■Independent penetration testing & cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Advice That Makes Business Sense.

I provide independent security assessments and advice that take account of your business priorities, budget and real-world constraints.

No fear-based selling. No unnecessary complexity. Just practical advice and honest answers.

Ronin independent security testing

ronin / independent security testing

uk-based

What I Can Help With

Every organisation is different, but here are some examples of the work I undertake and what you might expect to pay.

INVENTORY

REVIEW

ADVISORY

TRAINING

REVIEW

Not sure what you need? Tell me a little about your organisation and what you're concerned about - I'll let you know whether I think I can help.

How I Work

You deal directly with me.

Ronin-Pentest is a personal consultancy, not a large firm with layers of account managers and junior consultants. I use modern tools, automation and the support of a small technical team to work efficiently, but I'm personally responsible for the work and the advice I provide.

I believe findings should be supported by evidence, recommendations should be proportionate to the actual risk, and security decisions should take account of commercial reality.

A vulnerability isn't automatically a catastrophe.

A clean scan doesn't prove that a system is secure, and spending more money doesn't necessarily make you safer.

If something is serious, I'll explain why. If I think you're worrying unnecessarily, I'll tell you that too.

And if I don't know something, I'll say so.

I'd rather give you an honest answer than a reassuring one that isn't supported by the evidence.

A Bit More About Me

Ben Brown, founder of Ronin

BEN BROWN FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT

I didn't start my working life in cybersecurity. Far from it. In my late teens and twenties, I worked across several businesses, sectors and countries. Some things went well. Others went spectacularly badly.

Failure is a really good teacher, especially when you're the person paying for the lesson. Those experiences taught me to question assumptions, recognise uncertainty and think about the real consequences of decisions.

I've brought that approach into my cybersecurity career, where my background has been primarily in offensive security: finding weaknesses, understanding how they can be exploited and helping organisations decide what to do about them.

These days, I'm also interested in the economics of cybersecurity, the opportunities and limitations of AI, and how we can make effective security more widely available.

Jane Foundation & VectorGuard

Alongside Ronin, I'm developing the Jane Foundation and VectorGuard, its first cybersecurity project.

Jane Foundation

A foundation working to make effective security more widely available - particularly to the smaller organisations, charities and nonprofits that can't afford the services they need, yet often affect far more people than just themselves when something goes wrong.

VectorGuard

Jane Foundation's first project. VectorGuard aims to use automation and AI-assisted analysis to provide defensive cybersecurity assessments free to the organisations that use them.

You might even find that my advice is, “Start with a free VectorGuard assessment, and then we'll see whether there's anything that warrants spending money on.”

Ronin-Pentest is my separate commercial consultancy, providing bespoke testing and advice to paying clients. It operates independently of the Jane Foundation and VectorGuard.

What Clients Value

How clients describe working with Ronin - clear findings, honest advice and testing they can act on.

We use Ronin every year to ensure our servers are not vulnerable to attack. Their service is second to none. They run tests, try to break in the way a hacker would, and then provide us with a report about what we need to address in order of priority. For peace of mind for us and our customers, we wouldn't go anywhere else.

Ben is a very personable face of the company - we know that dealing with Cyber stuff usually means being talked to by insanely clever people who make us feel a bit thick. Ben does nothing of the sort. He explains everything in simple ways that we understand.

5 stars don't really seem enough!

CmdShiftR Ltd

I was contracted to carry out some policy writing for Ronin PenTest. Working with them was a pleasure. The customers needs were paramount. We evaluated the requirements, carried out a Gap Analysis, and developed several policies in a short time. Ben was focused, professional, and very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend their services and wouldn't hesitate to enter into contracted work with Ronin again.

Stuart W

Happy to recommend Ben and the team at Ronin-Pentest - they provided great information and advice in plain English after 'friendly-hacking' a clients website, which enabled us to make their online presence more safe and secure.

Chris Nyland

  • Independent consultancy
  • Offensive-security background
  • Evidence-led findings
  • Direct access
  • No fear-based selling
  • Confidential by default

Questions,
Answered Plainly

A few things that come up often. If yours isn't here, just ask.

What does a penetration test actually involve?

A manually led assessment where I try to break into your systems the way a real attacker would, rather than running a scanner and handing over the output. I test web applications, APIs, networks and infrastructure, investigate how any weaknesses could actually be exploited, and explain what they mean for your organisation.

Will testing disrupt our live systems?

No. Testing is conducted carefully and methodically to avoid disruption or downtime. Any tests that carry potential risk are flagged in advance and scheduled at agreed times—often outside normal business hours if preferred.

What do I get at the end?

A clear, actionable report written in plain English. It includes an executive summary for leadership, detailed technical findings with evidence and reproduction steps, and practical, prioritised remediation advice tailored to your organisation.

How long does an engagement take?

Most engagements take between 3 and 10 days of testing, depending on the scope and complexity of the target systems. We agree on the timeline and milestones during scoping before any work begins.

How much does it cost?

Pricing is fixed-fee and agreed upfront based on the scope, so there are never unexpected bills. For indicative pricing on common services, see the services section above or get in touch for a bespoke quote.

Is Ronin-Pentest independent?

Yes, 100% independent. I do not resell hardware, software, or partner tools, and I don't take referral commissions. The advice and findings you receive are purely based on what is right for your organisation.

How do you handle confidentiality?

All engagements are covered by strict non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). Findings, client data, and communications are securely handled, encrypted at rest and in transit, and destroyed according to strict retention schedules.

Do you only work with large organisations?

Not at all. I work with organisations of all sizes, from startups, SMEs, and charities to larger enterprises. The approach and scope are always scaled to fit your actual risk and resources.

What is the Jane Foundation and VectorGuard?

Alongside Ronin, I'm developing the Jane Foundation—a non-profit initiative to make effective security more widely accessible to smaller organisations—and VectorGuard, its first automated, AI-assisted cybersecurity assessment project.

How do we get started?

Simply get in touch via email or WhatsApp with a brief summary of your organisation and what you'd like to test or protect. We'll arrange an informal scoping call and take it from there.

Let's Talk

If you've got a security problem, need an independent assessment or simply want a second opinion, I'm here to help. You don't need to know exactly which service you're looking for.

Email

Best for a short summary of what you need.

WhatsApp

For a quick question or to arrange a call.

Based in

United Kingdom

Working with organisations across the UK, remotely.

Tell me a little about your organisation and what you're concerned about. I'll let you know whether I think I can help.

And if I think there's a simpler or cheaper way to get the answer you need, I'll tell you.

Before you sendPlease don't include passwords, credentials or other sensitive information in an initial message. If we need to share anything sensitive, we'll agree a secure way to do it.

Ronin Pentest

Ronin Pentest

Independent Penetration Testing & Cybersecurity Consultancy

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