Martin Needs
Industry Accreditations & Standards
OSCP Certified
The Offensive Security Certified Professional credential is the gold standard in penetration testing. Unlike multiple-choice exams, this targets technical ability to breach and secure systems manually.
NCSC Delivery Partner
NeedSec is a Delivery Partner for CHECK approved exams. We assess testers at the highest levels as defined by the UK’s National Technical Authority for Cyber Security.
IASME Cyber Assurance L2
We hold IASME’s highest level of certification. This provides independent assurance that NeedSec’s own security has been audited by a skilled, third-party expert.
Cyber Essentials Body
NeedSec is a Certification Body for the government-backed scheme designed to protect organisations against 80% of common cyber attacks.
Tigerscheme
Backed by University standards and founded in 2007, this certification gives buyers confidence they are hiring a recognised and reputable company.
Community Support
NeedSec honours the Armed Forces Covenant and is committed to the UK’s Disability Confident scheme, ensuring equal opportunity for all.
Why I Joined the Team & My Experience
Bridging the Gap Between Enterprise and Consumer
In 2013, I founded NeedSec to provide rigorous, government-grade security assessments. Over the last decade, operating as an NCSC Delivery Partner, I noticed a significant disconnect: while enterprises benefit from high-level auditing, consumers are often sold "privacy" tools based on slick marketing rather than technical reality. I joined FindCheapVPNs to change this dynamic.
Decades of Forensic Experience
My background isn't in content writing; it is in forensic analysis and penetration testing. As a Cyber Scheme Team Leader (CSTL) and OSCP holder, I don't guess—I verify. I bring my experience running an IASME-accredited body to this platform to ensure that when we label a VPN as "secure," it has been subjected to the same scrutiny I would apply to a corporate client's network. My goal is to verify that "affordable" never means "compromised."