We are pleased to announce we’re now partnered with an IASME certified Cyber Security provider to help organisations achieve their Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications.
What is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a government backed scheme that will help to protect organisations, of any size, against the most common cyber security threats, mitigating the risk to your business. The Cyber Essentials certification lasts for 12 months and needs renewing on a yearly basis.
Why should my organisation be Cyber Essentials certified?
There are several benefits, including:
- Provide assurance to stakeholders that your organisation has a clear picture of the cyber security measures in place
- Attract new business with the assurance that you have cyber security protection across your organisation and demonstrate your dedication to data security
- Meet and exceed regulatory standards in your industry and meet cyber insurance requirements
- Comply with contract and tender requirements for Cyber Essentials certification. Cyber Essentials certification is sometimes a requirement for organisations wishing to bid for central UK government contracts.
Cyber Essentials Plus
The Cyber Essentials Plus certification has the same approach and protections as Cyber Essentials, with the addition of a hands-on, independent technical audit and verification of your IT infrastructure.
We will make recommendations to ensure you are prepared for the technical audit and can achieve the requirements across all areas of the scheme including:
Firewall
A boundary firewall offers protection when a user connects to the internet and controls inbound and outbound network traffic – using controls such as source, destination and communication protocol.
Configuration
Secure configuration, such as initiating password policies, goes beyond the default configurations of computers and network devices, which are often insecure. This configuration really is crucial for basic network security, to protect your devices, privacy and data from attack.
Access control
Access control mitigates risk by restricting authorised access to data, based on a user’s role. User roles, particularly those with extended access privileges, should be assigned only to necessary individuals, they should be managed effectively, and grant only the minimum level of required access to applications, computers and networks.
Anti-virus
Anti-virus protects against a broad range of malware including computer viruses, worms, spyware and ransomware. Attacks can lead to data loss and more, therefore a robust solution is crucial to minimise risk.
Patching
Patch management refers to promptly applying patches, released when vendors discover software vulnerabilities which can be exploited. The quicker updates are deployed and patches are applied, the sooner risk of compromise is reduced.
How can we help?
Contact us today to discuss the process of becoming Cyber Essentials certified in your organisation.