What is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber security and protecting business assets, staff and customers from cyber attacks are some of the most pressing issues we deal with at Acronyms. We want to make sure that all of our clients have access to a variety of different cyber security options; this includes everything from the Datto Remote Monitoring system to the Huntress Security Platform and the Government’s Cyber Essentials scheme.
Cyber attacks are diverse in type, scale and impact but they are becoming increasingly common and worryingly widespread. A recent gov.uk report showed that within a single 12 month period, four in ten UK based businesses reported some form of cyber security issue or attack and the cost of these breaches was an average of £4,200 in lost time and revenue.
We want to make sure that all our clients feel empowered and up to date on the latest cyber security options so that they can make informed choices about the products, services and strategies that best suit their business.
In this article we’ll be looking specifically at the Cyber Essentials certification scheme.
Understanding Cyber Essentials.
Cyber Essentials has been devised and facilitated by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and is backed by the UK Government. It has been created with the intention of offering organisations of all sizes and sectors the ability to protect against many of the most common and potentially damaging cyber security issues and digital attacks.
Essentially, Cyber Essentials is a certification process that businesses can undertake and complete, giving them deeper knowledge of cyber security issues and helping them to identify, plan and put in place strategies that enhance their cyber security.
It has been created as a straightforward first step towards better cyber security for businesses of all types.
Undertaking the Cyber Essentials scheme and completing the certification process will offer a company protection against up to 80% of the most common and basic cyber attacks.
The process requires a detailed online assessment questionnaire to be answered , then signed by a member of the company’s board or management team. After that a qualified assessor working on behalf of the certification body will review and evaluate the responses to the questionnaire.
If your systems and measures are deemed to have met the levels required, your company will be awarded a certificate and if you fail you will receive informative and helpful feedback on the issues to address so that you can apply again.
For more thorough and multilayered online and digital security beyond the requirements of the Cyber Essentials scheme, you will need to work closely with an IT support provider who will be able to advise you on the best solutions for your business.
For more information on the solutions we offer take a look at our Cyber Security page.
How Can Cyber Essentials Help Your Business?
Cyber Essentials is backed by the UK Government and is run by the NCSC. The certification awarding body is IASME, and the scheme is available to UK businesses and those based overseas.
The Cyber Essentials process identifies a set of protocols and standards for you to meet to ensure your company has a basic level of cyber security as well as offering straightforward instructions on the steps that all businesses and their staff should take to guard against cyber attacks.
Its primary aim is to address the issue that while 99.9% of businesses have some online or digital presence, not all have endless resources to spend on premium cyber security solutions and packages. Cyber Essentials is a low cost option from a trustworthy and reliable source, with a stepped pricing structure based on the number of employees your company has.
After certification is assessed and awarded your business will have clear guidance on security measures and will have achieved a sound baseline level of digital and cyber security from which to build on.
There are two levels of certification available, Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus. Your company must first achieve the basic Cyber Essentials level before applying to complete the Cyber Essentials Plus scheme.
Cyber Essentials – awards a foundation stage certificate to companies who apply and meet the criteria for basic cyber security measures and protocols.
Cyber Essentials Plus – awards a higher level of certification under the current scheme. It requires evidence of more thorough and rigorous testing of your company’s cyber security measures and strategies. It will also conclude whether your business has mitigated any existing vulnerabilities to hacking and/or phishing attacks.
The Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certificates are both valid for a period of 12 months from the date they are awarded. As part of the cost of assessment your business will be able to use the Cyber Essentials branding online, in emails and across other communications, signifying to clients and customers that your company takes cyber and digital security seriously.
What Are The Benefits of Cyber Essentials?
There are a number of benefits to undertaking the Cyber Essentials certification process, not least of all a sense of security and peace of mind that your business operates with a solid foundation of cyber security practices.
Benefits to achieving the Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus certification also include:
- Recognised and trusted accreditation for the security of your digital systems.
- A cost effective starting point to tackle your cyber security issues.
- Reassurance for your staff and customers that data and systems are protected from basic cyber attacks.
- Your business is more attractive to potential customers and clients because you have validated cyber security credentials.
- Some gov.uk contracts require Cyber Essentials certification before you submit your bid.
- Rapid certification in as little as 1-3 days after completion of the online self-assessment questionnaire.
Acronyms and Cyber Essentials
Since 2003 we have helped thousands of businesses achieve better levels of online and digital security for the staff and customers. Our specialist technical team have a wealth of experience in dealing with cyber attacks as well as identifying and resolving vulnerabilities in systems and infrastructures.
We are able to offer a variety of cyber security resources and solutions, including helping you to apply for and meet the criteria needed for Cyber Essentials accreditation.
Above all we want you to feel confident about the digital and cyber security protocols you have in place, safe in the knowledge that the majority of attacks can be withstood and that anything more complex can be dealt with by our expert team.
If you’d like to talk through any questions you have about Cyber Essentials, Cyber Essentials Plus or cyber security in general, give us a call or get in touch via our contact page.