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Security report for gordonassociates.co.uk

Gordon Associates · Technology · United Kingdom

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

Security score

44/100

Risk levelHigh

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

Gordon Associates is a UK-based software development company specializing in mission-critical, large-scale web applications primarily for multi-national businesses and the education sector. Their offerings include bespoke software solutions and a suite of products tailored for awarding organisations, exam boards, trade associations, and training providers. The company positions itself as a provider of business solutions that integrate seamlessly with client operations, emphasizing quality and client satisfaction. Technically, the website is built on WordPress CMS, utilizing Bootstrap for responsive design, Google Fonts for typography, and common plugins such as Yoast SEO and Contact Form 7 with Google reCAPTCHA for form security. The site is HTTPS secured with a valid SSL certificate, though it lacks some advanced security headers. Performance and mobile optimization are good, with clear navigation and professional design. From a security perspective, the site demonstrates basic best practices such as HTTPS and CAPTCHA integration but lacks security headers and a cookie consent mechanism. The WHOIS data is unavailable due to domain registration issues, which introduces some uncertainty regarding domain legitimacy. No major vulnerabilities or exposed sensitive data were detected. Overall, the website presents a professional and trustworthy business front with room for improvement in privacy compliance and security hardening. The domain registration irregularity is a concern but does not directly impact the visible business operations or content.

Scanned

NIS2 and GDPR posture

GDPR outside view
58/ 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: RDP

      Port 3389 (RDP) is publicly accessible - RDP - Remote Desktop, prime ransomware target

      What to do: Immediately restrict access to RDP 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. 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 gordonassociates.co.uk

This scan found 28 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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Recommended

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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
57
Security headers
15
Email security
70
DNS health
65
Network security
0
GDPR outside view
58
Average
44

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

Gordon Associates operates in the technology sector with a focus on software development for education and business management. Their market positioning is that of a specialized provider delivering bespoke and productized software solutions to multi-national and education clients. The business model combines product sales with consultancy and bespoke development services. Revenue streams likely include software licensing, support, and custom development contracts. The target customers are awarding organisations, exam boards, trade associations, training providers, and businesses needing internal IT systems. The company demonstrates growth potential through its specialized product suite and client testimonials. The partnership ecosystem includes internal helpdesk services and possibly integration with client systems. Strategic observations suggest a focus on quality, client engagement, and niche market leadership in education software.

Security posture

The security maturity level of the website is moderate. HTTPS is enforced, and Google reCAPTCHA is implemented on forms, reducing automated abuse risks. However, the absence of security headers such as Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options, and X-Content-Type-Options weakens the overall security posture. No incident response or security policy information is published, limiting transparency. The lack of a cookie consent mechanism and incomplete privacy compliance are notable gaps. No exposed credentials, malware, or phishing indicators were found. The WHOIS data unavailability raises concerns about domain registration transparency but does not directly affect site security. Overall, the site is secure enough for general business use but should enhance security controls and compliance documentation.

Recommendations

  1. Implement essential security headers (Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type-Options) to mitigate common web attacks.
  2. Add a cookie policy and consent mechanism to comply with privacy regulations and improve user trust.
  3. Publish a clear security policy and incident response contact information to enhance transparency and preparedness.
  4. Regularly update WordPress core, themes, and plugins to reduce vulnerability risks.
  5. Investigate and resolve WHOIS domain registration issues to improve domain legitimacy and trust.

Contact details published on the site

Addresses
Legal name
Gordon Associates Limited
Site observations

Automated reading of the public site. Ratings are indicative.

Business

Company
Gordon Associates
Description
Gordon Associates offers world class capabilities in software technologies, delivering mission-critical, large-scale web applications for multi-national businesses. They provide internal IT systems, websites, e-commerce, intranets, portals, and bespoke software tailored to client requirements, with a focus on education sector software products.
Key services
Software products for education sector, Bespoke software development, Consultancy and integration services
Content quality
good
Branding
consistent

Technology

Stack
Bootstrap, jQuery, Google Fonts, Yoast SEO plugin, Contact Form 7, Google reCAPTCHA
Frameworks
Bootstrap
Platforms
WordPress
Performance
moderate
Mobile
good
Accessibility
basic
SEO
good

Security

Observed score
75/100
Good practices seen
  • HTTPS enforced
  • Google reCAPTCHA integration on forms

Analytics and tracking

Tracking level
minimal
Privacy practices
basic

Advertising

Transparency
basic

Site quality

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

Key observations

  1. Website is fully accessible with no blocking or WAF challenge
  2. Content is business-focused and professional
  3. WHOIS data is unavailable due to domain naming rules violation error
  4. No cookie policy or consent mechanism found
  5. Google Analytics plugin present but not configured
  6. Security headers are missing or not detected
  7. Contact information is clearly presented with physical address, phone, and email
  8. No social media links detected
  9. Site uses WordPress CMS with common plugins
  10. Site uses HTTPS with valid SSL
Technical notes

Notes

The website uses a standard WordPress CMS platform with Bootstrap for responsive design and jQuery for client-side scripting. Google Fonts are used for typography, and Yoast SEO plugin is active for search engine optimization. Contact Form 7 manages forms with Google reCAPTCHA integration for spam protection. The site loads external resources from trusted domains such as fonts.googleapis.com and www.gstatic.com. Performance is moderate with no major issues detected. Mobile optimization is good, and navigation is clear and user-friendly. However, the site lacks advanced security headers and cookie consent mechanisms, which are technical debt areas. Hosting provider details are not discernible from the data. Overall, the technical infrastructure is solid but could benefit from security and privacy enhancements.
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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