Attackers are patient and discreet. Ransomware is often deployed weeks or months after initial compromise, once the attacker has mapped the entire network. During this time, no visible incident occurs. Absence of alerts does not mean absence of intrusion — it may mean absence of detection.
Cybersecurity25 March 2026·6 min
How to Assess Your IT Security: Indicators and Methods
The absence of a security incident is not a security indicator. Most compromised organisations do not know it for weeks or months. The median time between compromise and detection is 212 days (IBM 2024). Genuinely assessing IT security requires a structured approach: regular audits, technical testing, continuous monitoring and measurable maturity indicators.
01
Why 'no incident' does not mean 'secure'
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Real security indicators
Technical: patching rate, average CVSS score of open vulnerabilities, MFA coverage on critical access, sensitive data encryption rate, mean time to detect incidents (MTTD).
Process: security test frequency, critical vulnerability correction time, backup coverage rate, restoration test frequency, security training completion rate.
Maturity: score on a recognised framework (CIS Controls, NIST CSF), latest audit/pentest results, team awareness measured via phishing simulations.
03
Methods to assess your security
Cybersecurity audit: structured maturity assessment. See our audit cybersécurité page.
Pentest: real-world defence resistance test. Annual test d'intrusion is the recommended standard.
Vulnerability scanning: continuous CVE inventory — complementary to pentesting, not a substitute.
Phishing simulation: measures click rates on simulated phishing emails. Complement with cybersecurity training.
04
Weak signals of insufficient security
No formalised security policy. No security test in over a year. No MFA on email and VPN access. Unpatched systems for months. Untested backups. No documented incident response plan. Former employee accounts not deactivated. System logs not centralised or monitored.
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What well-secured organisations do
They know their risk level at any time. They have an up-to-date asset inventory. They regularly test backups. They have a formalised vulnerability management process. They conduct audits and pentests on a defined schedule. Cloud security is integrated from the design phase. Secure development is standard practice.
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Where to start the assessment
1. Inventory all assets · 2. Quick self-assessment on fundamental controls (CIS Controls level 1) · 3. Commission an external audit · 4. Build a prioritised action plan with measurable KPIs · 5. Implement continuous monitoring and schedule next tests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is antivirus enough to secure a system?
No. Antivirus is one control among dozens needed. It does not protect against zero-day attacks, phishing, misconfiguration or insider threats.
What is a cybersecurity maturity level?
A structured assessment of an organisation's ability to manage cyber risks. Frameworks like NIST CSF or CIS Controls define levels from 1 (initial) to 5 (optimised).
How often should IT security be assessed?
Annual audit minimum. Continuous or monthly vulnerability scans. Annual pentest or after each major deployment. Quarterly phishing simulations.
Can security be self-assessed?
Partially, with scanning tools and public frameworks (CIS Controls). But external perspective is essential to identify blind spots internal teams no longer see.
In summary
Assessing IT security is not an end in itself — it is the starting point for continuous improvement. Organisations that know exactly where they stand are those that can act in the right place, with the right budget, at the right time.
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