Audittrail Upgrades to Premium Partner at Security Delta (HSD)

Audittrail recently upgraded to a Premium Partner at Security Delta (HSD)! Audittrail is an audit and consultancy firm in the disciplines GRC, information security, privacy, awareness and cyber resilience. They provide advice tailor-made by their professionals, which is provided with good tools with which organisational advice and findings can be converted into a lasting improvement and a growth in the maturity level of information security and privacy compliant working. With the help of comprehensible, transparent and concise reports, they share their knowledge with organisations, so that people can continue to work to achieve the objectives and work on their PDCA (Plan Do Check Act).

Audittrail has a team of professional in different areas on Privacy & Information Security and they are able to provide an organisation with temporary or additional support on sight by dispatching of a Security Officer, Privacy Officers, as well as Data Protections Officers. Their areas of expertise are audits, crisis management, business continuity management, BIA's, risk management, awareness training, cyber resilience training on sight or online. For their international partners, they can fulfil the role of EU representative and data protection officer for European and non-EU organisations.

Origings of Audittrail

Audittrail was founded 15 years ago, initially starting as a solo consultancy. The founder deliberately avoided positioning it as a one-person consultancy, as the ambition was always broader than working alone. From the outset, the name Audittrail was used to reflect a more structured and scalable vision.

Around ten years ago, the first employees joined the company, marking the start of Audittrail’s growth from an independent consultancy into a team of specialists. Since then, the organisation has steadily expanded, reaching an important milestone in 2020 when Joyce de Jong joined as a Partner and director. While Audittrail initially focused primarily on information security, privacy gradually developed into a dedicated area of expertise. More recently, AI governance and compliance have been added to the portfolio, further strengthening the organisation’s multidisciplinary approach.

Today, Audittrail combines expertise in information security, privacy and AI governance to help organisations navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.

Turning compliance into practical action

Audittrail is a consultancy firm specialising in privacy, security governance and compliance. The organisation helps clients navigate an increasingly complex landscape of cybersecurity, privacy and regulatory requirements, including legislation such as NIS2. By combining strategic advice with practical implementation support, Audittrail helps organisations establish and maintain effective governance structures that ensure compliance is embedded throughout the organisation.

The company’s roots lie in auditing, which is also reflected in its name. Audittrail originally started with IT audits and continues to provide IT, security and privacy audits today, with AI governance and compliance audits soon to be added to its portfolio. While auditing remains an important part of the business, the majority of Audittrail’s work focuses on advisory and operational support services, including:

• CISO-as-a-Service
• Privacy Office-as-a-Service
• Compliance Office-as-a-Service

Through this combination of expertise, Audittrail enables organisations to strengthen their governance, manage risks effectively and remain compliant in a rapidly evolving digital environment.

HSD Community

For Audittrail, being part of the HSD community means more than simply joining a network. It is an opportunity to contribute to a collective effort aimed at strengthening cyber resilience across the Netherlands while fostering meaningful connections with organisations throughout the ecosystem.

Audittrail first joined HSD as a network partner in 2016. Over the years, the organisation has alternated between network and premium partnership, reflecting its evolving relationship with the Dutch cybersecurity ecosystem. The decision to return as a premium partner stems from the belief that HSD has grown into a leading platform within the public-private cybersecurity landscape. As the sector faces increasingly complex challenges, collaboration and knowledge sharing have become more important than ever.

The partnership is also built on many years of close collaboration with the HSD team. At the same time, Audittrail sees value in actively contributing its own expertise and experience to support the continued growth and professionalisation of the community. As a result, the relationship is viewed as a genuine partnership, one in which both organisations continue to learn from and strengthen one another.

Sharing knowledge, supporting professionals

Beyond its consultancy services, Audittrail supports organisations through a subscription-based platform called PRISM, that originally started as a helpdesk. What began as a place where professionals could ask questions and seek advice has evolved into a comprehensive knowledge platform for security officers, privacy officers, CISOs and other governance professionals. PRISMprovides access to validated knowledge, practical guidance, structured templates and up-to-date information on vulnerabilities, regulatory developments and industry trends. It is designed to support professionals who often operate as the sole expert within their organisation and therefore benefit from having a trusted network and sounding board available.

Knowledge sharing is deeply embedded in Audittrail’s approach. Audittrail regularly contributes to initiatives such as HSD Lunch & Talks and the International Cyber Security Summer School, while also reaching a wider audience through its own podcast series, called PRISM de Podcast (available through all major podcast apps). Through these activities, Audittrail aims to make complex topics in privacy, security and compliance more accessible and actionable for organisations across the Netherlands.

Key challenges in the security domain

The security landscape is evolving rapidly, driven in particular by the rise of artificial intelligence. AI introduces both significant opportunities and new risks: it is increasingly leveraged by defenders to enhance security capabilities, while also being exploited by attackers to increase the speed, scale, and sophistication of cyber threats. Within legal practice, there is also a growing volume of AI-generated documentation, which often requires careful review and validation. This development reinforces the importance of maintaining high-quality, validated templates and trusted reference materials.

Another key trend is the shifting labour market. While the cybersecurity sector has long faced talent shortages, the situation is gradually stabilising. At the same time, this creates new challenges, particularly for senior professionals who may still find themselves as the sole security expert within an organisation.

In parallel, increasing organisational focus and investment are being directed towards AI. While this is a positive development, it may inadvertently lead to reduced attention on cybersecurity risks. This imbalance is therefore seen as a growing concern.

Ambitions for the future

Audittrail aims to continue delivering high-quality services with a dedicated and capable team, contributing to a safer and more secure digital Netherlands. This ambition includes strengthening information security, enhancing privacy and compliance frameworks, and supporting organisations in meeting increasingly complex regulatory requirements.

A key focus area for Audittrail is the further development of Prism as a platform for validated knowledge sharing. Clients value the ability to receive fast, practical support that goes beyond standard answers and helps them address complex challenges. Audittrail and its PRISM platform primarily serve public and semi-public sector organisations. In the coming years, the focus is on expanding this impact by enabling more organisations to improve their security posture and operational effectiveness.

PRISM

PRISM was created out of a simple need: to provide support for professionals who often find themselves on their own. We started as a helpdesk, designed to spar and provide advice, not only in urgent situations, but also when dealing with complex issues that require careful and well-considered decision-making. Within the fields of privacy and information security, complex challenges are the norm rather than the exception. A wrong decision can have serious consequences, yet the necessary specialist expertise is not always readily available in-house.

The PRISM Platform and helpdesk provides direct access to a team of experienced privacy and information security experts. No algorithms or AI bots, but real people who think along with you and help you make the right decision.