An Overview of Cyber Essentials
Published 18 Jun 2021

Want to know a little more about Cyber Essentials?  Take a read of this blog to find out more...

CYBER ESSENTIALS | An Overview

Cyber Essentials, backed by the UK government, is awarded to companies who adhere to the basic principles of cybersecurity, as outlined by the programme. Widely recognised as the industry standard, the scheme ensures businesses are guarded against the most common threats. These threats include the lies of malicious website links, phishing attempts and malware.  To achieve Cyber Essentials certification, an audit of security controls and policies is required, with a view to identifying weaknesses and implementing best practices. The Cyber Essentials accreditation demonstrates to businesses and customers with which you work, a dedication to the security of data and systems.

CYBER ESSENTIALS | The Benefits

Protection of your data – cybercrime can result in a loss of time and money. Cyber threats are ever-changing, and so legacy methodologies and controls cannot safeguard organisations against advanced security threats.
Mitigation of risks – Part of the Cyber Essentials certification is a complete audit of your current set-up, to ensure the current and correct best practices are adhered to. This helps to reduce the threat of hacking attacks and other threats.
Industry recognised – Being certified for Cyber Essentials means you will be open to more contracts and business as many companies will only work with those with this certification (especially businesses within the public sector).
Acquiring new business – Cyber Essentials demonstrates your commitment to cybersecurity. This is something often looked for by prospective clients.
Cyber insurance – Cyber Essentials certification also provides an entry-level cover for cyber insurance. This can be “topped up” via your own cyber insurance.

CYBER ESSENTIALS | The Costs

While there is a cost associated with obtaining Cyber Essentials accreditation, this is far outweighed by the benefits. This certificate also requires annual renewal.
For more details on the associated costs, please speak to one of our team who will be happy to help.

CYBER ESSENTIALS | The Requirements

The standard Cyber Essentials certification is achieved via self-assessment which is then submitted to the IASME consortium for review.
The assessments ask questions regarding your business, your infrastructure, and the systems you have in place to protect these. Once the self-assessment has been reviewed, recommendations will be made to correct any downfalls.
The baseline checks for the assessment are;
•    Boundary firewalls and internet access gates
•    Malware protection
•    Update management
•    Controlled access
•    Secure setup
If you require assistance with either the self-assessment or implementing any recommendations, please call our team who will be happy to help.

CYBER ESSENTIALS PLUS | The Difference

For added peace of mind, and to prove your dedication to cybersecurity at a higher level, there is also the option to apply for Cyber Essentials Plus.
While Cyber Essentials is acquired via a self-assessment, Cyber Essentials Plus is gained via the self-assessment but with an additional independent review of the security tests. This is to verify that all five checks are in place.
The Cyber Essentials Plus certificate is considered to have more validity due to the external audit. Rather than it being a declaration of your cybersecurity, it is proof of the security of the business or company.

Please share this post using any of the following share buttons.

Read similar posts to this article

Hacker Explores Dangerous Territory...

Enhancing Remote Work Security: The...

Cyber Security Services