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Cyber Essentials & Cyber Essentials Plus

21 October 2020Consultancy, Cyber Awareness, Cyber Essentials
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Looking to achieve Cyber Essentials Certification with Fourtify? Cyber Essentials is a UK Government backed Cyber Security Certifcation with a focus on securing your business through five technical controls.

The scheme, which was developed by the National Cyber Security Council (NCSC) and launched in 2014 was driven by the need for an alternative, affordable cyber certification that all businesses could achieve. The concept was created to encourage small-to-medium businesses to achieve a certified Cyber Security Standard.

Cyber Essentials is designed to protect against an estimated 80% of the most common internet-based Cyber Security threats. The certificate provides organisations of all sizes the ability to demonstrate their commitment to Cyber Security through achieving Cyber Essentials Certification through IASME whom from April 1st 2020 became the ONLY authorised Cyber Essentials Partner to the National Cyber Security Centre.

Fourtify are a Certification Body aligned to IASME delivering Cyber Essentials Certification as well as Cyber Assurance Level 1 and Level 2..

There are 2 Cyber Essentials Certifications currently available;

1 – Cyber Essentials – Self Assessment

2 – Cyber Essentials Plus

The first option is completed via Self-Assessment. Your organisation is assessed against five security controls. Once completed, the self-assessment is reviewed and verified by a qualified assessor at Fourtify. If you have your whole organisation certified and have a turnover of less than £20,000,000.00 you will also automatically receive Cyber Liability Insurance for your organisation if you opt in.

So far, so good?

The second option involves a little more work. As above, your organisation will still be assessed against five basic security controls and if you qualify will still receive Cyber Liability Insurance. The difference with the ‘Plus’ certification is an authorised audit of your organisations systems. This will assess how your environment is Managed from a support perspective and Secured from a Cyber perspective.

The key benefits of the Cyber Essentials Certification;

  •  Demonstrates your commitment to Cyber Security to your Customers and Prospects
  •  The five basic security controls protect you against approximately 80% of Cyber Attacks
  •  Allows your organisation to tender and work with the UK government and MoD

Hopefully this has given you a better understanding of Cyber Essentials / Cyber Essentials Plus and provided you with some food for thought?

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