Free Cybersecurity Assessment and Penetration Test in Los Angeles, Chicago and Phoenix
Find out what an attacker could reach inside your network before you spend more on security tools. BTI and its independent testing partner test 3 to 5 of your machines without asking for a single password, then hand you a plain-language report and a ranked plan of fixes that are yours to keep.
- Credential-free Level 1 penetration test, plus an optional external scan
- Plain-language report with every finding ranked by priority
- A roadmap that shows what to fix now, what to plan and what to monitor
Call your local BTI IT team: Los Angeles 323-510-8003 · Chicago 312-492-2613 · Phoenix 480-272-8728
Request your free assessment
Tell us where to reach you. A BTI engineer will call to set up your discovery call.
For businesses and organizations, not homes. No cost and no obligation. Testing runs only on the machines you approve. Already a BTI client? Use the support number assigned to your organization.
- Over 40 years in business
- SOC 2 NOC/SOC
- ISO 27001 compliant governance
- Microsoft Solutions Partner
- Independent testing partner
- FBI background checks and LiveScan fingerprinting
- GSA contract holder (47QTCA21D00BA)
Where the assessment fits
Start your security program at step 1
BTI builds cybersecurity programs in six steps. The free assessment is the first one, and its results tell you which of the other five deserve your budget first, so you are not buying tools on a hunch.
- 1You are hereKnow where you standA tested baseline and a ranked list of findings.
- 2PreventShows gaps in patching, endpoints, email and identity.
- 3Detect and respondShows whether anyone is alerted while the test runs.
- 4Govern and proveGives insurers and auditors a written starting point.
- 5RecoverFlags unencrypted drives and exposed files that shape recovery.
- 6ConvergedOpens the discussion about cameras, doors and other connected devices.
What is assessed
What the free cybersecurity assessment checks
The assessment is a Level 1 penetration test delivered with BTI's independent testing partner. It is credential-free: a testing agent runs on 3 to 5 machines you pick and shows how far an intruder could get if a trusted program, a supplier connection or a staff computer became the way in. Six areas are covered on every assessment.
Patching
What is checkedOperating system and application updates missing on the tested machines.
Why it mattersKnown, published flaws are the easiest way in.
Firewall alarming
What is checkedWhether your firewall and monitoring raise an alert when test activity starts.
Why it mattersA firewall that blocks quietly but never tells anyone leaves your team blind.
Identity and passwords
What is checkedWeak, reused or exposed credentials and risky account settings the test can reach.
Why it mattersWith a working password, an intruder signs in instead of breaking in.
Sensitive data exposure
What is checkedFiles holding personally identifiable information (PII), such as Social Security or card numbers, that everyday machines can open.
Why it mattersYou cannot protect records until you know where they sit.
Malware defenses
What is checkedWhether endpoint protection detects and stops simulated attacker techniques.
Why it mattersShows whether the security tools you already pay for hold up.
Encryption
What is checkedWhether drives and sensitive data on the tested machines are encrypted.
Why it mattersA lost laptop with an encrypted drive is a hardware problem, not a data problem.
Optional external scan
Add a scan of your internet-facing addresses to see which services and open ports anyone online can find. You decide on the discovery call.
What it is not
A point-in-time test of a small sample of machines. It is not a test of every system and not a compliance audit. Recurring testing and evidence come from Cyber Liability Essentials and Cyber Watch.
What you get
A written report and a prioritized roadmap
You leave with two documents and a readout meeting. Both documents are yours, whether you fix the findings in house, hand them to your current provider or ask BTI to help.
The assessment report
- Executive summary: the overall risk picture on one page, written for owners and leadership.
- Scope: which machines and locations were tested, on which dates, and whether the external scan was included.
- Findings by area: patching, firewall alarming, identity, sensitive data, malware defenses and encryption.
- Priority and evidence: how serious each finding is and what the test observed, so your IT team can reproduce it and confirm the fix.
- External exposure: internet-facing services and open ports, when you add the scan.
The roadmap
- Fix now: quick wins your team or current provider can close, such as a missing update or an account setting.
- Plan next: larger projects, such as rolling out multi-factor authentication (MFA), turning on firewall alerting or encrypting laptops.
- Keep it closed: the ongoing services that stop the same gaps from coming back, mapped to the six steps.
- Readout: a senior BTI engineer walks your team through the report and roadmap and answers questions.
How it works
Five steps from request to readout
- RequestUse the short form or call the BTI IT team nearest you.
- Discovery callAn engineer learns how your business runs, who supports IT today and what insurers or customers are asking. Together you pick the machines.
- Approve and scheduleYou confirm who signs off and when testing runs. Whether your current IT provider is told in advance is your call.
- TestThe agent runs on the selected machines with no passwords supplied. If you chose it, the external scan runs too.
- Report, roadmap and readoutFindings are ranked, fixes are recommended and a senior engineer reviews everything with you.
After the assessment
How findings turn into protection
Each line on your roadmap points to a fix. Some are one-time projects. Others need a service that keeps the gap from reopening. These are the services common findings lead to.
| If the assessment finds | What usually closes the gap | Step |
|---|---|---|
| Missing updates on tested machines | Managed Patching & Vulnerability Management | 2 Prevent |
| Simulated malware is not stopped | Endpoint Protection, including monitored endpoint detection and response (EDR) | 2 Prevent |
| Users can be tricked by phishing or impersonation | Email Security & Awareness Training | 2 Prevent |
| Weak passwords, no MFA or too many admin accounts | Identity, MFA & Devices | 2 Prevent |
| The firewall stays silent while the test runs | Network Security & SASE with 24/7 network monitoring and a managed SIEM (security information and event management) | 3 Detect and respond |
| No one would notice an intruder at night or on a weekend | 24/7 MDR & Incident Response (managed detection and response), backed by the 24/7 NOC/SOC | 3 Detect and respond |
| Sensitive files in the wrong places or unencrypted drives | Compliance Management and WISP, IR Plans & GRC | 4 Govern and prove |
| An insurer, auditor or customer wants proof every quarter | Cyber Liability Essentials and Cyber Watch, with testing by the independent testing partner | 1 and 4 |
| Nobody owns the security plan or reports on it | vCISO & Cybersecurity Consulting (virtual chief information security officer) | 4 Govern and prove |
Free assessment or Cyber Watch?
The free assessment is a one-time baseline. Cyber Watch turns testing into a recurring program, and Cyber Liability Essentials adds the written security program, incident response plan and training records that insurers ask for.
| Free assessment | Cyber Watch | |
|---|---|---|
| Penetration testing | Once, Level 1, 3 to 5 machines | Quarterly, agent-based and credential-free |
| Vulnerability scans | Optional one-time external scan | Monthly, internal and external |
| Microsoft 365 security analysis | Not included | Quarterly review |
| Dark web credential monitoring | Not included | Included for your domains |
| Evidence | Point-in-time report and roadmap | Ongoing evidence for insurers and auditors |
| Cost | Free | Itemized and quoted with your plan |
Choose how the work gets done: fix findings as IT projects with an itemized scope, keep your team in charge with co-managed IT support, hand day-to-day operations to managed IT, or plan the bigger picture with IT consulting.
Why BTI
Why start with a BTI assessment
An assessment is only as useful as the people behind it and what happens after the readout.
- Over 40years in business
- 98%client retention
- 10,000+alerts handled
- 24/7NOC/SOC
Findings you can trust
Testing is run with an independent testing partner, so the results are not graded by the team that would sell you the fix.
A roadmap that works anywhere
Your report and roadmap are written so your own staff or your current provider can act on them, not only BTI.
The same team watches what comes next
If you choose managed security, BTI's 24/7 NOC/SOC monitors endpoints, identities, logs and networks as part of GlobalView IT support.
IT, cyber and physical security together
BTI also installs and supports cameras, access control and alarms, so converged security does not fall between two vendors.
Certified engineers
Microsoft Solutions Partner engineers design, deploy and support the fixes on your roadmap, from identity to firewalls.
Local teams in three metros
Engineers in Los Angeles and Southern California, Chicagoland and Phoenix, with the assessment available to organizations across the U.S.
Your Success, Our Goal
“Our first and primary goal is to deliver the foremost level of technical quality that can be delivered reliably for each client’s budget.”
Local IT teams
Free cybersecurity assessments near you
BTI's IT teams in three metro areas run discovery calls and readouts for local organizations. Outside these areas, organizations across the U.S. can request the assessment by phone or with the form.
Los Angeles & Southern California
The Santa Fe Springs team covers Los Angeles County, Orange County and the rest of Southern California.
Call 323-510-8003
Chicago & Chicagoland
The Downers Grove team covers Chicago, DuPage County and the surrounding suburbs.
Call 312-492-2613
Phoenix & Tucson
The Phoenix team covers the Phoenix metro area and organizations in Tucson.
Call 480-272-8728
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Questions
Free cybersecurity assessment FAQs
What is included in the free cybersecurity assessment?
A discovery call, a credential-free Level 1 penetration test of 3 to 5 machines you choose, an optional external scan, a written report, a prioritized roadmap and a readout with a senior BTI engineer. The test covers patching, firewall alarming, identity and passwords, sensitive data exposure, malware defenses and encryption.
What does credential-free penetration testing mean?
Nobody gives BTI or its independent testing partner a username or password. A testing agent on each selected machine probes what it can reach from there, the way an intruder would after compromising a trusted program, supplier connection or staff computer.
How many machines are tested?
The free assessment covers 3 to 5 machines. Wider testing can be scoped as a project or made recurring through Cyber Watch, which includes quarterly penetration tests.
Will testing disrupt my business?
You choose the machines and the timing on the discovery call, and you can leave out any system you consider sensitive. Raise concerns about specific machines on that call so the plan fits how your business runs.
Do I have to tell my current IT provider?
That is your decision. Some owners use the assessment as an independent check on their provider. Others bring the provider in from the start so fixes move faster.
What is the difference between the report and the roadmap?
The report explains what the test found, how serious each finding is and the evidence behind it. The roadmap puts the fixes in order: quick wins first, then planned projects, then the ongoing services that keep the gaps closed.
Is the assessment really free?
Yes. There is no charge and no obligation to buy anything. The report and roadmap are yours to keep whatever you decide.
Who performs the test?
BTI delivers the assessment with its independent testing partner. A senior BTI engineer leads the discovery call and the readout.
How is this different from a cybersecurity risk assessment?
A risk assessment reviews threats, likelihood and business impact, usually through interviews and documents. A penetration test shows what an intruder could actually reach. Many organizations start with the free test and then build a full risk program with a vCISO.
What happens after the readout?
Nothing, unless you want it to. Your team can work the roadmap, your current provider can take it on, or BTI can quote the fixes and services such as patch management, managed detection and response or Cyber Watch.
Is the assessment available outside Los Angeles, Chicago and Phoenix?
Yes. BTI has local IT teams in Los Angeles, Chicagoland and Phoenix, and organizations in other states are welcome to ask for it as well.
Ready to know where you stand?
Book a free consultation to talk through your environment, or request the assessment and pick the machines to test.
Talk to the BTI IT team for your location: Los Angeles 323-510-8003 · Chicago 312-492-2613 · Phoenix 480-272-8728
More answers on the cybersecurity services page.