What is Cyber Essentials all about?
Cyber Essentials is a certified scheme set up by the UK Government, designed to drive best-practice in terms of basic security for IT.
The scheme itself has two levels:
- Cyber Essentials - where the applicant business answers a set of questions based on their IT, which are then independently reviewed and certification awarded through a recognised certifying body.
- Cyber Essentials Plus - where an assessor visits your site(s) and verifies that the answers provided are accurate by reviewing devices and documentation, interviewing users and key personnel and running some pre-defined security tests.
Cyber Essentials has fast become a recognised certification for organisations in any sector that uses IT.
Why might your organisation consider becoming Cyber Essentials certified?
Best-practice makes the best sense. IT failures and security breaches can, not only cause downtime and distress for your users, but also have serious financial and reputation impact on your business. The levels required to achieve Cyber Essentials are not that difficult to achieve and the scheme provides a framework for you to start to make positive changes to the way you approach IT security and protect from cyber threats.
Cyber Essentials is a requirement of some business contract tenders (such as local or national government and MOD) and, even if there isn't a specific need for certification in your area of business, it helps to demonstrate to clients that your organisation is serious about protecting against cyber attacks.
How can we help you achieve certification for Cyber Essentials?
Our team has fully trained Cyber Essentials assessors (through IASME) and we independently assess the Cyber Essentials submissions from other companies. Through regular attendance at Cyber Essentials meetings, we stay on top of the latest requirements and questions. And we can bring that expertise right into your business to help you to achieve certification.
Three steps to your Cyber Essentials certification
Initial review
One of our Cyber Essentials assessors will visit your site and review your IT set up. We will work with the latest Cyber Essentials requirements in mind and produce a report into areas of non-compliance.
Improve and submit
Working alongside your IT or key business personnel - we will improve your business IT to the level where it will pass the assessment. Alongside practical activity - we will assist you in completing the question set ready for submission.
Maintain best practice
Of course, we can help your business to remain Cyber Essentials compliant by providing tools such as remote device management and endpoint security, and our IT services.
Why not get started today?
Give us a call or complete our contact form and we will arrange an informal chat with one of our Cyber Essentials assessors. We can discuss your IT as it stands today, explain the assessment process and current question set, and give an indication of what it might take to achieve certification for your business.
Latest Articles
"We have been using Clearwater services since 2015 and the service we have received has been 1st class, nothing is too much trouble and always done on time. These guys have been a great asset to our company IT."