyber attack in the UK?

Phishing is the most common attack type, identified by 85% of businesses that experienced a breach (DSIT 2025). Phishing accounts for 93% of cyber crimes against businesses. AI-powered phishing has driven a 204% increase in phishing emails delivering malware in 2025.

What are the biggest cybersecurity threats for UK SMEs in 2026?

The top threats are phishing (85% of breaches), ransomware (doubled year-on-year), business email compromise (increased 33% in 2025), and supply chain attacks (35.5% of all breaches now originate from third parties). AI-powered attacks are accelerating all of these threat categories.

How much does a cyber breach cost a UK business?

The average cost of the most disruptive breach is £3,550 for UK businesses. For businesses that experienced negative outcomes such as data loss or financial theft, the average cost rises to £8,260. Medium and large businesses face average costs of £10,830 per disruptive incident.

What is multi-factor authentication and why do we need it?

MFA requires two or more verification methods to access an account. Microsoft reports that over 99.9% of compromised accounts did not have MFA enabled. Only 40% of UK businesses have two-factor authentication enabled (DSIT 2025). MFA can prevent more than 99.9% of account compromise attempts.

Service

Penetration Testing for UK Small and Medium Businesses

Penetration testing identifies vulnerabilities in your IT infrastructure before attackers do. AMVIA's penetration testing service simulates real-world attacks against your network, applications, and staff to expose weaknesses — giving you a clear, prioritised roadmap for improving your security posture.

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Last updated: March 2026

Penetration testing simulates a real cyberattack against your network, applications, or staff — identifying vulnerabilities before malicious actors exploit them. AMVIA's CREST-accredited penetration testing team conducts internal, external, and web application tests for UK businesses, delivering actionable remediation reports. Most assessments complete within five to ten business days.

1,200+UK businesses protected

24/7Monitoring and response

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What's Included

Everything you get with our penetration testing service.

External Penetration Testing

Testing your internet-facing systems — firewalls, web applications, email gateways, and VPN endpoints — to identify vulnerabilities visible to external attackers.

Internal Penetration Testing

Simulating an attacker who has gained initial access to your network, testing lateral movement, privilege escalation, and access to sensitive data.

Web Application Testing

Security testing of your web applications and customer portals against the OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities.

Social Engineering Testing

Simulated phishing campaigns and social engineering attacks to test your staff's awareness and your organisation's human defences.

Detailed Reporting

Clear, prioritised report with executive summary, technical findings, risk ratings, and specific remediation guidance.

Remediation Verification

Follow-up testing to confirm that identified vulnerabilities have been successfully remediated.

How It Works

From initial assessment to ongoing protection.

Scoping

We define the scope, targets, and rules of engagement with your team.

Reconnaissance

Information gathering and vulnerability scanning to identify potential attack vectors.

Exploitation

Controlled exploitation of identified vulnerabilities, simulating real attacker techniques.

Reporting

Detailed report with findings, risk ratings, and prioritised remediation recommendations.

Debrief and Remediation

Technical debrief with your team, followed by remediation support and verification testing.

Why Choose AMVIA for Penetration Testing

UK-based specialists delivering measurable results for businesses of every size.

Sheffield-Based, UK-Focused

Our engineering and support team operates from Sheffield. We understand UK compliance requirements, network infrastructure, and the specific challenges facing British businesses.

Accredited & Certified

AMVIA holds Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO 27001, and Microsoft Gold Partner status — giving you confidence that our services meet the highest UK security and quality standards.

1,200+ UK Businesses Protected

We manage IT and security for over 1,200 UK businesses across sectors including legal, finance, healthcare, and professional services. Our track record speaks for itself.

Fast, Responsive Support

Critical issues are responded to within one hour. Our helpdesk is available by phone, email, and portal — with dedicated account managers who know your environment.

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Client testimonial coming soon — AMVIA protects over 1,200 UK businesses.

— AMVIA Client