Cyber security is evolving at pace, with organisations facing more complex threats, tighter margins for error, and increasing pressure to stay operational at all times. We spoke with Chris Woods, Founder and CEO of CyberQ Group, to understand how businesses can better prepare for today’s cyber landscape and what resilience really looks like in practice.

Q: Can you introduce CyberQ Group?

CyberQ Group is a global cyber security business. We’re headquartered in the UK at the West Midlands Cyber Hub, with additional teams in the Philippines, South Africa, and the US.

We’ve been operating for around nine years and are both CREST and ISO certified, with multiple industry awards over the last eight years. We work with organisations to help them understand cyber risk and build stronger resilience against attacks.

Q: What makes CyberQ Group different from other cyber security providers?

We are a pure-play cyber security business. That means we don’t provide IT support, networks, or resell technology products. We’re also technology agnostic.

Our focus is purely on protecting businesses and helping them become cyber resilient through consultancy and a range of cyber security services, including 24/7 protection.

Q: What led you to start CyberQ Group?

After spending over 25 years in the cyber security industry, working with organisations like Fujitsu and Hewlett Packard, including roles in Italy and the Middle East, I saw an opportunity to do things differently.

I realised businesses needed a more focused, independent approach to cyber security. That’s what led to CyberQ Group being founded in 2017.

Q: What are the biggest cyber security challenges businesses face today?

One of the biggest challenges is visibility of risk. Many organisations struggle to clearly understand where their vulnerabilities are.

When cyber security is managed internally or by general IT providers, it can be difficult to get an independent view, sometimes it’s like marking your own homework.

Working with a specialist partner helps businesses gain a clearer understanding of their risk and how to address it effectively.

Q: Which sectors do you see the most impact in when it comes to cyber risk?

We work across a range of industries, but manufacturing and retail are particularly exposed.

In retail especially, everything moves quickly and margins are tight. If something like payment processing goes down, it has an immediate impact on revenue and operations.

That’s why it’s so important to get ahead of risk and understand what needs to be in place to prevent disruption or respond quickly if something happens.

Q: Is cyber security still just about prevention?

Not anymore. Prevention is important, but it’s only part of the picture.

It’s equally about response, how you react when an incident happens and how quickly you can recover.

That includes understanding technical response, but also communications, legal considerations, and even cyber insurance processes.

Q: How does CyberQ Group help organisations prepare for incidents?

We run cyber boardroom simulations that show organisations what a real cyber attack would look like.

We bring together technical, PR, legal, and insurance perspectives so businesses understand the full impact of an incident, not just the IT side.

The goal is to ensure all parts of the organisation are aligned and ready to respond effectively if an attack happens.

Q: What role does AI play in cyber security?

AI is both a force for good and a challenge.

For defenders, it’s incredibly useful for enrichment and contextual understanding. We also use AI within our own product, Project Q, to help organisations understand what’s happening in their environments.

But attackers can also use AI to gather information and identify weaknesses more effectively. Like most technologies, it depends how it’s used.

Q: What typically brings clients to CyberQ Group?

Most clients come to us because they either lack visibility of their cyber risk or want independent external expertise.

Leaving cyber security entirely to internal teams or IT providers can create blind spots. An independent assessment provides clarity and confidence.

Q: What services do you typically start with?

We often begin with cyber maturity assessments or CREST-certified penetration testing. These help organisations understand their vulnerabilities and exposure.

From there, we build a roadmap to improve cyber security maturity. That could include board-level simulations, 24/7 monitoring, or supporting existing IT providers to ensure best practice is followed consistently.

Q: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned as a founder?

The biggest lesson is the importance of innovation and adaptability.

Every business faces challenges, whether from people, processes, or external pressures. The key is having the mindset to pivot, adjust, and keep moving forward.

In cyber security, that mindset is even more important because the threat landscape is constantly changing.

Q: What’s the core message for businesses today?

Cyber security is about being able to respond and recover effectively when cyber attacks happen, more so than preventing attacks altogether.

Organisations that invest in understanding their risk, testing their response, and building resilience are far better placed to deal with whatever comes next

Looking for a cyber security partner you can trust?

As cyber threats continue to evolve and become more sophisticated, organisations need more than just technical protection, they need clarity, confidence, and expert guidance to navigate an increasingly complex risk landscape.

At CyberQ Group, we help businesses move beyond uncertainty by delivering independent cyber security expertise, from CREST-certified penetration testing and cyber maturity assessments through to board-level cyber simulations, 24/7 monitoring, and strategic advisory services. Our approach is designed to give you a clear understanding of your risk, strengthen your resilience, and ensure your organisation is prepared to respond effectively when it matters most.

With deep industry experience and a pure focus on cyber security, we support organisations in building stronger defences, improving visibility, and embedding resilience across people, processes, and technology.

Get in touch with CyberQ Group today to discuss your cyber security challenges and find out how our expert-led services can help you reduce risk, improve resilience, and protect your business in a fast-changing digital world.