Cybersecurity services built for UK transport, logistics and warehouse SMEs.
Running a haulage firm, a 3PL or a regional warehouse is hard enough without a generic IT consultant talking at you in vendor jargon. We are a UK cybersecurity consultancy that grew up inside operational businesses. Our lead consultant has a military logistics background, an MSc in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics, the CEH certification and years of hands on work with UK SMEs. Every service below is scoped around dispatch, drivers, depots and the systems that actually move loads.
You will not get a 200 page report you cannot use. You will get a senior consultant, a clear plan, fixed pricing and direct access when something goes wrong. If a ransomware crew takes a swing at your TMS at 4am on a Tuesday, you want the person who already knows your dispatch process picking up the phone.
Why operators choose DefendVista
Operational background
Military logistics roots and direct experience inside UK SME transport, warehouse and fleet operations.
Credentialled leadership
MSc in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics, CEH certified, working to NCSC guidance and UK GDPR every day.
Built for SMEs
Fixed prices, plain English deliverables, no enterprise consultancy bloat. We move at the pace your business needs.
Proving your security to customers and procurement teams.
Cybersecurity is no longer only about avoiding attacks. For growing UK SMEs it is increasingly about showing customers, insurers and procurement teams that the right controls are in place. These two services focus on exactly that.
Contract Ready
Preparation of the cybersecurity controls, documentation and evidence increasingly requested during tenders, procurement and supplier onboarding. Assess, prepare, evidence, respond and maintain.
Contract Readiness Review £495. Implementation from £1,500.
See Contract Ready →Supplier Security Desk
Sent a supplier security questionnaire, procurement cyber form or insurer assessment? We help you understand it, match it to evidence you actually hold and prepare accurate responses.
Questionnaire support from £495. Ongoing desk from £199/month.
Get questionnaire support →Which one do I need?
Services are grouped by the problem that brought you here, not by technology. Every service stands on its own and is priced as a fixed package. If you are not sure which group you are in, start with the Cyber Readiness Check and we will point you at the right one.
Prove your security to customers, insurers and procurement
For businesses being asked to show evidence: certification, data protection records and answers a buyer will accept. Contract Ready and the Supplier Security Desk above sit alongside these.
Cyber Essentials Support
Pass Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus the first time, without the paperwork pain. We run the pre-assessment, close the gaps with your IT team, prepare every piece of evidence and walk you through certification with an accredited body.
- →Pass first time or we keep working until you do
- →Qualify for public sector and supply chain contracts
- →Reusable evidence pack for tenders and supplier questionnaires
DefendVista is a CyberSmart Registered Partner, supporting SMEs through their Cyber Essentials journey.
GDPR Compliance
Pragmatic UK data protection support for hauliers, fleets and 3PLs. Driver data, telematics records, tachograph files, customer addresses and CCTV all sit inside UK GDPR. We help you handle it properly without drowning in policy documents.
- →Records of processing, DPIAs and supplier contracts handled
- →Practical guidance for driver and customer data
- →Subject access and breach response procedures in place
Reduce the risk of an attack landing
For businesses that want fewer ways in. We find the weak points and get them closed, in plain English your IT team or MSP can act on.
Cyber Risk Assessments
A grounded review of where your transport, haulage or warehouse operation is actually exposed. We map the systems that move your loads, score them against the attacks hitting UK SMEs right now, and hand you a board-ready risk register written in plain English.
- →Plain English risk register with 90 day remediation plan
- →Mapped to NCSC guidance, Cyber Essentials and UK GDPR
- →Answers the questions your insurer and 3PL customers keep asking
Vulnerability Assessments
Targeted technical testing of the systems your operation cannot lose. We probe TMS, WMS, fleet portals, remote access and supplier integrations, then translate the findings into work your IT team or MSP can finish this quarter.
- →External, internal and cloud focused testing options
- →Findings ranked by business impact, not generic CVSS
- →Re-test included so you can prove the fixes worked
Security Awareness Training
Short, sector specific training for dispatchers, drivers, warehouse staff and finance. No generic videos. We use the scams that actually target UK transport businesses, including fake invoices, load diversion attempts and fuel card fraud.
- →Modules built around real incidents in UK logistics
- →Phishing simulations targeted at dispatch and finance
- →Reportable metrics for insurers and customers
Keep running when something goes wrong
For businesses worried about ransomware, downtime or a depot that cannot dispatch. Planning, protection and a rehearsed recovery route.
Incident Response Planning
A written, rehearsed plan for the morning a depot manager calls to say nothing is working. Roles, contact trees, out of band comms, customer messaging, evidence handling and the first 24 hours mapped out before the panic starts.
- →Editable plan tailored to your operation and shifts
- →Tabletop exercise with operations, IT and finance leads
- →Aligned to NCSC and ICO breach reporting expectations
Ransomware Protection
End to end ransomware defence built around how transport and logistics businesses actually run. Hardening, monitored EDR, immutable backups, segmentation and a rehearsed recovery path so a single click does not stop your fleet for a week.
- →Immutable, tested backups with quarterly restore drills
- →Monitored endpoint detection on every laptop and server
- →Network segmentation between corporate, operational and guest
Ongoing security leadership
For businesses that need a named senior owner for security without hiring one full time.
Virtual CISO Services
A named, MSc qualified security lead embedded in your business. We run your security roadmap, chair risk meetings, answer customer due diligence and stand behind your tender responses. Senior leadership at a fraction of the cost of a hire.
- →Predictable monthly retainer, no recruitment risk
- →Board ready reporting that translates risk into pounds
- →Single accountable owner across IT, HR and operations
Sector and solution deep dives
If you want a deeper read on a specific sector or threat, these pages cover the operational detail in full.
Common questions about working with us
Do you only work with transport and logistics businesses?
That is our specialism and where we add the most value, but we also work with warehousing, manufacturing, professional services and healthcare SMEs across the UK. If your operation depends on systems running every day, we can help.
How quickly can you start?
Most engagements start within two weeks of the initial call. For active incidents or urgent tender deadlines we can mobilise inside 48 hours.
Do you replace our IT provider or MSP?
No. We work alongside your existing IT team or MSP. Our role is independent security leadership and assurance. Your IT provider keeps the lights on, we focus on risk, resilience and compliance.
What does an engagement typically cost?
Fixed fees for one off work like risk assessments and Cyber Essentials, and a transparent monthly retainer for vCISO or ongoing support. You will always get a written quote before any work starts.
Are your consultants UK based and security cleared?
Yes. Every consultant is UK based and our lead consultant holds a military logistics background, an MSc in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics and the CEH certification. We can complete supplier security questionnaires on request.
Will any of this disrupt our operation?
No. We design every engagement to work around dispatch, drivers and depot hours. Interviews are scheduled, scans are read only and changes are agreed and tested before they go live.
Not sure which service you need? Have a chat with us.
Thirty minutes with a senior DefendVista consultant. We will tell you straight whether we can help, and what to do first if we cannot.