What is a Discover Session?

A Discover Session is the starting point at which your organisation gains insight into the areas where cyber risks are greatest, before you invest in measures. Not a scan that produces isolated findings, but a targeted analysis of where an attacker would genuinely stand a chance within your environment.

Why cybersecurity starts with a Discover Session

Many organisations start with technology. A firewall here, a tool there. Without first knowing where the real risks lie, that is guessing with budget and time. A Discover Session reverses that order. You first gain clarity on what truly matters, so that you can then make informed choices.

The session looks not only at systems, but also at people and processes. It is precisely in that combination that most risks arise. A technically well-secured system can still be vulnerable due to a process that is not properly set up, or because employees unknowingly provide an entry point.

What a Discover Session examines exactly

Depending on your organisation, sector and risk profile, the session maps out a number of things. Think of the most important systems and processes within your organisation, the attack paths leading towards those critical components, and the technical, organisational and human risks involved.

In addition, existing measures are reviewed. What is already working well and where are the blind spots that no one had noticed yet. The latter is often more valuable than confirming what you already knew.

The difference from a standard scan

A scan produces a list of findings. Useful, but not always actionable, because a list says nothing about priority. Ten vulnerabilities may appear equally serious on paper, while in practice only one of them leads to a serious problem.

A Discover Session therefore works with an Attack Path Analysis. This makes visible how individual findings together form a realistic attack path and reinforce one another. That way you see not only what can go wrong, but also how likely that scenario truly is.

What the session delivers

The result is not a thick report that disappears into a drawer. You get a clear picture of where your organisation stands, usable by both IT and security teams as well as by management. Concretely, that means a distinction between what deserves immediate attention, what can wait until later, and where deliberate risk acceptance is a realistic option.

That last point is often underestimated. Not every risk needs to be resolved. Sometimes it is wiser to consciously accept a risk, provided that choice is made deliberately and does not arise from ignorance.

How a Discover Session unfolds

The process begins with a substantive introductory meeting, in which we jointly determine which parts of your organisation are relevant to examine. This is followed by the investigation itself into the systems, processes and people that truly matter.

We translate the outcomes into concrete priorities, so that you know where to focus your attention first. The entire process typically takes two to four weeks, meaning you get direction relatively quickly without your organisation coming to a standstill for weeks of investigation.

Who a Discover Session is intended for

The session is particularly valuable for organisations that want to know where they truly stand, for example with a view to NIS2 obligations, ISO 27001 or requirements from an insurer. The session also provides a concrete starting point when the board is asking for greater control over cyber risk.

Organisations without a large internal security team benefit from it as a low-threshold first step. You do not need an extensive security department to know where you are vulnerable. External advice is especially valuable in that situation, because you look at your own organisation with a fresh, objective perspective.

When a Discover Session is the logical next step

Being secure is a snapshot in time. Today's situation says little about the risks six months from now, especially if your organisation is growing, changing systems or new legislation is coming into effect. A Discover Session gives you the clarity you need at such a moment to make well-considered choices, rather than relying on assumptions.

If you recognise that uncertainty about exactly where your greatest risks lie, or you notice that decisions about cybersecurity are mostly made on gut feeling, then this is the moment to answer that question seriously. The outcomes also form a solid foundation for follow-up steps, whether that is a technical deep dive, attention to human risk or a broader investigation into your security level. That way you know not only where you stand now, but also which choices are logical next.