Cyber Security is one of the biggest features of the business industry in the 21st-century. Without safe and secure processes, your company runs the risk of leaking data due to a breach caused by an external source. Leaks increased by more than 50% in 2019, so the threat is real and needs treating seriously.
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Cyber Essentials helps you to guard against hackers and costly mistakes that ruin your reputation. Whether it’s the most obvious threats or the things that most businesses don’t see coming, a Cyber Essentials certification will ensure your organisation is safe.
What Is Cyber Essentials?
CE is a scheme backed by the Government that aims to highlight common issues and assist enterprises that allow them to go under the radar. The program does this by showcasing the things that the majority of companies don’t know are threatening and offering simple-yet-effective solutions.
There are two levels of qualifications that your organisation can utilise.
Cyber Essentials
This is the most basic of the two accreditations. However, you shouldn’t let this impact your perception of the scheme as a big percentage of leaks are as a result of small problems that escalate out of control.
Many businesses are targets because they are easy to hack, which is why it’s essential to cover the bases. This will give you peace of mind that your systems can handle rudimentary attempts from outside sources who plan to cause your company harm.
A Cyber Essentials course includes a self-assessment questionnaire that is independently verified by a third-party. This means that the Standard Level of Certification allows you to say with confidence that you meet the requirements of Cyber Essentials.
Cyber Essentials Plus
A Cyber Essentials Plus qualification involves raising awareness of the protections you require to thwart threats. These include common issues, as well as more advanced problems. As a result, a certified accreditor must perform a technical verification to ensure you meet the required standards.
A Cyber Essentials Plus course includes:
- Info on the Government’s ten steps to cybersecurity. You have to prove that your company’s procedures are in line with the steps.
- A systems test.
- A self-assessment by a certified body.
It is up to you which level of qualification you choose.
How It Works
Whether you prefer the standard certification of the Cyber Essentials Plus qualification, your company will be tested against the same five basic security controls. They are:
- Secure Configuration
- Boundary Firewalls & Internet Gateways
- Access Control & Administrative Privilege Management
- Patch Management
- Malware Protection
The difference between the certification and accreditation process for Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus is that the former evaluates the five controls via a technical audit. For a standard Cyber Essential qualification, you only need the information you provide to be verified by an assessor.
The proof required for either program is based on the size of the business. Therefore, the evidence is relative, meaning each application is taken on a case-by-case basis. There is no one-size-fits-all policy.
The Application
Here’s what you can expect during the application process.
- A briefing: We’ll walk you through the foundation of the scheme and highlight things such as the length of the course and the required details.
- An application form: In it, you’ll see how you need to provide the necessary proof to support your application.
- The assessment: Once you have completed the form and sent it to us, we’ll review the information and inform you whether you have been successful.
- The interview: The last part of the process is for the service owner to attend an interview.
- Certification: Congratulations – you’re Cyber Essentials qualified!
We always offer feedback on failed applications so that you can assess your weak spots and provide the evidence required to secure your certificate.
Why Is Cyber Essentials A Good Thing?
There are a plethora of benefits included in your qualification. Firstly, the basic certificate is a legal requirement for UK government suppliers or anyone bidding for the contracts. Without it, you can’t show that you’re able to handle sensitive and personal information securely, and you’ll be rejected.
Also, the Cyber Essentials certification includes liability insurance for certified businesses. For £300 plus VAT, you receive peace of mind that you’re covered for anything cybersecurity-related.
You must be certified and have a turnover of £20m or less per year.
How JVR Consultancy Can Help
All of the above may sound complicated, but they are basic security problems that are easy to fix. At JVR Consultancy, we can empower you to take your company’s safety to the next level by assessing and certifying you as Cyber Essentials qualified.
As one of only 42 organisations in the UK to be accredited by the IASME Consortium in partnership with the National Cyber Security Centre, we can assess your application and certify you as Cyber Essentials ready. Plus, we offer vital advice that will boost your chances of succeeding in the first attempt.
Cyber Essentials is backed by the government, which is why it’s essential to contact us as soon as possible for a free analysis on your current systems and a road map on how best for you to progress. As one of few consultancies in the UK to be accredited by the IASME Consortium in partnership with the National Cyber Security Centre, we can assess your application and certify
For your free Cyber check get in touch with us today.
How JVR Consultancy Can Help
For more information on how JVR Consultancy can support your business to remain compliant with a range of accreditations, please contact us today
Frequently Asked Questions from our Customers
Yes we can, we can assist you with any of the accreditation featured on our website. We have a 100% record of securing any of the accreditation in the first audit for all our customers for the last 13 years.
More to the point, I ask clients how quickly can you start. We can have a consultant working on your accreditation within the hour if you are ready. The only things that take time are the audit dates, these are issued to the client by the certification body so it is out of our control.
This depends on how much the client has in place already. The more they have, the easier it becomes to work on their accreditation. The gap analysis that we carry out is free of charge and afterwards will give you an exact fixed price.
The fixed price will include the following –
- Carry out all the work ( creating documents & processes tailored to your company )
- Attend the audit ( as your expert consultant ) or make the desktop submission.
- Make any corrections that the auditor may highlight to ensure that you obtain your accreditation the first audit.
Initially, we need to talk to you to carry out the free gap analysis. Afterwards, we would require you to forward all the relevant documents. After that, we can complete the work with the minimum of your input, leaving you to concentrate on doing what you do best for the company.
Yes! Let us Manage your Accreditations with Ongoing Support and Maintenance. With us managing your accreditations, your team can then focus on business growth and development. This gives you peace of mind knowing your compliance is being routinely managed by professionals. Ongoing support and maintenance avoids panic in your business when suddenly faced with an audit, knowing at all times you are well prepared.
Achieve Accreditation and Compliance with JVR
JVR Consultancy was formed in the year 2008 and their head office is based in Windsor and Maidenhead. We noticed that there was a gap in the market, for companies who work in the construction, rail, utilities, oil and gas sector who were not fully supported in the way that they could be when it came to industry compliance and certification. That is why our highly experienced team of compliance consultants can serve these sectors by providing over 135 years of combined experience with all compliance needs. In short, you won’t find anyone else who cares as much, or who tries as hard as we do.
Speak with one of our experienced consultants. At JVR, we know that time is precious, and you want the answers to your questions quickly, especially during an audit!. Once we speak with you for the first time over the phone, we need around 10 minutes to fully evaluate which accreditation you need support with and a brief introduction into you and your company.
Managing Director at JVR Consultancy, Steven Sandhu, is passionate and committed to supporting his clients within their chosen Compliance accreditation. With over 15 years of experience across multiple compliance industries, Steven prides himself on delivering 100% accreditation success for his clients, mixed with a passion for providing excellence by understanding the goals and the needs of his clients’ businesses. All this, combined with his strong breadth of skills and knowledge by routinely researching industry requirements changes and introducing new regulated requirements
Our consultants have an extensive level of experience in developing solutions and offering guidance for our clients and their businesses. We offer a free GAP analysis, which will help to assess the difference between your business performance and your goals. It’s a fantastic way for you to find out if your business needs are met, and if they aren’t, it gives you the insight and confidence you need to deliver improvement before an audit. Learning more about what is Gap Analysis and how will the report benefit you.
With a success rate of 100% and a team who will go above and beyond to make sure that your expectations are met, you know that you can trust in us to provide you with the knowledge, resources and expertise you need to make a difference. Contact us today to find out more.
To identify the objectives and benefits that are needed to achieve your desired level of compliance, we offer a FREE, no-obligation Gap Analysis. Our analysis will assess your current systems and documentation. Just start your journey by filling in the form below, and one of our specialists will contact you (typically within one working day) to make arrangements.
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