To help combat Cyber Crime, the UK Government introduced the industry-backed Cyber Essentials certification scheme in 2014.
What is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a nationally recognised certification. It demonstrates your commitment to protecting your data, as well as your customer and supplier data. The accreditation also helps you to address other compliance issues, including those around GDPR.
There are two certification levels available: Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus.
To achieve Cyber Essentials, you must first complete a self-assessment questionnaire. Once submitted, an external infrastructure scan will take place. After that, provided your self-assessment meets the criteria and the scan shows no critical vulnerabilities, you should pass.
To complete the Cyber Essentials Plus certification, you must first pass Cyber Essentials. The five criteria points are the same as Cyber Essentials, but the certification process is different. For instance, the certification will take place on your premises. This will include manual tests on devices.
Is Cyber Essentials worth it?
Getting certified can help your business in many ways, including:
- Reducing your threat of attack by up to 80%
- Reassuring customers and clients that your IT is secure against cyber attack
- Attracting new business with the promise you have certified security measures in place
- Gaining a clear picture of your organisation’s cyber security level
- Some Government contracts require Cyber Essentials certification
It is a valuable certification to show that you have essential cyber security measures in place within your organisation. This benefits you as a business, as well as your suppliers, customers, and prospects.
How can Breakwater help?
Our experts take the stress out of completing the certification by supporting you every step of the way. And as a Breakwater bonus, we follow up regularly using our own security standard review. This ensures you are complaint all year-round. And there’s no panic when your certification is due for renewal as we’ve been monitoring your security throughout the year!
If you are a managed support client of ours, we also include free Cyber Essentials readiness assessments within your support.
Want to know more? Then let’s chat! Fill out the form below to start your journey to becoming more secure.
