What is a Cyber Essentials Plus?
Cyber Essentials Plus is an expansion of the renowned Cyber Essentials certificate, promoting safe online business operations to prevent a cyber-attack. Both certificates are created by the UK government and awarded to businesses fully proficient in cyber security. Cyber Essentials Plus involves a highly trained assessor auditing your system. The assessment aims to confirm that all controls declared in Cyber Essentials are implemented and working correctly on the organisation’s network. By undertaking and completing Cyber Essentials Plus, you can declare that your organisation has proven to meet the security standards set out by the Cyber Essentials certification.
What are the benefits of Cyber Essentials Plus Certification?
There are many benefits to going one step further and achieving Cyber Essentials certification and Cyber Essentials Plus. These include:
- Having secure cyber security in place is of paramount importance, as preventing a cyber attack is much easier than resolving one. Cyber Essentials Plus shows that the processes in place are more likely to prevent a cyber-attack effectively.
- The procedures and IT infrastructures required by the scheme ensure the company can implement security controls in a viable way that can be used daily. It also means that should an issue occur, it can quickly be resolved via the backup and contingency plans that are in place.
- Cyber Essentials Plus is one of the highest levels of security certification, and companies that hold this certification can bid for the public centre and government contracts as they have demonstrated various levels of protection have already been implemented.
- Improved competitiveness within the sector you operate in as customers can see how serious you are about cyber security if your business has achieved Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus. Clients are also more likely to share their data with a company that aligns their security with official government guidance.
What are the five key Cyber Essentials Plus elements?
Cyber Essentials Plus works on five control elements to keep companies safe online. The difference between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus is that with the Plus certificate, you must show that each element is being actively used. The five Cyber Essentials Plus control elements are:
- Firewalls
- User access control
- Malware protection
- Patch management
- Secure configuration
What is the difference between Cyber Essentials Plus and Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials Plus is the expansion of the Cyber Essentials certification. Therefore only organisations that have already achieved the initial accreditation can apply for this status. You must have a valid Cyber Essentials certificate dated within three months of the application date to apply.
Any business can achieve Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus as the scheme is designed to make a safer online operating space for companies of all sizes and sectors. The Cyber Essentials Plus certificate is a brilliant option, showing that your business takes cyber security very seriously.
Obtain Cyber Essentials Plus Certification
Fusion Business Services have partnered with experts in cyber security who can help your business achieve the much-acclaimed Cyber Essentials Plus certification. To learn more about Cyber Essentials Plus or to begin the certification process, please contact us today by completing the short form on this page or by calling us on 0800 229 4020. We’ll pass your details over to our specialist partners, who will be in contact shortly.