Your Cyber Self-Assessment Results: What They Say About Your Risk

So, you’ve completed a cybersecurity self-assessment. Maybe it was part of an insurance application, a compliance review, or a tool you found online. You answered questions about MFA, backups, training, and policies—then got a score or a risk category.

Now what?

Too many businesses treat self-assessments as a checkbox. But the truth is, your answers (and omissions) say a lot about your real-world cyber risk—and how you’d fare if hit with ransomware, an audit, or a denied insurance claim.

Here’s how to interpret your self-assessment results—and what they reveal about your business’s security, liability, and resilience.

🟢 1. “Low Risk” Doesn’t Mean “No Risk”

If your results indicate a low risk profile, that’s great—but it’s not a reason to get complacent.

What it really means:
You likely have strong foundational controls in place:

• MFA

• Secure, tested backups

• Employee training

• A written security policy

• Regular updates and patching

What to watch for:
Even strong programs break down over time. Risk changes as your business grows, adds vendors, or moves to the cloud. And attackers are constantly evolving.

What to do next:

• Treat your results as a snapshot, not a final verdict

• Reassess at least annually—or after major changes

• Look for ways to mature your program (e.g., incident response drills, vendor risk reviews, formal governance)

🟡 2. “Moderate Risk” = Legal and Financial Exposure

Most businesses fall here—and often think they’re doing enough. But even one missing control (like MFA or endpoint detection) can mean the difference between a contained incident and a full-blown crisis.

What it really means:
You have partial coverage but key gaps that could:

• Disrupt operations

• Increase breach scope

• Lead to denied cyber insurance claims

• Trigger regulatory scrutiny

What to do next:

• Prioritize high-impact, low-complexity fixes (MFA, endpoint protection, cloud access controls)

• Document your policies and risk decisions

• Align your program with a known framework (like NIST CSF or CIS Controls)

🔴 3. “High Risk” = Business and Reputational Danger

If your assessment flagged high risk, don’t panic—but don’t delay either. This often means your current security practices may not hold up to:

• A targeted attack

• A cyber insurance application

• A regulatory investigation

• Client security requirements

What it really means:
You’re likely missing multiple critical controls—or don’t have a documented and defensible program in place.

What to do next:

• Start with a baseline risk assessment from a qualified provider

• Build a roadmap to close gaps in order of priority

• Get help from experts who can turn your risk profile around quickly and cost-effectively

🧾 What Insurers and Regulators See in Your Self-Assessment

Keep in mind: your self-assessment may be shared with third parties—including:

• Cyber insurers (as part of underwriting or claims investigation)

• Regulators (as evidence of due care)

• Clients (especially in due diligence or vendor reviews)

If your answers suggest missing controls or undocumented policies, that could mean:

• Higher premiums or policy exclusions

• Greater legal exposure

• Lost business opportunities

✅ A Strong Cyber Program Is More Than a Score

Your self-assessment is a tool—not a diagnosis. It can guide your priorities, but what matters most is how well your security program matches your risk—and whether it’s documented, actionable, and defensible.

At Bawn, we help business leaders turn vague assessments into clear plans. We translate scores into action items, prioritize the right fixes, and help companies build security programs that stand up to insurers, regulators, and real-world attacks.

Ready to Take Action on Your Results?

→ Book a complimentary Cyber Risk Debrief with Bawn.

We’ll walk you through what your results really say—and how to move forward with clarity and confidence.