Independent cyber security consultancy with over 25 years in the software industry. Clear, practical advice for organisations of every size — from Cornwall to anywhere.
About
I'm Chris Kay-Ayling, an independent cyber security consultant based in the Southwest of Cornwall. Over the course of my career I have worked across software development, infrastructure, and security — giving me an unusually broad perspective on where vulnerabilities actually come from and how to close them.
I work with businesses, public sector bodies, and start-ups to understand their real risk exposure, build pragmatic defences, and navigate the often complex landscape of compliance and regulation — without the jargon. I also help organisations harness AI responsibly: using it to sharpen threat detection and response, while guarding against the new attack surfaces it introduces.
Whether you need a one-day workshop, an ongoing advisory relationship, or someone to lead a technical review, I bring the same commitment: honest, evidence-based advice that puts your organisation in a stronger position.
$ whoami
chris.kay-ayling
$ cat profile.txt
Role : Cyber Security Consultant
Location: Cornwall, UK
Exp : 25+ years
Stack : C# · PHP · MySQL · MSSQL
Infra : Linux · Cisco · Ubiquiti
Tools : GitLab · Spatial Systems · GIS
AI/ML : Threat Detection · LLM Security
$ ./check-vulnerabilities --scope all
[✓] Assessment complete — report ready.
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Services
Every engagement is tailored. These are the areas where I most commonly add value.
Comprehensive reviews of your technical environment, policies, and processes to surface real risk — not just a checklist.
Structured, ethical offensive testing of applications, networks, and cloud infrastructure to find weaknesses before attackers do.
Practical guidance on ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, GDPR, and other frameworks — translating requirements into workable controls.
Engaging, practical training for teams at every level — from the board to frontline staff — turning human vulnerability into human defence.
Rapid assistance when the worst happens — containment, investigation, recovery, and a clear post-incident improvement plan.
Fractional Chief Information Security Officer support — senior strategic guidance without the full-time overhead.
Specialist security review for GIS platforms, mapping APIs, and spatial data pipelines — an often-overlooked attack surface with significant data-sensitivity implications.
Security integration into GitLab CI/CD pipelines — secrets management, SAST/DAST tooling, dependency scanning, and hardening your software supply chain.
Applying machine learning and large language models to accelerate threat modelling, anomaly detection, and vulnerability triage — while advising on the security risks that AI systems themselves introduce.
Expertise
A career that spans development, architecture, and security means I understand threats in context — not in isolation.
Free Tool
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Why Chris?
As an independent consultant I have no products to sell and no quotas to meet. My only incentive is to give you the best advice possible.
Having built and secured software and infrastructure myself — across C#, PHP, SQL databases, Linux systems, Cisco and Ubiquiti networks, and spatial platforms — I understand the trade-offs teams face at every layer of the stack, which means my findings are grounded in reality and actually get fixed.
Based in Cornwall, I work with clients across the UK and internationally, combining remote-first delivery with on-site presence where it matters.
No commercial relationships that could bias my recommendations.
Reports and advice written for decision-makers, not just technologists.
I stay engaged until recommendations are understood and actionable.
Complete confidentiality — I understand what's at stake when sensitive vulnerabilities are uncovered.
Contact
Whether you have a specific concern, need a quick sense-check, or want to explore a longer engagement — get in touch. I'm happy to have an initial conversation at no charge.