Cyber Essentials
Cyber Essentials is a government-backed certification scheme in the United Kingdom designed to help organisations of all sizes protect themselves against the most common cyber attacks.
It's not a single product or service, but rather a framework that outlines a set of basic technical controls that organisations should have in place.
More Information
Here are some key points about Cyber Essentials:
Focus: It emphasises basic cyber hygiene practices to prevent a significant portion of cyberattacks.
Benefits:
Enhanced Security: Implementing the recommended controls can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to common attacks like phishing, malware, and ransomware.
Peace of Mind: Cyber Essentials certification demonstrates a proactive approach to cybersecurity, offering peace of mind to both businesses and their customers.
Government Recognition: For some UK government contracts, Cyber Essentials certification is a mandatory requirement.
Levels of Certification:
There are two levels of Cyber Essentials certification:
Cyber Essentials: Covers the essential technical controls.
Cyber Essentials Plus: In addition to the basic controls, this level includes a technical vulnerability assessment to identify and address more advanced security risks.
Who Can Benefit from Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is suitable for organisations of any size, across all industries. Here are some examples:
Small businesses: An easy-to-understand framework to improve basic cybersecurity.
Large corporations: Demonstrates a commitment to cyber hygiene across the organisation.
Government agencies: May require Cyber Essentials certification for certain suppliers.
Obtaining Certification:
Certification is not mandatory, but it demonstrates your commitment to cybersecurity best practices. To achieve certification, organisations undergo an assessment by an accredited certification body to verify that they meet the required controls.