Cybersecurity Services in Chicago Built on a Defined Baseline
Most Chicago businesses have more security exposure than they realize. Not because they ignored it, but because security was added one product at a time as problems came up: an antivirus here, a firewall from the last IT company, a Microsoft 365 subscription nobody fully configured. That approach leaves gaps, and attackers target gaps.
Datastrive’s cybersecurity services are built around the CIS Controls v8.1 framework. That means we start from a defined baseline, not from whatever gets sold first. We explain what each control covers, which ones matter most for your business, and which ones you don’t need to spend money on yet.
- Chicago-based team, serving businesses across Cook, DuPage, Lake and Will counties
- CIS Controls v8.1 framework applied to every engagement as a recognized security baseline
- Separate services available or bundled into an IT services agreement
- Support routed through the client portal, email and a shared business phone so nothing falls through
Book a Free Security Review
Tell us a little about your business and someone from our team will reach out to set up a time. Your information stays private.
Why Cybersecurity for Small and Mid-Sized Businesses Is Its Own Problem
Enterprise cybersecurity tools, staff and budgets don't translate directly to a 30 or 100 person business. The threats are similar. The resources available to deal with them are not.
Chicago SMBs are targeted by phishing emails, credential theft, ransomware, and business email compromise at a rate that hasn't slowed down. Most of these attacks don't require sophisticated exploits. They rely on unpatched software, employees who don't recognize a convincing phishing message, and systems that weren't hardened when they were set up. The defenses that stop them don't require enterprise budgets. They do require consistency and a plan.
Cyber insurance has added another layer of accountability. Insurers now look for documented evidence of specific controls before writing or renewing a policy. Knowing which controls you have in place, and being able to show your work, has become part of doing business.
The Cybersecurity Services We Provide in Chicago
Each service below is available as a standalone engagement or as part of a managed cybersecurity agreement. We'll tell you which ones your business actually needs before recommending a combination.
Endpoint Security and Protection
Endpoint security covers the devices your team uses every day: laptops, desktops, and servers. Our endpoint security services go beyond basic antivirus. Before building out this service for your environment, we confirm which endpoint detection and response capabilities apply to your specific setup so you're not paying for coverage that doesn't fit your fleet.
Email Security
Phishing is still the most common way attackers get into a business. Email security adds filtering, impersonation detection and malware inspection to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace inboxes. The goal is to stop the message before it reaches someone who might click.
Managed Firewall
A firewall configured at installation and left alone is not a managed firewall. Managed firewall services include the ongoing policy review, alert monitoring and tuning that keeps network perimeter controls meaningful as your environment changes.
Security Awareness Training
Technology alone won't stop a well-crafted phishing email if the person reading it doesn't recognize it. Security awareness training runs ongoing phishing simulations and training content for your team, with documented participation records. Cyber insurance carriers and enterprise procurement teams increasingly ask for evidence of a running training program.
Mobile Device Management
When employees use phones and tablets for work, those devices become an access point into your systems. Mobile device management lets us enforce encryption, require passcodes, set access policies and selectively wipe a device if it's lost, stolen or leaves the company.
Identity and Access Management
Controlling who can access what, and proving it, is one of the most practical things a business can do for its security. Identity and access management services cover single sign-on, multi-factor authentication enforcement and access policy across your applications, reducing the risk from stolen credentials and making it easier to offboard staff cleanly.
Vulnerability Assessment
You can't fix what you can't see. Vulnerability assessments scan your environment for known weaknesses, prioritize them by actual risk, and produce a remediation plan. Regular scanning also gives you documented evidence that your environment is being actively reviewed.
Managed Detection and Response
Managed detection and response keeps eyes on your environment for signs of active threats. Where endpoint protection and firewall controls prevent known attacks, MDR looks for behavior that suggests something is happening even when no known signature matches. We verify scope and response responsibilities with each client during onboarding so coverage expectations are clear from the start.
Microsoft 365 Security
Microsoft 365 is the most targeted cloud platform for business accounts. Microsoft 365 security and MDR covers the monitoring and configuration work specific to your Microsoft 365 environment: conditional access, mailbox rules review, login anomaly detection and response tied specifically to your tenant.
Built Around the CIS Controls Framework
The Center for Internet Security publishes the CIS Controls, a well-recognized set of security practices organized by how fundamental they are to a working defense. We build every Datastrive cybersecurity engagement around this framework because it gives clients a common reference point for what's being done and why.
Implementation Group 1, which covers the foundational controls every organization should have regardless of size, is the baseline on every engagement. For businesses with more regulated data or higher risk exposure, we work through the higher implementation groups where they apply.
Cybersecurity and Cyber Insurance
Cyber insurance underwriting has changed significantly. Carriers are now asking detailed questions about endpoint protection, multi-factor authentication, email security, backup and recovery, and security awareness training before issuing or renewing policies. Some clients come to us after a failed renewal or an increased premium and find that specific controls they lacked were the reason.
We can help you understand which controls your policy is likely to ask about and make sure those controls are documented and in place before you fill out an underwriting questionnaire. We don't provide insurance advice and we don't guarantee a specific policy outcome, but having your security controls organized, current and documented makes the conversation with your carrier more straightforward.
- Endpoint protection
- Multi-factor authentication
- Email security
- Backup and recovery
- Security awareness training
How We Work Through Cybersecurity Engagements
Before recommending any tool or service, we want to understand your current setup. We look at what's already in place, what's missing, and what the actual exposure is. Our cybersecurity engagements follow the same approach as our broader IT work.
We treat your money like it's ours.
If a service doesn't apply to your environment, we won't include it in a proposal. “We'll tell you if you don't need it” applies to security as much as anything else.
We explain what we're doing and why.
Every control we implement maps back to a specific risk or a specific framework requirement. You should understand what you're getting, not just trust that it's working.
We work with your existing IT setup.
If you already have an internal IT person or a specific tool you want to keep, we build around that. Co-managed IT means you don't have to hand everything over to work with us on security.
What a Security Review Covers
We review your environment.
We look at what's already in place, what's missing, and what the actual exposure is.
We map it against the CIS Controls baseline.
Implementation Group 1 is the reference point, so you can see which foundational controls are covered and which are not.
We tell you what we'd actually recommend.
You get the gaps that matter most and a practical look at where you stand. No sales pitch.
What a Security Framework Does and Doesn't Promise
Using a recognized framework does not mean we promise regulatory compliance. Compliance with HIPAA, PCI DSS or any other specific regulation depends on your operations, your contracts and your industry, not just your security tools. What the framework gives you is a defensible, documented approach to security that you can explain to an insurer, a client or an auditor.
Cybersecurity Services for Chicago Industries
Different industries have different data, different software and different threat exposure. We support businesses across several Chicago sectors.
See all industries we support for the full list.
- Law firms handle privileged client communications and documents that require controlled access and careful email security
- Healthcare practices work with patient information and clinical software that needs controlled access and documented security practices
- Financial services firms deal with sensitive client financial data and vendor relationships that carry their own security requirements
- Manufacturers run office and production technology that depends on network stability and protected file access
- Nonprofits handle donor records, grant reporting and staff data that require consistent access controls and backup
Coverage Across Chicago and the Suburbs
Our team works with businesses throughout Chicago and the broader Chicagoland area, including Skokie, Schaumburg, Naperville, Oak Brook, Elk Grove Village, Rosemont, Downers Grove and Aurora. View the full Chicagoland service area covering Cook, DuPage, Lake and Will counties.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cybersecurity Services in Chicago
What does a managed cybersecurity service actually include?
What is the CIS Controls framework and why does it matter?
Do your cybersecurity services cover HIPAA or PCI compliance?
Do I need a full managed security agreement or can I start with one service?
How does cybersecurity relate to the IT services agreement?
What do you recommend for a business with no existing security tools?
How do existing clients contact you for security issues?
Start With a Security Review
Tell us about your current setup and what prompted you to look at this. We’ll review your environment, map it against the CIS Controls baseline, identify the gaps that matter most and tell you what we’d actually recommend. No sales pitch, just a practical look at where you stand.
Book a Free Security Review
Tell us a little about your business and someone from our team will reach out to set up a time. Your information stays private.