Have you done your Cyber Essentials Assessment?
We are pleased to announce that we have just passed our annual Cyber Essentials Assessment – so we thought we’d talk about what it is and the benefits and why as a business you too should have one.
The Cyber Essentials Assessment is a certification scheme backed by the government. Covering the essential actions, a business should take in order to protect themselves from potential cyber-attacks. For those who have already had an initial assessment, your business will be assessed annually in order to make sure all the correct protocols are being met year by year.
The Benefits
There are many benefits that the assessment provides for your business, with these benefits being a great reason for any business to do their own assessment. Some of the benefits of passing the assessment include:
Increased reputation: Passing the assessment shows your business is committed to keeping both its data and its client’s data safe. By earning the certification, it shows your business has taken the right precautions to reduce potential cyber-attacks. If clients know this, you’re more likely to earn a stronger reputation.
Insurance cover: By proving that your business is compliant with the scheme means that you could be entitled to free cyber insurance cover, which could potentially save your business up to £25,000!
Cyber Protection: If your business passes the scheme, it shows it has met the correct specification. By meeting these requirements, your business should be protected by at least 80% of all common cyber threats – meaning your data is securely protected.
A Better Understanding: Not only will your business be protected from a higher amount of cyber threats, but you’ll also be able to develop a better understanding of cyber security and how you can protect your business.
Application And Process
After hearing some of the benefits the assessment can have on a business, you might be wondering how you can get started. And luckily for you, applying for and completing the assessment can be done quickly and easily in just a few simple steps.
Like most business assessments, you must pay a small price, in this case £300 (Including VAT).
Once paid you will receive a questionnaire that is to be self-assessed – with a 6-month time period given in order to complete the assessment. So, there is plenty of time to get prepared!
After submitting your assessment, the governing body will review your businesses application – eventually making a decision about your certification. With it taking approximately 3 days to receive a response, you don’t have to worry about a long wait.
If everything is in order, your business will be granted the Cyber Essentials Certification!
It is recommended by the government that your business renews its certification once a year. However, on paper, there is no definitive time frame that the assessment is valid for – but just like the government, we’d recommend completing the assessment annually, not only to make sure your certification is up to date, but also to make sure your business meets the right requirements in order to keep it safe.
In conclusion, the Cyber Essentials Assessment is a great way of making sure your business is properly protected from cyber threats, but it also provides an array of other benefits for your business from a better business reputation to financial savings.
For any business who utilise online systems, we would recommend taking this assessment as not only does it give you a legitimate certificate that you can showcase, but it also allows you to gain a further understanding of what precautions you need to take in terms of cyber security – which for any business, is always going to be useful. You can find out more about the assessment here: https://buff.ly/2OP7KF0
If you are in need of help with your cyber security, for your business, get in touch today and we’ll be happy to help.
Contact us:
Phone: 01727 861553
