The team at Intrasource are proud to announce that we have successfully achieved our annual recertification of our Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation. This renewal demonstrates our ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest cyber security standards and protecting our clients from evolving cyber threats.
What is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a UK Government-backed certification that helps businesses protect themselves against common cyber attacks. Achieving Cyber Essentials accreditation proves that an organisation has at least the minimum security controls in place to safeguard against threats.
The five key requirements for a Cyber Essentials accreditation include:
- Firewalls
- Secure configuration
- User access control
- Malware protection
- Security update management
Organisations must meet all five technical controls to become Cyber Essentials certified. The IASME Consortium has developed a Cyber Essentials Readiness Tool on behalf of the National Cyber Security Centre (NSCS), which provides a series of questions to help businesses prepare for the certification process.
What is Cyber Essentials Plus?
The Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation is the highest level of certification in the Cyber Essentials scheme. While it still requires completion of the Cyber Essentials self-assessment questionnaire, Cyber Essentials Plus also involves an independent technical audit by an external assessor.
During the audit, an external expert tests a random sample of devices within the organisation. The assessment includes running vulnerability scans to verify patching, configuration, and potential weaknesses. Achieving the Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation confirms that an organisation has implemented the essential security measures and that they have been independently validated.
How Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus can benefit your business:
Gaining a Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation provides several advantages, including:
- Demonstrating that you have at least the minimum security controls in place
- Showing your commitment to mitigating cyber security threats
- Offering a clear indication of your organisation’s cyber security level
- Meeting contractual requirements, as some clients and suppliers mandate Cyber Essentials certification
If you want to ensure that cyber threats do not compromise your business or supply chain, it is crucial to achieve a Cyber Essentials accreditation and work with partners who also meet these recognised standards.
Cyber Essentials FAQs:
How long does it take to get your cyber essentials certification?
Once you have submitted your self-assessment and had it internally verified, it usually takes 1-3 working days to receive your results.
Can you get cyber essentials plus without cyber essentials?
Although you do not need to pay twice to obtain Cyber Essentials Plus, you must first meet all the requirements of the Cyber Essentials assessment (and more) to achieve the higher certification.
How long does cyber essentials plus last?
All Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications are valid for 12 months, requiring annual renewal to maintain compliance.
How Intrasource Can Help
The team at Intrasource have extensive experience in helping businesses achieve and maintain Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus accreditations. We can assess, test, and maintain your IT infrastructure to ensure you meet the necessary requirements.
In addition to supporting businesses with Cyber Essentials, we offer a full suite of cyber security services, including vulnerability assessments, endpoint protection, and security monitoring. Our expert team can help safeguard your organisation against evolving threats.
Call us today on 01482 628800 to arrange a pre-assessment and secure your business against cyber threats.
