Introduction:
It’s a big week for us here at Cambridge Support. We have just renewed our Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate. This is the third one received this week (the other two being for our clients). With this peak of interest to get certified, we got wondering if every business owner is aware of the importance of a Cyber Essentials Certification.
What Is Cyber Essentials?
If you search this term online, sites such as Wikipedia will give you the following description:
“Cyber Essentials is a United Kingdom government information assurance scheme that is operated by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). It encourages organisations to adopt good practice in information security.[1] Cyber Essentials also includes an assurance framework and a simple set of security controls to protect information from threats coming from the internet.”
But what do this mean? Simply put, it confirms that your organisation cares about itself and its’ customers. It recognises that you have implemented industry recognised tools and practices to keep its’ data secure and safe.
Cyber Essentials vs Cyber Essentials Plus:
There are two levels to Cyber Essentials Certification. These are:
Cyber Essentials – This is a self-assessment on the steps you have taken and how your company adheres to cyber security procedures. If your company has a secure environment, you are familiar with your setup and you can spare a few days checking your systems and completing forms. You could get your organisation certified for as little as £300. Alternatively, you could use a company like Cambridge Support. We have done this many times and can manage the entire process from start to finish for you.
Cyber Essentials Plus – This is a much more in-depth assessment. Besides from the complex form completion, it also requires the involvement of a government approved independent external certified bodies. Who will examine your environment and cyber security policies. The process includes basic hacking procedures, simulated phishing attacks and other similar tests to confirm your procedures and systems will stand up to cyber-attacks. This will then be followed by a final technical audit. Unless you have the technical expertise and resources in-house, you will need to use a specialist like Cambridge Support to prepare your environment and get you through the process.
But Why Bother?
If not already, you will find that more and more of your customers will expect you to be Cyber Essentials Certified. We are hearing more stories about how this certification is essential to applying for tenders. It has also been essential in partnering with other organisations, or proving to existing clients that you are secure enough.
Conclusion:
In summary, if you are looking for an IT Services Company, you must choose one that is Cyber Essentials Plus Certified. Your chosen IT Partner will have the same level of access, if not more, to you and to your companies data. It is therefore essential that you work with a company that not only understands security. But has also taken every step to ensure they can minimise your risks.
It might appear difficult to achieve certification but the question to consider is:
“Can you afford not to be Cyber Essentials Plus Certified?”
To find out more about how Cambridge Support and it’s partners can help your business, contact us now for more details.