For new security leaders
Know what you inherited before you set the strategy.
Stable on the surface is not the same as tested.
Policies are documented and tools are deployed. A new leader still needs independent evidence of how it all works together.
- Access can expand over years without anyone reviewing it end to end.
- Logging can exist without supporting the investigations your team needs to run.
- Systems can behave differently from what the documentation says.
- Controls can be well designed and still not hold up after years of change.
What the baseline covers.
Targeted penetration testing
Focused on critical systems and realistic attack paths, so the first findings are the ones that matter.
Identity and access analysis
How users, service accounts, groups, and permissions interact, and where access reaches further than expected.
Cloud and infrastructure review
Misconfigurations and exposure points within the approved scope.
Logging and detection check
Whether tested activity can be seen and investigated by your team.
What you leave with.
A validated risk baseline
Priorities grounded in evidence as well as documentation.
A first set of break points
Confirmed paths with options for where to cut them, so early fixes go where they count.
Credibility with your leadership
A strategy backed by independent evidence from the start.
Questions we hear.
When should I do this after stepping into a new role?
Early in the transition, once the organization can define an approved scope. Independent evidence can then inform priorities and early decisions.
Is this replacing an internal assessment or audit?
No. Internal teams and audits provide context and documentation. Hoplite adds independent testing of how things work in practice.
Where do you typically start?
With the areas that carry the most risk. We usually begin with identity, access, and critical systems to establish a meaningful baseline.
Will this overlap with work my team is already doing?
It is designed to complement internal efforts by adding an independent perspective and testing prioritized assumptions with your team.
How quickly can we get useful insights?
Timing depends on scope and access. We share confirmed findings as the work progresses so your team can start making decisions before the final report.
What happens after the baseline?
Your team fixes what matters most, and Hoplite retests under the agreed terms. If your environment changes often, Ethos can carry the baseline forward.
Build the strategy from a tested baseline.
Start with independent evidence about how the environment behaves within an agreed scope, then set priorities with the team you inherited.