As explained by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Cyber Essentials is a simple but 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.
What is the National Cyber Security Centre
Launched in October 2016 with headquarters in London, the NCSC is an organisation of the UK Government that provides advice and support for the public and private sector in how to avoid computer security threats. They provide a single point of contact for SMEs, larger organisations, government agencies, the general public and departments, nurturing the UK’s cyber security capability.
Why is Cyber Security important?
Cyber security’s main responsibility is to protect the devices we all use (smartphones, laptops, tablets and computers), and the many online services we all access. It’s also about preventing unauthorised access to the vast amounts of personal information we store on these devices, and online.
Online banking and shopping, email and social media. We all need to take steps that can prevent cyber criminals getting hold of our accounts, data, and devices – both at home and at work.
Cyber Security for businesses
It is true that as a business, you can never be totally safe. Most online attacks can be prevented or detected with basic security practices for your people, processes and IT systems. These steps are as important as locking your doors at home. It is possible to manage your online security in the same way you would protect any other aspect of your business.
With more customers demanding that their suppliers are secure, this is becoming a business necessity. You can save money through adopting an efficient risk management approach of planning, implementing and reviewing. This will help your business gain a competitive advantage by being seen to take security seriously.
Planning:
What information assets are critical to your business?
What kind of risk could they be exposed to?
You are being attacked, can you continue to do business?
How can you manage these risks on an ongoing basis?
Implementing:
Have you put in place the right security controls to protect your equipment, information, IT system and outsourced IT services?
Do your staff know what their responsibilities are? Do they know what good practice looks like?
You have suffered an attack, how will you deal with it and get back to business? Who will you turn to for help?
Reviewing:
Are you reviewing and testing the effectiveness of your controls?
Do you monitor and act on the information?
Are you aware of the latest threats are?
The biggest vulnerability in cyber security is human error. Organisations who do not have a staff awareness training programme in place, face an increased possibility of someone making an avoidable mistake. Examples: reusing a password on multiple accounts, falling for a phishing scam, or failing to properly dispose of sensitive information when it is no longer needed.
Most businesses know that they should be doing more to protect themselves. It can be difficult knowing where to begin. If this is the case for you reading this blog and want to learn more about what is cyber essentials, then keep following us as we dive deeper into each risk management stage in our next piece.
Feel free to contact our team on all aspects related to cyber security and they will be happy to help. You can reach us by phone on 0161 763 4529 or via email at hello@codus.co.uk
