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Security report for dawsongroup.co.uk

Dawsongroup plc · Transportation · United Kingdom

Medium risk. 7 critical or high findings in SSL/TLS, Network security and 2 other checks.

Security score

52/100

Risk levelMedium

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

Dawsongroup plc is a well-established UK-based company specializing in supplying and maintaining flexible assets such as trucks, trailers, vans, buses, and energy solutions. With a history dating back to 1999 and recognition such as the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation, the company positions itself as a leader in asset strategy and supply chain support across multiple industries. Their business model emphasizes tailored asset solutions, extensive support networks, and financing options to enhance customer agility and efficiency. The website reflects a mature digital presence with professional design, clear navigation, and comprehensive content tailored to business clients. Technically, the website is built on WordPress with the Avada theme and integrates modern analytics and marketing tools including Google Analytics, Hotjar, Crazy Egg, and LinkedIn Insight Tag. The site is mobile-optimized and SEO-friendly, though accessibility features could be improved. Security posture is strong with HTTPS enforced, cookie consent mechanisms, and no visible vulnerabilities, although explicit security policies and incident response information are absent. Overall, the site demonstrates a high level of professionalism and trustworthiness, supported by consistent WHOIS data indicating a long-standing domain registration. The absence of privacy protection on the domain and alignment with business claims further enhance legitimacy. The company could improve transparency by publishing security policies and vulnerability disclosure information. The risk assessment is low with no critical security issues detected. Strategic recommendations include enhancing accessibility, publishing security and incident response policies, and continuous monitoring of third-party scripts to maintain security and compliance.

Scanned

NIS2 and GDPR posture

GDPR outside view
80/ 100 · Low
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

7 findings rated critical or high. Fix these first.

  1. 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
    • High

      SSL Certificate Expires Soon

      SSL certificate expires in 11 days

      What to do: Renew SSL certificate before expiration

      • NIS2 21(2)(h)
      • IR 2024/2690 9.2(c): Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690, Annex point 9.2(c): Cryptography
      • NIST SC-17: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 SC-17: Public Key Infrastructure Certificates

  2. Network security

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

    • 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

  3. Security headers

    Security headers are instructions your web server sends to every visitor’s browser. Missing ones leave visitors more exposed to attacks such as clickjacking and injected scripts.

    • High

      Missing Strict-Transport-Security header

      Forces HTTPS connections

      What to do: Add "Strict-Transport-Security: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload"

      • CWE-319
      • OWASP A04:2025
      • ASVS V3.4.1
    • High

      Missing X-Frame-Options header

      Prevents clickjacking attacks

      What to do: Add "X-Frame-Options: DENY" or "X-Frame-Options: SAMEORIGIN"

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

Keep watching dawsongroup.co.uk

This scan found 24 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.

Daily monitoring

Recommended

€25per month

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

Email alerts on material changes and an exportable JSON history of every change.

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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
47
Security headers
15
Email security
80
DNS health
70
Network security
20
GDPR outside view
80
Average
52

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
  • 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

Dawsongroup operates in the transportation and energy sectors, providing flexible asset management solutions to a broad range of industries. Their competitive advantage lies in their tailored asset strategies, extensive support network, and innovative modular storage solutions recognized by prestigious awards. The business model combines asset supply, maintenance, consultancy, and financing, targeting large enterprises and global businesses seeking agility and efficiency in their supply chains. The company maintains a strong partnership ecosystem with active social media engagement and uses advanced marketing and analytics tools to support growth. The website content and structure reflect a mature and professional operation with clear messaging and strong branding consistency.

Security posture

The website exhibits a mature security posture with HTTPS enforced and multiple security and analytics scripts loaded asynchronously to minimize performance impact. Cookie consent mechanisms comply with GDPR requirements, and no sensitive data exposure or vulnerable libraries were detected. However, the absence of a dedicated security policy page, incident response contact information, and vulnerability disclosure mechanisms represents gaps in transparency and readiness. The company should consider publishing these to enhance trust and preparedness. Overall, the security posture is strong but could be improved with formal documentation and communication of security practices.

Recommendations

  1. Publish a dedicated security policy page outlining security frameworks and practices.
  2. Implement and publicize a vulnerability disclosure policy or security.txt file.
  3. Enhance website accessibility to meet higher standards for all users.
  4. Regularly audit and update third-party scripts to mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
  5. Provide clear incident response contact channels to improve transparency and readiness.
Site observations

Automated reading of the public site. Ratings are indicative.

Business

Company
Dawsongroup plc
Description
Dawsongroup supports customers by supplying and maintaining flexible assets including trucks, trailers, vans, buses, material handling equipment, and energy solutions. They emphasize tailored asset strategies, extensive support networks, and procurement funding options. Recognized with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation in 2022 for modular storage solutions.
Key services
Truck and trailer supply and maintenance, Vans, Bus and coach, Material handling, Finance, Temperature control solutions, Environmental municipal civil services, Energy solutions, Worldwide services
Content quality
excellent
Branding
consistent

Technology

Stack
WordPress 7.0.1, Avada Theme 3.15.6, jQuery 3.7.1, Yoast SEO plugin, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Hotjar, LinkedIn Insight Tag, Crazy Egg, Slick Carousel, Adobe Fonts
Frameworks
WordPress
Platforms
YouTube (embedded videos)
Performance
moderate
Mobile
good
Accessibility
basic
SEO
good

Security

Observed score
85/100
Good practices seen
  • HTTPS enforced
  • Cookie consent mechanism implemented
  • No exposed sensitive data detected
  • Use of security and analytics scripts asynchronously

Analytics and tracking

Services
Google Analytics, Hotjar, Crazy Egg, LinkedIn Insight Tag
Tracking level
moderate
Privacy practices
good

Advertising

Tracking pixels
LinkedIn Insight Tag, Hotjar, Crazy Egg, Google Ads
Marketing tools
Yoast SEO
Transparency
good

Site quality

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

Key observations

  1. Website is professionally designed and well-structured.
  2. Comprehensive privacy and cookie policies with consent mechanisms.
  3. Multiple analytics and marketing tools integrated responsibly.
  4. No signs of security policy or incident response information publicly available.
  5. No suspicious or malicious content detected.
  6. Strong branding and consistent messaging throughout the site.
  7. WHOIS data supports legitimacy and long-term operation.
Technical notes

Notes

The website is built on a modern WordPress platform using the Avada theme, leveraging a robust tech stack including jQuery, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Hotjar, Crazy Egg, and LinkedIn Insight Tag. The site is well-optimized for mobile devices and SEO, with comprehensive meta tags and structured data enhancing search visibility. Performance is moderate, with asynchronous loading of scripts to improve speed. The use of Adobe Fonts and Slick Carousel adds to the visual appeal and user experience. Hosting details are not explicitly identified, but the domain and content delivery appear stable and reliable. Opportunities exist to improve accessibility and formalize security documentation to reduce technical risks.
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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