We had a fantastic time hosting the latest ITC Service webinar, Cyber Essentials – More Than a Checkbox, which saw experts from our team come together to discuss exactly what Cyber Essentials is (and isn’t), the benefits a proactive approach to security can bring to your business and the process involved in achieving your certification.
Marketing Manager Connor Thomas was joined by Director and Founder Christopher Potts as well as Service Desk Specialist (and cyber security fanatic) Jordan Dooley, to break down the core fundamentals behind CE and the practical requirements of a business ready to undertake their certification.
According to the British Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024, half of businesses (50%) and around a third of all charities (32%) have reported having experienced some form of cyber security breach or attack in the last 12 months, with the most common type of breach or attack being a phishing scam – where victims are deceived into the installation of malicious software, or into revealing sensitive and private information.
Cyber Essentials represents a government-backed scheme which, when accredited, demonstrates your commitment to best practice, protects you from the most common cyber threats and displays your commitment to cyber security to other businesses and sectors.›
If we were to compare the cyber crime industry to global economics, the results are scary – cyber crime ranks third as an ‘economy’, only behind the USA and China. This really gives perspective on the vast impact cyber crime has on the world, but as Connor said the solution is not ‘can’t beat them, join them’ but to employ an utilise the ever-growing arsenal of cyber security tools at our disposal.
With this in mind, we took a deep dive into just how a Cyber Essentials certification can help protect your business from the latest and most common threats and be pivotal in educating your team on the fundamentals (whilst reaffirming the importance of) good digital hygiene.
We then went on to examine the core pillars behind the CE certification: boundary defence, secure configuration, access control, malware protection and patch management as well as the advantages that simple, practical steps can bring to your security posture.
One of the most commonly asked questions is “How long does a Cyber Essentials certification take?” with Jordan explaining that whilst it must be completed within a 3 month window, the actual length of time to complete your certification depends entirely upon your current set up and the amount of work needed to bring you up to the mark.
Although the overall process of accreditation can seem daunting, once it’s done it’s all about maintaining your commitment to best practices, rather than ‘tightening the locks’ once a year.
The benefits of being certified not only give you the peace of mind that you’re protected, with the National Cyber Security Centre claiming that those with a CE certification are 92% less likely to make a cyber insurance claim compared to those without, but it can also grant you access to lucrative new opportunities, particularly so within the public sector.
Finally, the discussion turned to how ITC Service’s recent accreditation as a Cyber Essentials certifying body can really speed up your certification.
Being one of the few Cyber Essential certification bodies in the North East, we’re uniquely positioned to guide and support you in achieving this globally recognised standard. As we’re accredited by IASME, there’s no need to rely on a third-party auditor, dramatically speeding up turnaround times and allowing us to fully support you throughout the process, end-to-end.
Huge thank you to everyone who attended the live event, and to our team for their insight. If you missed Cyber Essentials – More than a Checkbox, you can still view it here and we hope you can join us for our next one!
