Are your current cyber security measures enough to prevent a data breach? Cyber crime remains a common threat in the United Kingdom, and threat actors are ready and able to take advantage of any loophole in your security. In a 2023 survey conducted by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, more than half of medium and large businesses reported experiencing a cyber attack in the previous year. The most disruptive of those attacks cost an average of £4,960.
Despite the pervasive risk and the steep costs, however, the number of companies that use password policies and restrict admin rights to protect their systems has consistently declined over the past three years.
The solution? UK businesses need robust, sophisticated cyber strategies that can adapt to the evolving threat landscape. That’s what Cyber Essentials is designed to do.
What Is the Cyber Essentials Framework?
Cyber Essentials is a set of standards developed by the British government in response to the growing concerns about data privacy and cyber security threats. Companies that comply with Cyber Essentials standards can receive certification, communicating that they are safe to do business with.
Cyber Essentials includes five security pillars that work together to create a strong security baseline:
- Firewalls: Firewalls prevent unauthorized access by restricting traffic into and out of your system.
- Secure Configuration: When installing new software, devices, or computers, secure configuration ensures they are set up to minimize vulnerabilities.
- Access Control: Access control measures protect accounts, networks, and data by limiting administrative rights and managing credentials.
- Malware Protection: Antivirus and anti-malware software scans your system for viruses, ransomware, spyware, and other malicious programs.
- Patch Management: Keeping software up to date ensures that bugs, loopholes, and security vulnerabilities can’t compromise your security.
Should My Company Be Cyber Essentials Certified?
According to the National Cyber Security Centre, the number of businesses with Cyber Essentials certification has increased by 21% over the last year, and with good reason. Cyber insurance providers report 80% fewer claims for companies with Cyber Essentials Certification.
There are two levels of certification companies can complete:
- Cyber Essentials: This basic certification process requires a self-assessment of your company’s security controls and protocols. An external certifying body reviews the assessment and awards the certification.
- Cyber Essentials Plus: This certification includes the same self-assessment process with an added hands-on technical evaluation.
Cyber Essentials certification is a simple, straightforward process. In some cases, it may be required to win a government or commercial contract. Even if certification is not required, it is still a recognized way to improve security and increase trust.
How CyberFOX Can Help
If you are working toward Cyber Essentials Certification – or simply seeking to implement the protocols as a foundation for your security strategy, access control is a great place to start. Implementing access control measures reduces the risk of a cyber attack by locking down your system and limiting access to specific scenarios. There are two ways to do this:
- Password Management – Password management reduces the risk of compromised credentials by enforcing adherence to password best practices and policies. With a password manager tool, users can easily create, store, and share passwords securely without writing them down, reusing them, or sending them to a colleague through email.
- Privileged Access Management – Privileged access management removes administrative rights and uses the principle of least privilege to grant access only when it is needed to perform a specific task. AutoElevate by CyberFOX makes it easy to remove local rights, manage privileges remotely, and define rules to automate the process.
Ready to take the next step toward Cyber Essentials certification with access management? Contact us today for a free trial or demonstration!