Small business security audits and setup

Small offices such as dental practices, accountants, law firms, contractors and shops with no in-house IT person.

Fixed fee per audit, fees for fixing and setting up protection, and an optional monthly retainer for monitoring, updates and support.

• Networking and device security knowledge
• Clear written reports
• Sales and relationship building with business owners

• Professional liability: if a client is breached after your work, you could be blamed, so use careful contract wording and insurance
• Clients in health care, finance or law may have extra data rules (such as HIPAA), so check what applies before taking them on
• Get written authorization before testing or scanning any client network
• Check whether your state or city requires a business license, and your state's rules on charging sales tax for services
• Certifications such as Security+ are not legally required but can help win trust

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $500 to $4,000, depending on the software, insurance, training and certifications you choose. Treat this as an estimate and price out your own setup, including any contract and insurance needs, before you start.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on how many clients you win, what you charge and whether you add ongoing monitoring or training. The estimate assumes roughly 10 or more hours a week.

Check whether clients in health care, finance or law have extra data rules such as HIPAA. Get written authorization before scanning any network. Check your state or city business license and sales tax rules for services, and ask about liability insurance and contract wording.