Strengthening cyber resilience for a modern housing provider
The Client
A UK-based housing association responsible for managing and maintaining homes and communities across the South West. Supporting a large workforce and a growing digital estate, the organisation relies heavily on Microsoft cloud technologies to deliver services to staff, tenants, and partners securely and efficiently.
As the organisation continued its digital transformation journey, it required a more structured and proactive approach to cyber security to ensure protection of sensitive housing and tenant data while meeting evolving regulatory and operational requirements.
The Challenge
The housing provider recognised the increasing importance of cyber resilience as cyber threats targeting public sector and housing organisations continued to grow in sophistication and frequency.
While the organisation had invested in Microsoft security technologies, it required specialist expertise to maximise the value of these platforms, strengthen operational security processes, and improve incident response readiness.
- Operational visibility
Improving detection and monitoring across endpoints, identities, and cloud services. - Security optimisation
Ensuring Microsoft security platforms were configured and maintained according to best practice. - Incident response readiness
Developing structured incident response processes and playbooks. - Security assurance
Introducing ongoing vulnerability scanning and independent penetration testing.
The Solution
CWSI delivered the SecureGuard managed security service, combining platform management, cyber security consultancy, and proactive security assurance.
- Advisory services
Providing expert cyber security guidance across identity, endpoint, and data protection. - Platform management services
Optimising Microsoft Defender, Sentinel, and Entra ID security configurations. - Incident response services
Developing response plans, playbooks, and operational threat monitoring. - Security assurance services
Including ongoing security control reviews and independent penetration testing.
The Results
Through its partnership with CWSI, the housing provider has established a more mature and proactive cyber security capability across its Microsoft-based environment.
Key Outcomes
- A stronger security posture, supported by an improved Microsoft Secure Score
- Greater visibility of threats across endpoints, identities, and cloud services
- Incident response now supported by defined playbooks and operational procedures
- Ongoing vulnerability management with regular penetration testing
- Internal teams supported by access to specialist cyber security expertise
Why CWSI
CWSI’s experience supporting organisations with complex Microsoft security environments ensured SecureGuard was delivered in a way that balanced strong protection with operational efficiency.
By focusing on practical platform optimisation, continuous monitoring, and enablement of the internal IT team, CWSI delivered a security capability that reduces risk while remaining scalable and easy to manage.
« Working closely with the organisation’s IT team, we helped strengthen their cyber security posture by optimising Microsoft’s security platform and introducing proactive daily and weekly checks alongside 24×7 monitoring. This approach improves threat and vulnerability detection and visibility, strengthens incident response readiness, and supports a more resilient security environment.”
Paul Jordan – Service Assurance Manager
