IT Health Checks (ITHC)
NCSC-aligned IT Health Checks delivered by CHECK-certified cyber security professionals.
IT Health Checks (ITHC): Independent Assurance You Can Trust
An IT Health Check (ITHC) provides independent assurance that your systems are configured securely. It will help you reduce cyber risk, identify weaknesses before they can be exploited and demonstrate due diligence to customers, regulators and stakeholders.
By uncovering security vulnerabilities, configuration weaknesses and implementation errors, an ITHC enables organisations to prioritise remediation activities, improve resilience and gain confidence that critical systems are protected.
At Arcanum, our IT Health Checks are conducted by National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)-assured CHECK penetration testing professionals, providing organisations with a higher level of technical assurance aligned to recognised government standards and methodologies.
Whether you operate within government, defence, critical national infrastructure, commercial industries or regulated environments, our IT Health Checks are designed to help assess your exposure, demonstrate due diligence and, ultimately, strengthen resilience.
Arcanum IT Health Check reports support:
Technical remediation
Risk management
Compliance evidence
Executive understanding
What is an IT Health Check?
An ITHC combines manual security testing and automated assessment techniques to verify the correct implementation of security controls and identify vulnerabilities within IT systems and networks that could compromise the confidentiality, integrity or availability of information.
An ITHC is designed to identify:
Security Vulnerabilities
Exploitable flaws in software, systems, or configurations that could be leveraged by an attacker.
Misconfigurations
Incorrectly set up systems, services, or security controls that leave unintended gaps in protection.
Weak Authentication Controls
Insufficient password policies, access controls, or identity verification that make it easier for attackers to gain entry.
Exposure to Unauthorised Access
Points where systems or data could be reached by users or attackers without proper permission.
Potential Routes to Compromise
Chains of weaknesses that could be combined to breach a system or gain deeper network access.
Risks to Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability
Threats that could result in data being exposed, altered, or systems becoming unavailable.
NCSC guidance states that an IT Health Check should provide genuine assurance that systems are protected from unauthorised access or change and do not expose wider connected environments to risk.
Be Aware
Not all IT Health Checks come with the same assurance
Many providers market standard penetration tests and vulnerability scans as “IT Health Checks” but the term as utilised by the NCSC for regulated environments requires that recognised assurance methodologies should be followed and delivery should be conducted by accredited professionals.
| Generic Security Testing | CHECK-aligned ITHC |
|---|---|
| Automated vulnerability scanning | NCSC-backed testing methodologies |
| Limited manual validation | Manual review and validation |
| Generic reporting | Risk-based scoping |
| Narrow testing scope | Experienced CHECK-accredited testers |
| Minimal assurance value | Actionable remediation guidance |
| Government and CNI-grade assurance |
Why CHECK accreditation matters
The National Cyber Security Centre’s CHECK scheme is the UK government’s assurance framework for penetration testing services across:
Government departments
Public sector organisations
Defence
Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) environments
CHECK providers are independently assessed to ensure they can deliver testing to recognised technical and operational standards.
Arcanum is an NCSC-assured CHECK provider.
Arcanum is a NCSC Assured Cyber Security Consultancy
What is included in an IT Health Check?
Every IT Health Check is tailored to your organisation, infrastructure and risk profile.
Typical assessment areas include:
External infrastructure testing
Assessing internet-facing systems to identify vulnerabilities that could allow unauthorised external access.
Internal network testing
Investigating internal environments to identify privilege escalation paths, segmentation weaknesses and lateral movement opportunities.
Web application testing
Assessing applications for vulnerabilities such as:
- Authentication flaws
- Injection vulnerabilities
- Access control weaknesses
- Session management risks
Wireless security assessments
Evaluating wireless infrastructure security and identifying potential exposure points.
Configuration and hardening reviews
Reviewing whether systems are securely configured in line with recognised best practice
Vulnerability validation
Unlike solely automated testing, our consultants manually validate vulnerabilities to determine real-world exploitability and business risk.
NCSC guidance states that an IT Health Check should provide genuine assurance that systems are protected from unauthorised access or change and do not expose wider connected environments to risk.
Who needs an IT Health Check?
ITHCs are commonly required or recommended for organisations operating within:
Government supply chains
Public sector environments
Defence
Critical national infrastructure
Healthcare
Utilities
Transport
Financial Services
They are also valuable for organisations across abroad range of industries that are:
Preparing for compliance audits
Seeking cyber assurance
Managing cyber risk proactively
Demonstrating due diligence to customers or regulators
Connecting to regulated environments or frameworks
Benefits of an IT Health Check
An ITHC is valuable for organisations because it enables them to:
Identify real-world security weaknesses before attackers do
Improve cyber resilience by strengthening the security of your systems, networks and applications
Reduce operational risk and minimise the likelihood of compromise, disruption or downtime
Support compliance requirements by demonstrating appropriate testing and assurance activities in line with recognised frameworks and regulatory obligations
Prioritise remediation through practical, risk-based recommendations
Ready to strengthen your resilience and demonstrate due diligence through an NCSC-aligned IT Health Check?
IT Health Checks: The Process
Step 1
Scoping and Planing
We work with you to define:
- Systems in scope
- Testing objectives
- Risk priorities
- Operational constraints
Step 2
Testing and Assessment
Our CHECK consultants conduct structured testing using a combination of:
- Manual assessment
- Controlled exploitation
- Automated tooling
- Configuration review
Step 3
Reporting and Risk Analysis
We provide you with a detailed report that includes:
- Findings prioritised by risk
- Technical evidence
- Business impact explanation
- Remediation recommendations
Step 4
Remediation Support and Retesting
We can support remediation activities and perform retesting to validate fixes as required.
IT Health Check FAQs
What is the difference between an IT Health Check and a penetration test?
A penetration test typically focuses on identifying exploitable vulnerabilities within a defined target and narrow scope. An NCSC-aligned IT Health Check is broader in scope and offers wider assurance regarding the effectiveness of security controls, configuration and resilience.
Why is CHECK accreditation important?
CHECK accreditation demonstrates that a provider meets NCSC standards for penetration testing within government and critical environments. It provides assurance regarding methodology, tester competency and service quality.
Do all IT Health Check providers follow NCSC standards?
No. Some providers use the term “IT Health Check” loosely to refer to basic scanning or standard penetration testing. Organisations looking for high quality testing to achieve genuine assurance should verify that tests are delivered by accredited teams using recognised methodologies.
How often should an IT Health Check be performed?
The frequency required for IT Health Checks depends on an organisation’s risk profile, regulatory obligations and any environmental changes. Many organisations conduct annual testing or perform assessments following significant infrastructure or application changes.
Can an IT Health Check help with compliance?
Yes. IT Health Checks are commonly used to support compliance, assurance and governance requirements across regulated and security-sensitive sectors.
Will an IT Health Check disrupt day-to-day operations?
Testing is carefully planned to minimise operational impact. Scoping and rules of engagement are agreed in advance with organisations to ensure testing is conducted safely and appropriately.
Does Arcanum provide remediation support following an IT Health Check?
Yes. Arcanum can support remediation planning, validation testing, governance improvements and broader cyber resilience activities following an assessment.
Get in touch to discuss your IT Health Check requirements today.
Speak to our NCSC-assured CHECK penetration testing team about your IT Health Check requirements.