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To access Amazon Web Services (AWS), an access key is required to verify your identity and the identity of your applications. An access key consists of an access key ID and a secret access key. Anyone with the access key for your root account has unrestricted access to all of your account.
(more…)To access Amazon Web Services (AWS), an access key is required to verify your identity and the identity of your applications. An access key consists of an access key ID and a secret access key. Anyone with the access key for your root account has unrestricted access to all of your account.
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You’ve heard that it’s something your business needs, but what is Cyber Essentials? Get your answers here as we explain what it is, how to get certified, and whether it’s worth it.
The Cyber Essentials scheme is a government-created scheme designed to help SMEs stay protected and productive in a world of increasing cyber threats.
The certification gives you a solid cybersecurity foundation to build upon. And it’s highly recommended for SMEs because it protects you against 98.5% of the most common cyber threats.
In a nutshell, Cyber Essentials includes two things:
Cyber Essentials was created by the National Security Centre (NCSC). The NCSC was assembled in 2016 and combines expertise from CESG (the information assurance arm of GCHQ), the Centre for Cyber Assessment, CERT-UK, and the Centre for Protection of National Infrastructure. They’ve pooled their collective knowledge into a cybersecurity certification that any business can access.
Cyber Essentials covers five key areas of cybersecurity across your IT infrastructure. It even covers common outliers, like thin clients, BYOD, and home working devices. The certification is updated as new technology becomes commonplace to keep pace with today’s working world.
The Cyber Essentials Certification is a self-serve activity. All you have to do is complete a self-assessment questionnaire and submit it via an online portal. The assessment questionnaire is about 30 pages long and is broken up into 8 sections. It includes questions like:
A4.7. Have you configured your boundary firewalls so that they block all other services from being advertised to the internet? By default, most firewalls block all services from inside the network from being accessed from the internet, but you need to check your firewall settings.
On average, we’ve found that it takes small businesses around 2 weeks to complete an assessment. When you submit your assessment, the certification body reviews and grades your application. They have a ‘pass/fail’ system, so once you’ve passed, you’re good to go.
If you fail your certification the first time around, don’t panic. You’ll get feedback from the assessor, so you know what you need to address. They give you two working days to resolve any issues and resubmit for further review without any further cost. If you don’t get the fixes done in time, you may be charged again.
You can avoid this scenario with the support of a Cyber Essentials certification provider. With this support, you can be certified in as little as 24 hours.
Cyber Essentials certification lasts for 12 months. During that time, your business can be listed on the NCSC’s Cyber Essentials Certification search, so potential customers or investors can confirm your due diligence to cybersecurity. After 12 months, you must reapply to renew your certification.
Yes.
The sad truth is that every business, no matter how small, could be connected to the target of a cyberattack. Suppliers, third-party vendors, and large organisations exist in an interconnected ecosystem. An attack on one part of that ecosystem could affect anyone in the supply chain.
That’s why we believe that Cyber Essential is worth having. It’s a low-effort way for any SME to go from 0% protection to 98.5% protection from the most common cyber threats. In as little as 24 hours, you can transform your IT security.
It’s mandatory for some businesses to have Cyber Essentials. If your business wants to secure government or MOD contracts, Cyber Essentials is… well, essential.
PwC revealed that 85% of consumers “wish there were more companies they could trust with their data”. And in the B2B space, more than 25% of businesses expect double-digit growth in cyber budgets in 2022. So you can bet that they’ll look hard at their potential vendors and suppliers, too.
And while Cyber Essentials isn’t a panacea for all cyber threats, it provides a valuable set of controls that deliver cost-effective cybersecurity for any business. With this foundation and protection from over 98% of common cyber threats, you can start to grow your business with confidence.
So, is Cyber Essentials right for your business? That depends on what your business goals are. But, if you want to…
…then Cyber Essentials is for you.
Simple controls your company can implement today to stay protected tomorrow!
Cybersecurity and data protection can be overwhelming. There is an enormous amount of advice on the Internet, but it is quite difficult to know where to start.
At CyberSmart, we believe cybersecurity should be accessible and easy for everyone. Therefore we have compiled a series of actionable steps to help you protect your data. Each week we focus on one control, provide some background information and answer common questions.
(more…)Simple controls your company can implement today to stay protected tomorrow!
Cybersecurity and data protection can be overwhelming. There is an enormous amount of advice on the Internet, but it is quite difficult to know where to start.
At CyberSmart, we believe cybersecurity should be accessible and easy for everyone. Therefore we have compiled a series of actionable steps to help you protect your data. Each week we focus on one control, provide some background information and answer common questions.
(more…)
Cybersecurity and data protection can be overwhelming. There is an enormous amount of advice on the Internet, but it is quite difficult to know how to get to start. At CyberSmart, we believe that Cyber Security should be accessible and easy for everyone. So we’ve compiled a series of actionable steps to help you protect your data. This week, we’re talking anti-virus software.
(more…)Cybersecurity and data protection can be overwhelming. There is an enormous amount of advice on the Internet, but it is quite difficult to know how to get to start. At CyberSmart, we believe that Cyber Security should be accessible and easy for everyone. So we’ve compiled a series of actionable steps to help you protect your data. This week, we’re talking anti-virus software.
(more…)With the latest media attention on cyber security incidents and data breaches, I hope you agree with me when I say that we are past discussing the importance of data protection and cyber security. If you still think cyber security is not relevant for start-ups and SMBs, come back next week and let me convince you that it truly matters.
Picture this: a pig, covered in fluffy fur, that lays eggs and gives milk. In German, this is called “eierlegende Wollmilchsau” which is vaguely translated to “Jack of all trades” in English. Unfortunately, I have seen this being advertised in the cyber security sector as well.
With the latest media attention on cyber security incidents and data breaches, I hope you agree with me when I say that we are past discussing the importance of data protection and cyber security. If you still think cyber security is not relevant for start-ups and SMBs, come back next week and let me convince you that it truly matters.
Picture this: a pig, covered in fluffy fur, that lays eggs and gives milk. In German, this is called “eierlegende Wollmilchsau” which is vaguely translated to “Jack of all trades” in English. Unfortunately, I have seen this being advertised in the cyber security sector as well.
A few months ago we were applying for the GCHQ Cyber Accelerator. Today we have graduated. Full with gratitude, excitement and enthusiasm, we went back to London, continuing building our CyberSmart and our network.
(more…)A few months ago we were applying for the GCHQ Cyber Accelerator. Today we have graduated. Full with gratitude, excitement and enthusiasm, we went back to London, continuing building our CyberSmart and our network.
(more…)Easier, better and more cloud-friendly
Almost three years after its inception, the UK Government has released the first update to the Cyber Essentials Scheme. The new standard aims to increase the adoption rate amongst businesses by making the guidelines more relevant and easier to understand.
(more…)Easier, better and more cloud-friendly
Almost three years after its inception, the UK Government has released the first update to the Cyber Essentials Scheme. The new standard aims to increase the adoption rate amongst businesses by making the guidelines more relevant and easier to understand.
(more…)
The Cyber Essentials scheme was developed by the UK Government. The scheme provides a clear statement of the basic controls all organisations should implement to mitigate the risk from common Internet-based threats. The Government believes that implementing these measures can significantly reduce an organisation’s vulnerability. Many companies, however, do not implement these controls, and in the past, this has led to serious security breaches.
(more…)The Cyber Essentials scheme was developed by the UK Government. The scheme provides a clear statement of the basic controls all organisations should implement to mitigate the risk from common Internet-based threats. The Government believes that implementing these measures can significantly reduce an organisation’s vulnerability. Many companies, however, do not implement these controls, and in the past, this has led to serious security breaches.
(more…)Oldie but Goldie – Our founders talking about CyberSec with Carlos Espinal (Seedcamp) before CyberSmart was born. Listen to the podcast here.
(more…)Oldie but Goldie – Our founders talking about CyberSec with Carlos Espinal (Seedcamp) before CyberSmart was born. Listen to the podcast here.
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