In today’s competitive business landscape, standing out from your competitors is no simple task. Demonstrating your commitment to cyber security can give your brand a strategic edge.
One effective way to showcase dedication is through the Cyber Essentials certification. Backed by the UK government and National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Cyber Essentials is a framework that verifies businesses have basic technical controls in place to protect against common online threats.
What is the Cyber Essentials Scheme?
The Cyber Essentials scheme provides a clear set of steps for organisations to protect their systems and data. It focuses on securing internet connections and access to devices, maintaining software and security updates, controlling user privileges, and protecting against malware.
Certification involves an external test of an organisation’s online defenses by an accredited third-party provider. There are two levels – Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus. The basic level assesses firewalls, user access controls, malware protection and other technical security requirements.
Cyber Essentials Plus involves a more sophisticated penetration test to evaluate network resilience against sophisticated attacks. Both certifications last one year and must be renewed annually through reassessment.
Benefits of Cyber Essentials Certification
Achieving Cyber Essentials accreditation offers several competitive advantages for businesses:
- Demonstrate a commitment to cyber security, positioning your brand as a reliable, secure choice.
- Give your organisation an edge in public sector contracts and larger corporate tenders where Cyber Essentials is often required.
- Reduce the risk of costly cyber attacks like malware, phishing and ransomware by up to 80%.
- Make cyber insurance more accessible by proving basic online protections are in place.
- Adapt security protocols to support hybrid work through secure remote access and third-party device management.
- Showcase responsibility for not only your own data, but also customer, client and supplier information security.
As accredited assessors, the cyber security experts at PDQ IT Solutions can guide you through the entire Cyber Essentials application process seamlessly. Contact us today to learn how this certification can transform your competitive advantage.