27 Controls. Every One Passed.

Posted: August 14, 2026Category:

A Northland business owner asked me a fair question this week – “how do I actually prove we’re secure?”

Not a gut feeling. Proof.

27 controls, checked one at a time

So we ran the business through SMB1001 Gold – the NZ small-business cyber standard. 27 controls, checked one at a time:

  • Multi-factor login (a code on your phone) on every account
  • Encrypted laptops
  • Machines kept patched
  • Backups you can actually restore
  • Staff trained to spot a dodgy email

The policy nobody expects

Part of it is having the right policies in place – including one on how your team can use AI.

When I showed him that one, he volunteered he’d spent the week pasting his contracts into the free version of ChatGPT – which can use whatever you type to train the model. His confidential wording, out the door.

That’s the whole game for us. Know IT & Prove IT.

Would your business pass?

If you’ve ever wondered whether your business would pass – or you just want to know where your gaps are – let’s have a chat. Nice and simple.

Take the free SMB1001 cyber readiness self-check, or get in touch and we’ll walk you through it.

Contact us today