Cybersecurity Essentials Plus Certification
In today's digital landscape, safeguarding your organisation from cyber threats is not just a priority—it's a necessity. The UK Government, through the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), mandates that all organisations implement minimum cybersecurity controls. For companies that want to work with the public sector in the UK, the Cyber Essentials Plus certification is a compulsory requirement. At iSoft, we understand the challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in meeting these standards, and we are here to guide you every step of the way with our Cyber Essential Plus.
Why Choose Us
We are not just another cybersecurity certification provider but also offer a comprehensive and supportive method for Cyber Essentials Plus:
Real-World Focus
We do not just take boxes. We enable our clients to build a strong cybersecurity posture that genuinely protects them from threats in the real world.
Streamlined Process
The entire journey of getting Cyber Essentials Plus is made easy by us. We make sure you are guided along an easy-going path from your initial assessment right through to your final certification.
Expert Instructor
For years, our team assisted many businesses in getting through the Cyber Essentials; we understand the pitfalls within the process and offer bespoke solutions every step of the way.
Track Record
We have enabled many companies to become Cyber Essentials Plus certified as a further strengthening of their defenses to vouch for their commitment to security. Your success is our success.
Strong cybersecurity is important to the destiny of all businesses and we earnestly want to help you to accomplish this.
Understanding Cyber Essentials Plus
Being a government-backed certification in the UK, Cyber Essentials Plus shows your dedication to cybersecurity. It verifies that you have put in place a minimum set of security controls to keep your business safe from the most common cyber attacks. It acts like a general health check for your computer systems.
Ignoring Cybersecurity Can Lead To:
- Financial losses and disastrous data breaches.
- Harmed reputation and loss of customer trust.
- Disruption of business and downtime in operation.
- Penalties from legal and regulatory bodies.
- Loss of competitive edge.
The Benefits of Cyber Essentials Plus:
- Improved Security: Protects the exposed business from a multitude of cyber threats.
- Increased Trust: Shows customers, partners, and stakeholders your commitment to security.
- Competitive Advantage: Positions your business as a trusted and secure organization.
- Compliance: Helps you meet regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
- Business Growth: Opens new doors for business opportunities that require cybersecurity certification.
Why Cyber Essentials Plus is Important
In an interconnected world, cybersecurity now becomes a must; Cyber Essentials Plus offers a strong framework for maintaining your cybersecurity strategy against the persistent threat of change in its own right. Hence, you are actually investing in your future. It establishes a good standard for what Cyber Essentials and Plus ought to be:
Vulnerability management
Where the weaknesses in your systems are found and remedied.
Security controls
The implementation of technical means of protection, such as firewalls, malware protection and access controls.
Regular testing
Continuous evaluation and improvement of your security posture.
Incident response
A plan of action for any actual or potential security incident.
Staff training
Teaching employees about safe practices in regard to cybersecurity.
How Cyber Essentials Plus Works
Our process simplifies achieving Cyber Essentials Plus:
What we perform is rigorous and exhaustive analysis of the existing cybersecurity posture of the organization.
We help you implement the security controls recommended.
We also perform thorough tests to validate that the systems are secure.
We guide you into completing the certification requirements with the accredited body.
We also provide continual support in the maintenance of the certification and to keep pace with the dynamic threats.
Have Questions? Find Answers Here
The audit can be conducted on-site or remotely and includes vulnerability scans of the organization's scoped infrastructure. Auditors will also observe users performing everyday tasks on a sample of devices to ensure compliance with security controls.
The certification is valid for one year from the date of issue. Organizations are encouraged to renew annually to maintain their certified status and ensure ongoing protection against evolving cyber threats.
The certification assesses the following five controls:
- Firewalls and routers: Ensuring only safe and necessary network services are exposed to the internet.
- Secure configuration: Ensuring systems are configured in the most secure way for the needs of the organization.
- User access control: Ensuring user accounts are assigned to authorized individuals only, and that they provide only the minimum level of access necessary.
- Malware protection: Ensuring that virus and malware protection is installed and up to date.
- Security update management: Ensuring that devices and software are not vulnerable to known security issues for which fixes are available.
- Governance: Establishing policies and procedures to ensure accountability and strategic alignment.
- Risk Management: Identifying, analyzing, and mitigating risks to minimize negative impacts.
- Compliance: Adhering to laws, regulations, and industry standards to avoid penalties and legal issues.
Organizations should start by obtaining the Cyber Essentials certification, which involves a self-assessment questionnaire. After achieving this, they should ensure all systems comply with the five key controls and address any vulnerabilities identified. Engaging with a certified body for a pre-audit consultancy can also be beneficial.
