The Challenge
A tier-one UK bank was carrying significant identity-related risk: privileged access had proliferated across the estate, Active Directory presented a large and poorly understood attack surface, and identity monitoring was insufficient to satisfy regulatory expectations under the FCA/PRA and the UK NIS regime. Leadership needed to reduce attack surface measurably, harden privileged access, and produce credible assurance evidence — while keeping a complex, highly technical delivery on track across many parallel teams.
The Solution
We mobilised a 12-workstream Active Directory security remediation programme and embedded privileged access governance across critical systems. The approach combined an AD tiering model, systematic rationalisation of privileged accounts, strengthened identity monitoring, and clear executive governance. Delivery was aligned to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, with demonstrable mapping to UK NIS Regulations / CAF principles (Identity & Access Control, Monitoring, Governance, and Resilience), giving the bank a single defensible assurance narrative. Cross-functional coordination spanned AD engineering, security operations, and architecture, with risk and progress reporting tailored for senior cyber leadership.
Technologies Used
The Results
- 40% reduction in privileged accounts, materially shrinking the privileged attack surface.
- 12 workstreams delivered under unified programme governance.
- Substantially improved identity monitoring and detection coverage.
- Regulatory assurance strengthened through documented NIST CSF to NIS/CAF mapping.
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