Smaller businesses naively assume that nefarious rogue elements only target larger corporations. While cyberattacks on large companies may make headlines, it is the smaller businesses that are mostly targeted by cybercriminals.

According to a 2022 study, a staggering 58% of small companies in the UK have no cybersecurity plan in place. Besides the lack of knowledge, the lack of adequate internal funds is a major factor that deters smaller businesses from taking proactive steps against cyberthreats.

That’s why all UK businesses must take advantage of the Cyber Essentials scheme since it is cost-effective and can insulate businesses against 80% of cyberattacks. 

Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus

A Cyber Essentials certification is your first step towards creating a cybersecurity framework that can defend your business against the vast majority of cyberattacks and discourage unwanted attention from cybercriminals. 

The Cyber Essentials scheme, which is a National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) initiative, offers two levels of certification —- Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus.

To attain a “basic” Cyber Essentials certification, organisations need to complete an online self-assessment questionnaire, which must then be verified by a qualified assessor.

The Cyber Essentials Plus certification, on the other hand, is the top-tier security certification offered under the Cyber Essentials framework. Besides the self-assessment questionnaire, organisations must also clear a rigorous technical assessment to determine whether they are protected against basic hacking and phishing attacks.  

Cyber Essentials isn’t just mandatory — it’s essential!

Cyber Essentials is mandatory for businesses and suppliers that want to bid for certain government and defence contracts. However, all businesses irrespective of their size should opt for the UK-Government-backed Cyber Essentials certification since it can effectively neutralise most common cyberthreats.

It also makes good business sense to achieve Cyber Essentials as an important initial step towards General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance. Since Cyber Essentials certification is recognised by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as “good practice,” it could help businesses that handle EU data avoid penalties in the event of a data breach.   

Cyber Essentials benefits

By making Cyber Essentials part of their cybersecurity stance:

• Businesses can demonstrate that they are better prepared to protect their information.
• Managed service providers can enhance their credibility with clients and prospects.
• Organisations can enhance their credibility by displaying the Cyber Essential certification badge.
• Businesses can get listed on the NCSC’s directory operated by IASME.
• Businesses and suppliers can bid for certain government and Ministry of Defence contracts.

Simplify Cyber Essentials with Compliance Manager GRC

For IT professionals, juggling Cyber Essentials along with numerous external and internal procedures and processes can be a daunting task. However, Compliance Manager GRC simplifies everything for you.

Whether preparing the self-assessment attestation for the annual Cyber Essentials certification or performing a third-party Cyber Essentials Plus audit, Compliance Manager GRC makes the entire process “painless.”

You can also renew your Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications in a few simple steps without any hassle.

Book a demo of Compliance Manager GRC today.