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Security report for bowhouse.co.uk

Bow House Digital Ltd · Technology · United Kingdom

High risk. 8 critical or high findings in Network security, SSL/TLS and 2 other checks.

Security score

46/100

Risk levelHigh

0–100, higher is better. How it is calculated

Bow House Digital Ltd is a small, established digital agency based in York, United Kingdom, specializing in web design, SEO, WordPress websites, e-commerce, branding, and digital marketing services. With over 25 years of industry experience, the company targets businesses in York and North Yorkshire seeking to enhance their online presence and digital marketing effectiveness. The website reflects a professional and consistent brand image, supported by client testimonials and a portfolio of recent projects, positioning Bow House as a trusted local partner in digital services. Technically, the website is built on WordPress CMS, leveraging modern JavaScript libraries such as jQuery, GSAP, and Slick Carousel for enhanced user experience. It integrates Google Tag Manager and LinkedIn Insight for analytics and marketing, and employs Google reCAPTCHA to secure its contact forms. The site is mobile-optimized and SEO-friendly, with comprehensive metadata and structured data enhancing search visibility. From a security perspective, the site enforces HTTPS and uses reCAPTCHA to mitigate spam. However, it lacks explicit security headers like Content-Security-Policy and X-Frame-Options, which are recommended to strengthen security posture. No vulnerabilities or exposed sensitive data were detected in the HTML content. Privacy and cookie policies are present and indicate GDPR compliance, supporting responsible data handling. Overall, the website demonstrates a strong digital maturity and business credibility with minor areas for security enhancement. The absence of WHOIS data due to a domain query error does not detract from the legitimacy of the business, as corroborated by company registration details and consistent branding. Strategic recommendations include implementing additional security headers, enhancing accessibility, and maintaining up-to-date software to mitigate potential risks.

Scanned

NIS2 and GDPR posture

GDPR outside view
68/ 100 · Medium
Checks completed
7of 7

NIS2 Art. 21(2)

  1. (a) Risk analysis and security policies: Not visible from outside
  2. (b) Incident handling: One indicator
  3. (c) Business continuity, backups and crisis management: Not visible from outside
  4. (d) Supply chain security: Not visible from outside
  5. (e) Secure acquisition, development and maintenance, including vulnerability handling: Partly checked
  6. (f) Assessing the effectiveness of security measures: Not visible from outside
  7. (g) Cyber hygiene and security training: Not visible from outside
  8. (h) Cryptography and encryption: Partly checked
  9. (i) HR security, access control and asset management: One indicator
  10. (j) Multi-factor authentication and secured communications: Not visible from outside

This scan rated NIS2 with an earlier keyword method that is no longer shown; rescan for the per-article view. Risk management, continuity, supply chain, training, MFA, management oversight (Art. 20) and incident reporting (Art. 23) need internal evidence, and Guard cannot tell whether NIS2 applies to this organisation.

GDPR is indicative only, based on publicly visible signals: Articles 7, 12, 13 and 32 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive. Not a certification or legal assessment.

Priority findings

8 findings rated critical or high. Fix these first.

  1. Network security

    Services reachable from the internet are the first thing attackers probe. Anything open that does not need to be should be closed.

    • Critical

      Critical Service Exposed: MySQL

      Port 3306 (MySQL) is publicly accessible - MySQL - Database server

      What to do: Immediately restrict access to MySQL using firewall or VPN

      • NIS2 21(2)(e)
      • IR 2024/2690 6.7.2(f): Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690, Annex point 6.7.2(f): Network security
      • NIST CM-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 CM-7: Least Functionality
      • NIST SC-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 SC-7: Boundary Protection
    • Critical

      Critical Service Exposed: PostgreSQL

      Port 5432 (PostgreSQL) is publicly accessible - PostgreSQL - Database server

      What to do: Immediately restrict access to PostgreSQL using firewall or VPN

      • NIS2 21(2)(e)
      • IR 2024/2690 6.7.2(f): Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690, Annex point 6.7.2(f): Network security
      • NIST CM-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 CM-7: Least Functionality
      • NIST SC-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 SC-7: Boundary Protection
    • High

      High-Risk Service Exposed: FTP

      Port 21 (FTP) is publicly accessible - FTP - Often unencrypted file transfer

      What to do: Consider restricting access to FTP or implementing strong authentication

      • NIS2 21(2)(e)
      • IR 2024/2690 6.7.2(f): Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690, Annex point 6.7.2(f): Network security
      • NIST CM-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 CM-7: Least Functionality
      • NIST SC-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 SC-7: Boundary Protection

  2. SSL/TLS

    TLS encrypts the connection and proves the site is really yours. Weak or expiring certificates trigger browser warnings and put traffic at risk.

    • High

      Weak Protocols Supported

      Server supports weak protocols: TLSv1.1

      What to do: Disable TLS 1.0, TLS 1.1, and all SSL versions

      • CWE-327
      • OWASP A04:2025
      • ASVS V12.1.1

  3. GDPR outside view

    These are the privacy signals visitors and data protection authorities look for under GDPR.

    • High

      No Cookie Consent Banner found

      GDPR requires explicit consent for non-essential cookies

      What to do: Implement a cookie consent banner that appears on first visit

Need hands-on remediation? Email guard@offseq.com

Keep watching bowhouse.co.uk

This scan found 27 issues across 6 checks. Monitoring re-runs those checks daily, emails you when something material changes and records each fix, so you can show progress.

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  • TLS certificates and expiry
  • DNS records
  • SPF, DKIM and DMARC
  • Security headers
  • GDPR and NIS2 posture
  • Exposed services
  • Third-party trackers
  • Security score drift

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Results by check

Each check with its score, findings and the evidence it collected.

How this score is calculated

The security score runs 0–100, higher is better. It is the plain average of the security checks that completed in this scan, each counted equally. A check that could not run is left out: it counts neither as a pass nor as a fail.

Counted in this score

SSL/TLS
67
Security headers
15
Email security
60
DNS health
65
Network security
0
GDPR outside view
68
Average
46

Not counted

  • NIS2 outside view: Re-weights evidence from the TLS, email, DNS, network and hygiene checks, so counting it would count that evidence twice. Shown on its own.
  • OffSeq Observations: An AI reading of the site, useful context but not reproducible evidence. Shown on its own.

Findings that cap the score at 49

Each of these is serious on its own, so while any is present the site cannot rate better than high risk, however good the other checks are.

  • The certificate is not trusted by browsers
  • The website is not served over HTTPS
  • A database, remote desktop, file-sharing or Telnet service is reachable from the internet · found on this site
  • The page loads a script from a compromised source
  • The domain registration has expired
  • SPF authorises every server to send mail as the domain

Partial scans

When the site blocks Guard or most checks cannot run, the score covers only the checks that ran (usually DNS and email), is capped at 75 and is shown as partial, without a risk level.

Risk levels

  • Critical0–25
  • High26–49
  • Medium50–75
  • Low76–100

Technical appendix

Business context, site observations and technical notes gathered during the scan, and the standards behind each reference.

Business context

Business profile

Bow House Digital Ltd operates as a service-oriented digital agency focusing on web design and digital marketing within the UK, specifically York and North Yorkshire. Its competitive advantage lies in its extensive experience and comprehensive service offerings ranging from website development to SEO and branding. The business model is client-service based, generating revenue through project fees and ongoing support packages. Target customers are SMEs and organizations seeking professional digital presence enhancement. The company maintains a strong partnership ecosystem evidenced by social media engagement and client testimonials. Growth indicators include a diverse portfolio and active marketing efforts. Operationally, the company emphasizes personalized service and local market knowledge, positioning itself as a trusted regional digital partner.

Security posture

The website exhibits a moderate to strong security posture with HTTPS enforced and use of Google reCAPTCHA to protect forms from spam and abuse. However, the absence of key security headers such as Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options, and X-Content-Type-Options represents a gap that could expose the site to clickjacking, MIME sniffing, and other web-based attacks. No evidence of exposed credentials, malware, or SQL injection vulnerabilities was found. Privacy policies and cookie consent mechanisms indicate awareness of GDPR compliance. Incident response and security policy documentation are not present, suggesting room for improvement in formal security governance. Overall, the site is secure for typical business use but would benefit from enhanced header configurations and documented security policies.

Recommendations

  1. Implement comprehensive HTTP security headers including Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options, and X-Content-Type-Options to mitigate common web vulnerabilities.
  2. Develop and publish a formal security policy and incident response plan accessible to users and stakeholders.
  3. Regularly audit and update WordPress core, themes, and plugins to address known vulnerabilities and maintain security hygiene.
  4. Enhance website accessibility to meet WCAG standards, improving usability for all users.
  5. Maintain transparency in data protection practices by appointing and publishing Data Protection Officer contact details if applicable.

Contact details published on the site

Addresses
Legal name
Bow House Digital Ltd
Registration number
09984109
Site observations

Automated reading of the public site. Ratings are indicative.

Business

Company
Bow House Digital Ltd
Description
Web Design and Digital Marketing Agency providing web design, SEO, PPC, WordPress websites, e-commerce, branding, print design, apps, and advertising sales services primarily in York and North Yorkshire.
Key services
Web Design, SEO, WordPress Websites, E-commerce, Print Design, Branding, Apps, Advertising Sales
Content quality
excellent
Branding
consistent

Technology

Stack
WordPress, jQuery, GSAP, Slick Carousel, Google Tag Manager, Google reCAPTCHA, Contact Form 7
Frameworks
WordPress
Platforms
WordPress CMS
Performance
moderate
Mobile
good
Accessibility
basic
SEO
good

Security

Observed score
85/100
Good practices seen
  • HTTPS enforced
  • Google reCAPTCHA on contact form
  • Use of Google Tag Manager for analytics
  • No exposed sensitive data in HTML

Analytics and tracking

Services
Google Tag Manager, LinkedIn Insight
Tracking level
moderate
Privacy practices
good

Advertising

Tracking pixels
LinkedIn Insight Tag
Marketing tools
LinkedIn Insight
Transparency
good

Site quality

Design
excellent
User experience
good
Content relevance
excellent
Navigation
excellent
Professionalism
excellent
Trustworthiness
high

Key observations

  1. Website is fully accessible with rich content and professional design.
  2. No WAF or blocking mechanisms detected.
  3. WHOIS data unavailable due to domain query error; no direct registrar info.
  4. Strong business presence with clear contact info and social media links.
  5. Good use of modern web technologies and SEO best practices.
  6. Security practices are good but could be improved with additional headers.
  7. Privacy and cookie policies are present and GDPR compliant.
  8. No evidence of adult or questionable content.
Technical notes

Notes

The website is built on a WordPress platform utilizing a modern tech stack including jQuery, GSAP for animations, and Slick Carousel for content sliders. It integrates Google Tag Manager and LinkedIn Insight for analytics and marketing tracking, and uses Google reCAPTCHA for form security. The site loads media assets such as videos and images efficiently and is mobile responsive. Performance is moderate, with potential improvements in caching and asset optimization. The site uses structured data (JSON-LD) extensively for SEO benefits. No major technical debt or deprecated technologies were detected. Hosting provider details are not explicitly identified. Overall, the technical implementation supports a professional and user-friendly digital presence with opportunities for performance tuning and enhanced security.
Standards and sources

Reference chips under each finding point to the standard, regulation or specification the finding relates to. They are taken from the official datasets below and mapped conservatively: a finding with no defensible link shows none. NIS2 and GDPR references mark where a finding is relevant evidence, not a compliance verdict. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690 binds digital infrastructure and digital service providers; for other entities it is the most detailed public reading of the Article 21 measures. WCAG, EN 301 549, European Accessibility Act and Web Accessibility Directive references name the requirement an automated accessibility rule relates to; they are not a conformance verdict.

Retrieved 2026-10-25

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