Security Assurance for a Transformation & Remediation Programme Following a CBEST Exercise
Strengthening Cyber Resilience After Regulatory Threat-Led Testing
A Tier 1 financial institution underwent a CBEST threat-led penetration testing exercise, exposing critical gaps in its cyber resilience. As part of regulatory oversight, the institution needed to demonstrate to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) that it had not only identified these weaknesses but was executing an effective, risk-based remediation and transformation programme. Given the complexity of the findings and the scale of the changes required, the bank engaged us to provide independent security assurance, ensuring that remediation activities were correctly prioritised, executed efficiently, and delivered measurable risk reduction.
CBEST exercises do not just test security controls. They simulate real-world attack scenarios designed to expose systemic weaknesses across people, processes, and technology. The bank needed to move quickly to remediate identified gaps, strengthen its security architecture, and enhance its detection and response capabilities. More critically, it had to provide clear evidence to regulators and executive stakeholders that security improvements were being implemented in a way that would stand up to future testing and regulatory scrutiny.
We immediately took ownership of the security assurance function, embedding ourselves within the bank's remediation programme to ensure that every initiative aligned with regulatory expectations, security best practices, and business risk priorities. Working closely with internal teams and third-party suppliers, we provided independent oversight, ensuring that remediation activities were structured, effective, and fully aligned with the threats identified in the CBEST assessment. Our role was not just to validate fixes but to challenge, refine, and enhance security controls, ensuring that the bank moved beyond compliance-driven remediation to achieve accurate, measurable improvements in cyber resilience.
With a deep understanding of regulatory expectations and operational security realities, we provided executive-level reporting that translated complex technical improvements into clear risk-based insights, allowing the CISO, board, and regulators to track progress effectively. We also facilitated direct engagement with regulatory bodies, ensuring that all remediation activities were mapped against CBEST findings, FCA/PRA expectations, and broader financial sector threat intelligence.
The impact was significant. Within a structured timeframe, the bank successfully closed high-risk vulnerabilities, strengthened key security controls, and enhanced its detection and response capabilities. Our assurance framework ensured that all remediation activities were independently validated, giving leadership complete confidence that security improvements were genuine, effective, and sustainable. More importantly, when the bank re-engaged with regulators following the CBEST exercise, it was able to demonstrate measurable improvements in cyber resilience, satisfying regulatory scrutiny and positioning itself as a leader in security transformation.
By providing independent security assurance and expert oversight, we helped the bank move beyond regulatory compliance to a proactive, intelligence-led security strategy. With cyber threats continuing to evolve, the institution is now better prepared for future CBEST exercises, ongoing regulatory expectations, and real-world attacks.
Regulatory-driven security transformation requires more than just remediation. It demands assurance. Let's talk.
