Cyber Essentials - Good for Business!!

What is Cyber Essentials and Why Does It Matter?

The Cyber Essentials scheme was created by the National Cyber Security Centre to ensure UK businesses could protect themselves by implementing five technical security controls.
You will:
1. Secure your business by reducing the risk of breach by 80%.
Many SMEs tend to believe they are safe with simple firewalls or anti-virus software, with Cyber Essentials, you can guarantee to significantly reduce your risk of being breached by 80%.
2. Gain a competitive advantage and enhance your reputation with alignment to the only recognised British Cyber Security accreditation.
With Cyber Essentials, your business will gain the respect and trust of your clients as you begin to prioritise data protection.
3. Apply and bid for Government tenders.
Cyber Essentials is the minimum requirement when bidding for public contracts and bidding for a contract is a competition — if your main competitor has Cyber Essentials and you do not, unfortunately it will count against you and mean your competitor has the advantage with the contracting authority.
4. Secure your supply chain.
Target, Etihad Airways and T-Mobile are just a few examples of how black-hat hackers managed to exploit weak third parties to intrude into larger corporations’ networks in order to do harm. By certifying for Cyber Essential Plus, you are moving towards securing your supply chain and ensuring the businesses you work with won’t lead to a breach in your business.
Many large organisations such as Deloitte, Ernst and Young, KPMG and many more are already certified for Cyber Essentials and promote the certification amongst their respective supply chains.
5. Avoid hefty GDPR fines post breach.
It is impossible to be 100% secure and guarantee to avoid breaches but with Cyber Essentials Plus certification, you can successfully prove to the Information Commissioner’s Office that your business made a significant effort to protect client data and avoid having to pay up to 4% of your global turnover.
6. Receive FREE Cyber Insurance.
You must fit the following criteria to be eligible for free Cyber Insurance:
• Your organisation must have Cyber Essentials Certification at either the basic or plus level
• Your organisation must be certified with an IASME certification body
• Your organisation must turnover under £20,000,000
• Your organisation must be domiciled in the UK
7. Reduce future cyber insurance premiums.
Cyber insurance agencies look more favourably on organisations that have achieved Cyber Essentials Plus certification.
8. Promote your certification status on your website and social media.
Your prospects will instantly understand they are dealing with a secure, compliance-first, business when they see the Cyber Essentials logos on

Cyber Essentials is good for business… it can be good for yours too!