Craig Pearson
Cyber Essentials is a government-backed scheme aimed at helping organisations protect themselves from the growing threat of cyber attacks. The Cyber Essentials Scheme establishes a range of key cyber security measures that every business, regardless of size, should implement to defend against the most prevelant cyber threats. This initiative is designed to provide a straightforward path for businesses to enhance their security posture.
By obtaining Cyber Essentials certification, organisations demonstrate their commitment to data protection and can also qualify for certain government contracts. With expert assistance from Your IT Department, businesses can handle the certification process efficiently and get further information to improve their overall cyber security.
What is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a government-backed scheme aimed at helping businesses protect themselves from cyber threats. The Cyber Essentials Scheme focuses on five key areas:
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Firewalls
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Secure configurations
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Access control
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Malware protection
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Software updates
By adhering to these security controls, organisations can reduce the risk of falling victim to the most common cyber attacks.
There are two levels of certification: Cyber Essentials, which is a self-assessment of these core controls, and Cyber Essentials Plus, which includes a hands-on technical audit to verify compliance with security standards.
Why Cyber Essentials Matters for Your Organisation
Achieving Cyber Essentials certification is a smart move for any business. It provides a clear framework to improve your cyber security and offers multiple benefits. Here are the key reasons why Cyber Essentials matters:
Building Trust with Customers
By becoming Cyber Essentials certified, businesses show they are committed to protecting customer data. This can help to reassure customers that their information is secure, building stronger relationships.
Securing Government Contracts
Many government contracts now require Cyber Essentials certification as a minimum standard. Achieving certification opens doors to new opportunities in both the public and private sectors.
Improving Cyber Security Posture
The certification process helps businesses implement vital cyber security measures, defending against a cyber attack. This strengthens overall security and reduces the risk of costly breaches.
Attracting New Business
Being Cyber Essentials certified reassures existing clients and helps attract new business. Companies that demonstrate high cyber security standards often stand out from competitors.
Building a Strong Security Foundation
Certification ensures your business has essential security controls in place, which can reduce the impact of potential cyber attacks. Learn more about why cyber security is important to protect your business.
Boosting Internal Cyber Awareness
Cyber Essentials certification encourages businesses to invest in regular staff training, raising internal awareness about cyber threats. This helps employees become an active part of the defence strategy, reducing the risk of human error leading to breaches.
Strengthening Supplier Relationships
Many suppliers now look for partners with robust cyber security measures. By obtaining Cyber Essentials certification, your business can meet security requirements, strengthening trust with suppliers and enhancing collaborative opportunities.
Cyber Essentials vs. Cyber Essentials Plus
Cyber Essentials is the entry-level certification, focusing on a self-assessment questionnaire where businesses evaluate their own security controls. It covers areas such as secure configurations, malware protection, and access control.
This certification is designed to help organisations implement basic cyber security measures tailored solutions that defend against common cyber attacks.
On the other hand, Cyber Essentials Plus goes beyond self-assessment by including a hands-on technical audit conducted by a qualified assessor. This audit verifies the security controls through tests like the external vulnerability scan, which examines a business’s network and devices for potential weaknesses.
This level of certification provides added assurance, giving organisations greater confidence in their ability to prevent a cyber attack.
The Certification Process
Getting certified involves several steps. Organisations first complete a self-assessment questionnaire, evaluating their security measures like firewalls, access controls, and software updates.
The IASME consortium, a key partner of the National Cyber Security Centre, manages the certification and ensures that organisations meet the required standards for cyber security. By working alongside the National Cyber Security Centre, businesses can be confident they are adhering to nationally recognised cyber security standards.
For Cyber Essentials Plus, an external vulnerability scan is conducted to verify the effectiveness of the security controls.
This hands-on assessment provides a higher level of assurance, giving businesses confidence that their operating systems are well protected against a cyber attack.
Get Expert Help with Your Cyber Essentials Certification
At Your IT Department, we specialise in guiding organisations to achieve Cyber Essentials certification, ensuring they meet the required security standards. We help businesses across numerous sectors gain a solid understanding of cyber security and why getting certification is so important.
Our team provides hands-on assistance with everything from the self-assessment questionnaire to technical audits for Cyber Essentials Plus.
Ready to improve your business’s cyber security? Contact us today. Our cyber security experts are here to start your certification journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions businesses ask about Cyber Essentials and how it can help improve their cyber security.
What is Cyber Essentials certification?
Cyber Essentials is a government-backed certification designed to protect organisations from common cyber threats. It helps businesses implement basic security measures like firewalls, malware protection, and access controls to improve their overall cyber security posture.
Why should my business pursue Cyber Essentials certification?
Achieving Cyber Essentials not only enhances your business’s protection against cyber threats but also increases trust with clients and partners. It can also qualify your organisation for contracts that require a strong cyber security framework.
How does Cyber Essentials certification benefit my business beyond security?
Beyond improving your cyber security, achieving Cyber Essentials certification demonstrates your commitment to protecting sensitive data, which can enhance your reputation. This certification also positions your business as a trusted partner, making it easier to win new clients and access contracts that require strong security credentials, especially in regulated industries.