We’re delighted to announce that we have been successful in our bid to achieve the Cyber Essentials certification, and we’re now urging other companies to become accredited as a way to ensure you’re better protected against cyber-related criminal activity and to demonstrate your commitment to cyber security.

As a not for profit, police-led organisation part funded by the Home Office - and a regional centre that promotes cyber security - we decided that it was high time that we got certified for Cyber Essentials.

Last week, we achieved this accreditation, and are now urging other companies in the East Midlands to follow suit.

The process is easy. You can contact us, and we will put you in touch with one of our Trusted Partners - Managed Service Providers who we have entrusted to be aligned with the Centre - who will take you through the process.

Philip Ridley, Head of Cyber Security Division at our Trusted Partner IntaForensics, says:

“There are a couple of ways we assist organisations with CE certification. The simplest way is by providing access to the self-assessment portal into which companies can provide responses to the requirements.

These are then assessed, and certification is awarded if the answers meet the scheme requirements.

We can also offer support/guidance for customers that feel they need it.”

So that’s how to do it, but…

What is Cyber Essentials?

Cyber Essentials is an effective, Government-backed scheme that will help you to protect your organisation, whatever its size, against a whole range of the most common cyber attacks.

Cyber-attacks come in many shapes and sizes, but the vast majority are very basic in nature, carried out by relatively unskilled individuals. They’re the digital equivalent of a thief trying your front door to see if it’s unlocked. You want you to be able to prevent these attacks.

There are two levels of certification:

Cyber Essentials

This gives you protection against a wide variety of the most common cyber attacks. This is important because vulnerability to basic attacks can mark you out as target for more in-depth unwanted attention from cyber criminals and others.

Certification gives you peace of mind that your defences will protect against the vast majority of common cyber-attacks simply because these attacks are looking for targets which do not have the Cyber Essentials technical controls in place.

Cyber Essentials shows you how to address those basics and prevent the most common attacks.

Cyber Essentials Plus

Cyber Essentials Plus still has the Cyber Essentials trademark simplicity of approach, and the protections you need to put in place are the same, but for Cyber Essentials Plus a hands-on technical verification is carried out. This involves additional testing with end-users but this typically comes after the self-assessment phase.

Why should you get Cyber Essentials?

• Certified cyber security
• Reassure customers that you are working to secure your IT against cyber attack
• Attract new business with the promise you have cyber security measures in place
• You have a clear picture of your organisation's cyber security level

Cyber Essentials & government contracts

If you would like to bid for central government contracts which involve handling sensitive and personal information or the provision of certain technical products and services, you will require Cyber Essentials Certification. More information is available on the gov.uk website.

Provide a level of Cyber Liability insurance

If your firm is UK-domiciled with a turnover under £20m and you achieve Cyber Essentials certification covering your entire organisation, you will be able to opt-into the included cyber liability insurance.

This does not involve any additional cost or forms, it is completely free!

The insurance cover includes a 24-hour technical and legal incident response service. Professional indemnity policies that used to protect law firms if they suffered a cyber breach are now changing their terms to restrict cover due to the high number of claims.

Getting certified is a straightforward way of demonstrating to your insurance company, your business associates and your customers that you take cyber security seriously and have your house in order.

To find out more about Cyber Essentials - and to download a Readiness Tool and the Question Set for free - visit the IASME website

Reporting

Report all Fraud and Cybercrime to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or online. Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. Report SMS scams by forwarding the original message to 7726 (spells SPAM on the keypad).