About Black Swan
Cyber security for organisations that don’t have time to become cyber security experts.
If you’re running a school, care service, or small business, you’re already dealing with enough. Cyber risk often sits in the background - until it suddenly doesn’t.
That’s where we come in.
Practical advice. Joined-up protection. Clear direction on what actually matters for your business - not just more tools.
Someone needs to join it all up.
Most smaller organisations already have technology.
Microsoft 365. An IT provider. Antivirus. Backups. MFA. Maybe several cyber security products added over the years.
The problem is not always that something is missing.
It is that nobody is looking at the whole picture.
Who is checking that your IT, cyber security, suppliers, Microsoft 365, backups and recovery plans actually work together?
Black Swan provides cyber security and technology leadership for smaller organisations that need proper protection and experienced advice without building an enterprise-sized IT and security team.
Sometimes that means managed cyber security. Sometimes it means vCISO or Fractional IT Director support. Sometimes it means putting better tools in place.
And sometimes it means telling you that what you already have is perfectly good enough.
Advice first. Tools second.
This is what we walk into most of the time.
There is usually plenty of technology already in place. The uncertainty is around how well it all fits together, who owns what and what would happen if something went wrong.
“We’ve got Microsoft 365… I think it’s secure?”
Backups are in place… but nobody has actually tested a restore.
MFA is enabled… but nobody has checked exclusions, old accounts or risky logins.
Several security products have been added over time… but nobody is quite sure how they fit together.
Security alerts exist… but who is actually looking at them at 2:13am?
There is a feeling things could be better… just no clear plan for what to fix first.
None of this automatically means you have bad IT support or bad cyber security.
It usually means nobody has had the time or remit to join it all up.
That is often where Black Swan comes in.
See the whole picture. Protect what matters. Be ready when something happens.
Cyber security is not about buying every tool available. It is about understanding the organisation, reducing the sensible risks first and making sure you can recover when prevention is not enough.
See the whole picture
Understand your devices, Microsoft 365 environment, suppliers, accounts, data, backups, compliance requirements and existing security controls.
Then work out where the real gaps are.
Protect what matters
Put proportionate controls around the things that genuinely matter to your organisation.
That might include endpoint protection, patching, email security, identity monitoring, backup, passwords or managed detection.
Be ready when something happens
Monitoring, tested backups, recovery planning and clear ownership help stop a security incident becoming a business crisis.
Prevention matters. Recovery matters too.
You may already have IT support. That does not mean somebody owns the whole picture.
We do not need to replace a good MSP, internal IT person or trusted technology supplier.
In many cases, we work alongside them.
When you need stronger protection
Device security, identity protection, email security, patching, backup and managed detection using specialist cyber security technology.
Explore managed cyber security →When you need someone steering cyber security
Cyber strategy, risk, compliance, insurance requirements, policies, resilience and a practical roadmap for what to do next.
Explore vCISO support →When the problem is bigger than cyber
IT strategy, suppliers, projects, budgets, procurement, resilience and technology decisions considered from your side of the table.
Explore Fractional IT Director →Advice first does not mean tools last.
Good advice still needs to turn into action. When better protection is needed, Black Swan supplies and manages practical cyber security products for smaller organisations.
The difference is that we start with the problem you are trying to solve rather than forcing every customer into the same stack.
Nest Protect
Managed next-generation antivirus, patch management and ransomware encryption protection.
A sensible step up from basic antivirus for organisations that want stronger day-to-day device protection.
Pricing subject to licence terms and device compatibility.
See Nest Protect →Huntress Managed EDR
Human-led endpoint monitoring for laptops, desktops and servers.
Huntress analysts investigate suspicious activity so you are not left staring at another security alert wondering what it means.
12-month minimum. Volume and education pricing may apply.
Explore Huntress Managed EDR →Microsoft 365 Backup
Independent cloud backup for Microsoft 365 email, files and sites.
Because protecting an account and being able to recover deleted, changed or compromised data are two different jobs.
12-month minimum subscription.
Explore Microsoft 365 Backup →Cyber Security Marketplace
Endpoint protection, identity security, email protection, backup, password management and managed detection.
Start with the problem you need to solve and build from there.
Browse the marketplace →Not sure which one you need? That is normal. We would rather help you choose something proportionate than sell you the biggest package simply because it exists.
Kevin Walker
Founder, Black Swan Cyber Security Solutions
Kevin has spent more than 30 years working in IT, including more than 20 years supporting schools, smaller organisations and local businesses.
That means working in real environments with real constraints: tight budgets, ageing systems, busy staff, supplier problems, compliance pressure and services that still have to work on Monday morning.
Black Swan grew from that practical background.
Understand the problem. Work out what actually matters. Choose proportionate protection. Make the next step clear.
Technology leadership grounded in the real world
IT and cyber security increasingly overlap.
Microsoft 365, identity, backup, remote working, AI, cloud services, cyber insurance, suppliers and business continuity cannot sensibly be viewed as unrelated conversations.
Black Swan can help connect those conversations rather than leaving them in separate silos.
And because we can both advise and implement, the recommendation does not have to stop at a report.
Practical experience behind the advice.
30+ years
IT experience covering technology, infrastructure, cyber security and practical problem solving.
20+ years
Supporting schools, smaller organisations and local businesses.
Chesterfield
Based in Derbyshire and supporting organisations locally and across the UK.
Founder-led
Advice, strategy and security support without disappearing into a large account-management chain.
Black Swan was chosen for a reason.
A Black Swan event is something most people did not expect, but which can have a serious impact when it arrives.
In cyber security, that might be ransomware, a compromised Microsoft 365 account, a supplier breach, a lost laptop, a deleted SharePoint library or a convincing fake invoice.
We are not here to pretend every risk can be predicted. Nobody can honestly promise that.
Reduce the obvious risks
MFA, patching, secure devices, email protection, password management and sensible configuration help close the doors attackers try first.
Watch for the unexpected
Managed detection, identity monitoring and 24/7 response options help spot the things that do not arrive politely during office hours.
Recover with confidence
Backups, restore testing and clear recovery planning help make sure one cyber incident does not become a business crisis.
The Black Swan approach is simple: do not rely on perfect predictions. Build an organisation that can take a hit, respond calmly and keep moving.
Do not just take our word for it.
Black Swan's work has been featured by technology partners, clients, local organisations and the media.
Huntress case study
Read Huntress's case study about Black Swan's managed cyber security work.
Read the case study →Heimdal education feature
Partner feature covering Black Swan's work supporting cyber security in UK education.
Read the feature →Client feedback
See what organisations say about working with Black Swan.
Read client feedback →Media commentary
Read Kevin Walker's cyber security commentary, interviews and media contributions.
See media coverage →Get a feel for how we think.
These conversations give you a better idea of how Black Swan explains cyber security, approaches risk and turns technical issues into practical decisions.
Advice first. Tools second.
Anyone can sell software.
The useful bit is knowing what actually matters for your organisation and what does not.
Black Swan works with specialist technologies including Huntress, Heimdal, Check Point and other providers rather than pretending one vendor is the answer to every problem.
When you need a tool, we can supply and manage it.
When you do not, we will say so.
Organisations that depend on technology but do not have a large internal IT and cyber team.
Small businesses. Schools. Care providers. Professional services. Charities and other smaller organisations.
The common factor is not the industry.
It is needing proper technology and cyber security without enterprise complexity, cost or headcount.
Built to be responsible, not just secure.
Cyber security is about technology, but choosing who you trust with it is about more than software.
- Plain-English advice without unnecessary scare tactics.
- Proportionate recommendations based on risk and budget.
- Honest advice even when the answer is to buy less.
- Working alongside good existing IT providers rather than replacing them for the sake of it.
- Supporting local organisations and communities.
- Focusing on long-term relationships rather than short-term sales.
You do not need to know which product you need before you speak to us.
Start with what you already have, what is worrying you and what you are trying to protect.
We can help you work out what is already good, where the gaps are and what is actually worth doing next.
Want to go a little deeper?
Start with the area that most closely matches the problem you are trying to solve.
Managed cyber security
Layered protection, monitoring and support built around your risks.
Explore managed security →Huntress pricing
See current Black Swan pricing for Huntress Managed EDR and identity protection.
See Huntress pricing →Heimdal cyber security
Endpoint protection, ransomware defence, patching, DNS security and MXDR.
Explore Heimdal →Microsoft 365 security
Protect email, accounts, identities and Microsoft 365 data.
Secure Microsoft 365 →vCISO
Ongoing cyber security leadership, risk management and practical guidance.
Explore vCISO →Fractional IT Director
Senior IT strategy, supplier management, projects, budgets and resilience.
Explore Fractional IT Director →Nest Protect
Managed device protection, patching and ransomware encryption protection.
See Nest Protect →Cyber Security Marketplace
Browse packages and individual tools for devices, identities, email and data.
Browse products →Local tech community
Proud member of Tech Exchange Chesterfield
Black Swan Cyber Security Solutions is proud to be part of Tech Exchange Chesterfield, a local community bringing together people from Chesterfield’s tech and digital sector.
Tech Exchange helps developers, digital businesses, IT leaders, creatives, students and curious professionals meet, share ideas and build useful local connections.
For us, it fits perfectly. Cyber security should not sit in a silo. It works best when local businesses, education, technology and community groups talk to each other, learn from each other and help Chesterfield’s digital economy grow safely.
Visit Tech Exchange Chesterfield
Partnered with the world's leading cyber defenders
Meet Kevin: Founder & lead security consultant
Kevin has spent over 20 years solving real-world IT and cyber security challenges for organisations like yours. His approach is refreshingly straightforward: listen first, understand your constraints, then build security that actually works within your budget and compliance requirements.
Beyond technical expertise, Kevin brings a deep understanding of how organisations really operate, gained through years serving as a Parish Councillor, school governor, and charity trustee. He knows what it’s like to balance competing priorities, stretch budgets, and maintain public trust.
Whether you’re dealing with a security incident or simply want an honest assessment of your current protection, Kevin provides clear guidance without the sales pitch.
Ready to discuss your security needs?
Contact Kevin directly – no lengthy sales process, just practical advice from someone who genuinely wants to help.
