What is Cyber Essentials and how can it protect your organisation?
In 2014, the UK Government introduced the Cyber Essentials scheme as a way for organisations to demonstrate added protection against common cyber attacks.
Organisations are becoming more reliant on technology and the risk of a cyber attack is also increasing, with an estimate of 40% of UK businesses receiving a cyber attack or breach this year. With stricter standards of data processing and handling, ensuring you have the correct cyber security defences is now a necessity.
What exactly is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a government-backed certification that shows your organisation have the correct defences and procedures in place that reduce the risk of a breach.
A cyber attack can come at any time, and in many different ways – Cyber Essentials is an evaluation that assesses your company’s technology defences to determine the current vulnerabilities and risk level. Once these risks are identified and managed, your organisation will be awarded the NCSC-approved Cyber Essentials certification.
There are two options of certification available; Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus, and either can be used to determine the security of your company.
Cyber Essentials is the basic certification available that is awarded following the completion of the self-assessment questionnaire – this can be completed via a convenient and secure user portal. Depending on the information given in the self-assessment, your business will receive a PASS or FAIL, highlighting any detected vulnerabilities. Once a PASS is awarded, your business will receive the Cyber Essentials certification.
Cyber Essentials Plus is very similar to Cyber Essentials, however, rather than just completing a self-assessment questionnaire, onsite internal and external vulnerability tests are performed on your systems to determine your company’s risk level – resulting in an in-depth evaluation providing methods to alleviate your chances of a breach. Once a PASS is awarded, your business will receive the Cyber Essentials Plus certification.
Who needs Cyber Essentials?
But who actually needs Cyber Essentials? Surely, it is only for larger organisations who process mass amounts of data and finances? Well, this is simply not the case – Cyber Essentials certification was created for all organisations, of any size and in any sector. Not only that, but in 2014 the UK Government made Cyber Essentials mandatory for all Ministry of Defence contract bids and many Government tenders.
How does Cyber Essentials benefit your organisation?
- Preventing an average of 80% of common cyber attacks.
- Cyber insurance agencies look more favourably on organisations that have achieved Cyber Essentials certification – thus, lowering your insurance premiums!
- Since the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, organisations are required to raise their standards of data handling and processing by demonstrating GDPR compliance. Cyber Essentials can help your organisation meet these standards by ensuring compliance through monitoring your internal security and reducing the risk of a data breach.
- Cyber Essentials certification is a way to demonstrate to clients and vendors that you take cyber security seriously by ensuring your organisation implements and maintains high standards of security.
Why Miticert?
At Mitigate Cyber, we offer the service Miticert which allows your organisation to attain either Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus. By offering a state-of-the-art user hub, cyber-security experts and a simplified approach, Mitigate Cyber will ensure your organisational risk is reduced in no time.
We contacted Mitigate Cyber as our cyber certificate was due to expire and we urgently needed a renewal for a tender, Mitigate Cyber couldn’t have been more helpful getting us registered and pointing us in the correct direction with queries. We expressed the urgency of the requirement and from finishing the questionnaire Mitigate Cyber had the audit completed and certificate issued within a couple of hours, 5 stars.
Are your ready to protect your organisation? For more information about receiving your Cyber Essentials certification, please visit this page.
