Cybersecurity firm expands following a record year

Leeds-based cybersecurity consultancy, Pentest People, has announced its expansion plans following a record year of business growth that saw its revenues increase by 60%.

Organisations commission the firm’s experts to test their websites, applications and IT systems for any weaknesses that could allow cybercriminals to steal information, damage IT systems, or hold data to ransom.

Co-founder, Andrew Mason, attributes the company’s rapid growth to the solutions offered by its skilled security consultants.

These include SecureGateway, a device that was developed and released at the start of lockdown, enabling penetration testers to continue performing internal testing of clients’ systems while everyone was working from home.

To help clients continually improve their security defences, the company also launched its Dark Web Monitoring service in February, to allow clients to proactively monitor for any mentions of their brand, URLs, or IP addresses on underground online marketplaces where cyber criminals often advertise stolen data.

This new service was swiftly followed by the launch of the Pentest People Red Team Assessment Service in March, which allows organisations to test their ability to withstand a full scale, targeted cyberattack.

In addition to retaining existing clients, Pentest People continued to attract new business and increased headcount during the pandemic.

A number of CHECK team leaders have been recruited, who possess qualifications and penetration testing experience approved by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which has won additional public sector contracts for the company.

Led by technical director, Gavin Watson, and sales director, Anthony Harvey, Pentest People has grown to over 70 employees within three years, with ten new members of staff added since the start of 2021.

To accommodate its growing team, Pentest People moved into the largest office in the Round Foundry Media Centre, at Leeds South Bank, at the start of March.

Mason said, “Anthony, Gavin and the team have done a fantastic job of growing business during an exceptionally challenging year.

“We are keen to reinvest in the growth of Pentest People and in the next 12 months we plan to open additional offices in London and Cheltenham, at the heart of the UK’s cyber security operations.

“We’re adding new services in response to customers’ needs and hiring new CHECK team leaders, as well as taking on apprentices who show an aptitude for cyber security, so we can nurture their skills and provide them with solid professional experience and expertise.”