Managed IT & Support
Cybersecurity
Cloud, Backup & Network
A vulnerability assessment scans your computers, servers, network gear and cloud accounts for known weak spots, then ranks them by risk so you fix the right things first. Local technicians can walk your Chicago office in person.
Get a Free IT AssessmentA vulnerability assessment is a structured check of your technology for weaknesses that attackers already know how to use. Think of it like a building inspection. Someone walks through, checks every door, window and lock, and writes down what is broken. The difference is that your doors are computers, servers, firewalls, Wi-Fi, laptops and cloud accounts.
The scan looks for missing security updates, outdated software, default passwords, open ports, weak encryption and risky settings. It runs across your office network, your remote workers’ devices and the internet-facing systems anyone can reach. Most findings are not dramatic. They are small gaps that pile up quietly over months, usually because nobody had time to check.
What you get back matters more than the scan itself. You receive a clear report that lists each problem, explains what it could lead to and says how urgent it is. Chicago owners usually want three answers: what is the worst problem, how long will it take to fix and what will it cost. A good assessment gives you all three in writing.
Chicago offices run on a mix of old and new equipment. A law firm in a Loop high-rise may share a building network with other tenants. A manufacturer in Pilsen or on the Southwest Side may run machines and software that have not been updated in years. A West Loop startup may have a dozen cloud tools nobody fully tracks. Each setup hides different gaps, and attackers scan the internet constantly looking for the easy ones.
Many owners order an assessment because someone else asked for it. A cyber insurance renewal form, a bank, a hospital partner or a large client may want proof that you check your systems on a regular schedule. Others simply want to know where they stand after a staff change, an office move or a close call with a phishing email. Either way, you get facts instead of guesses, and a short list of fixes you can plan and budget.
Everything below is part of one monthly plan. Pick a topic to see what is handled for you and how it works in a Chicago office.
The scan maps every device that connects to your office network, including computers, printers, phones, cameras and guest devices. It checks each one for missing updates, open services and weak settings. Forgotten equipment is often the riskiest, so the first result is usually a complete device list.
Switches, routers, access points and firewalls are tested too. Old firmware on a firewall or a default login on a switch can undo thousands of dollars of other security work. You see each issue with a plain description and a suggested fix.
An external scan looks at your company the way a stranger on the internet would. It tests your website, remote access tools, email servers and any system reachable from outside. These are the doors attackers try first, and a single exposed login page can be enough.
Results show which services are open, which are outdated and which should not be public at all. Many Chicago offices find an old remote desktop port or forgotten test site left running. Closing them is often quick and cheap.
Laptops and servers hold your files and your logins, so they get a close look. The assessment checks for missing patches, outdated applications, weak encryption, local admin accounts and security tools that are turned off. Staff who work from home or on the train are included.
Servers get extra attention because one weak server can expose everything stored on it. The report separates urgent items from routine updates, so your team is not asked to fix everything at once. Patching gaps can be handed off for ongoing care.
Many breaches start in a cloud account, not on a server. The assessment reviews your Microsoft 365 and other cloud settings for weak sign-in rules, missing multi-factor authentication, risky sharing links and former employees who still have access.
These settings change over time as people join, leave and add new tools. A review shows where the drift happened and what to tighten. Most fixes are configuration changes that cost little and take hours, not weeks.
You receive a written report with an executive summary for owners and a detailed list for whoever does the repairs. Each finding has a risk rating, a short explanation and a recommended fix. There are no pages of raw scanner output.
We walk through the results with you on a call and answer questions. You can fix items yourself, hand them to your current IT person or have them handled for you. A rescan afterward confirms the work and updates your record.
Plenty of companies can fix a laptop. These are the three reasons clients mention most when they explain why they picked Ping Chicago.
Your technicians know how Loop high-rises handle building access, why basement server closets flood in summer storms and how long it really takes to reach Oak Brook at 4 p.m. That local knowledge turns into faster, calmer fixes.
Your network, devices and backups are watched around the clock. Most issues are caught and fixed before anyone in your office notices, and the rest are explained to you in plain English.
You get a written per-user quote after a free assessment, with every included service listed. No hourly surprises, no emergency rates and no fine print about what counts as extra.
Each part of Chicago has its own mix of buildings, equipment and risks. The assessment is adjusted to fit how your office actually runs.
Most Loop offices share a building’s internet riser, wiring closets and security desk. Managed IT here means working with property management on access and cabling, keeping remote access stable for commuters and scheduling after-hours work around building rules.
Creative agencies need fast Wi-Fi for large files and constant video calls, while medical offices near Northwestern Memorial need HIPAA-ready systems. Both get the same help desk, with security matched to the data they store.
Dental and medical practices, therapists and small firms run on a few critical systems: scheduling, imaging and billing. Managed IT keeps them patched, backed up and running before the first appointment of the day.
Point-of-sale systems, guest Wi-Fi and a handful of laptops can still take a shop offline. Managed IT separates guest and business networks and keeps payment systems updated and monitored.
Event, hospitality and professional offices near McCormick Place deal with seasonal rushes. Managed IT scales support around busy weeks and keeps shared and public spaces secure.
Practices and offices in Evanston and Skokie get the same remote help desk as downtown clients, with on-site visits scheduled for hardware, cabling and network work.
Logistics and distribution businesses near O’Hare run warehouses, scanners and shipping systems around the clock. Managed IT monitors those networks 24/7 and plans updates outside shift changes.
Many companies in Oak Brook, Naperville and Schaumburg run a suburban headquarters with a city branch. Managed IT connects both sites securely and supports staff at either location.
These three options are often confused. They answer different questions and cost different amounts, so it helps to see them side by side.
| Topic | Ping Chicago | Penetration Test | DIY Scanning Tool |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Scans broadly and ranks every weakness | Tries to break in using chosen weaknesses | Runs a scan, you read the output |
| Typical cost | Fixed fee, quoted in writing | Higher, priced by scope and days | Low software fee, plus your time |
| Coverage | Network, devices, cloud & internet-facing systems | Narrow, focused targets | Whatever you point it at |
| Report quality | Plain English with a ranked fix list | Detailed narrative of attack paths | Raw data, often hundreds of lines |
| Best for | Regular checkups, insurance & client requests | Proving a defense holds up | Tech-savvy teams with spare time |
| How often | Quarterly or yearly on a schedule | Usually once a year or after major changes | Whenever someone remembers |
| Help fixing issues | Fixes planned, handled or verified by rescan | Advice only, fixing is separate | You figure it out yourself |
The goal is a shorter list of problems and a clear plan for each one.
Every device, server and cloud account is checked, including ones nobody remembered.
Each finding is rated by risk and explained in words you can use in a meeting.
You get steps, owners and rough costs, so repairs happen in a sensible order.
A follow-up scan confirms the fixes worked and gives you a record for insurers.
A vulnerability assessment often leads to one of these next steps, depending on what the scan finds.
Once the basics are fixed, a test shows whether an attacker could still get through.
Cybersecurity ConsultingTurn assessment findings into a security plan that fits your size and budget.
Managed Security ServicesGet ongoing monitoring and updates so new gaps are caught between scans.
Cybersecurity SolutionsSee the full set of protections that keep your Chicago office safer day to day.
Our old provider took a day to answer. Now a typical ticket is closed in about 12 minutes, and password resets happen while I’m still on the phone. Our staff stopped complaining about IT within the first month, which never happened before.
We were nervous about changing providers with deadlines ahead. The whole move took three weeks, email and files kept working throughout, and every login and device was documented. Not one person missed a day of work because of it.
We used to get surprise invoices every time something broke. Now it’s one predictable monthly bill, and problems get flagged before we notice them. Planning our IT budget takes five minutes instead of an argument with the owner.
After a free assessment call, you get a written quote with scope, price and timeline. No pressure, no surprise charges.
It is a scan and review of your computers, network, cloud accounts and internet-facing systems for known weaknesses. The result is a ranked list of problems with fixes. It finds the gaps; it does not try to break in. That is the job of a penetration test.
Most small business assessments are typically priced by the number of devices, locations and cloud accounts. A single-office team usually pays far less than a multi-site company. You get a fixed written quote after a short call, so you know the price before work begins.
For most small offices, scanning takes a day or two and the report follows within about a week. Larger or multi-site companies take longer. Scans are scheduled outside busy hours so your staff keep working normally.
Scans are tuned to be gentle and usually run in the evening or on weekends. Older equipment such as aging printers or industrial machines gets extra care. We review fragile systems with you first and can exclude them if needed.
Most businesses do it once or twice a year at minimum. Quarterly is common for companies that handle sensitive data or answer to insurers. Run one extra after an office move, a new system or any security scare.
An assessment checks broadly for known weaknesses and lists them. A penetration test picks targets and tries to exploit them, like a real attacker would. Most businesses start with an assessment, fix the findings, then consider a test later.
Many insurers ask about regular scanning and patching on their renewal forms, and some require proof. A dated report and a clean rescan are useful answers. Check your policy wording, since each carrier asks for different things.
Yes. Many clients have a part-time IT contact or one in-house person. The report is written so both owners and technicians can use it. Your IT person can fix items directly, or we can take on the harder ones.
No. The report ranks findings so you can focus on what matters most. Low-risk items can wait for normal maintenance. We help you decide what to fix now, what to schedule and what to accept.
Yes. Laptops, home routers and cloud accounts can be reviewed remotely, with agents or scans that do not require a visit. On-site checks are added for office network gear, Wi-Fi and server rooms as needed.
Need something slightly different? These services cover the same ground from another angle.
A free assessment call shows what we would scan, how long it takes and what it would cost.