Cyber Essentials Plus
Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus are essential certifications for businesses aiming to enhance their cybersecurity posture. Achieving Cyber Essentials certification demonstrates your commitment to protecting sensitive data and safeguarding against cyber threats. With Cyber Essentials Plus certification, you take this assurance to the next level, undergoing rigorous testing to ensure your defences are robust. At OCM Communications, we guide you through every step of the certification process, ensuring it is smooth and cost-effective. Want to know more about Cyber Essentials certification costs and how to get started? Contact us today and secure your business’s future with Cyber Essentials.
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Cyber Essentials Plus is a government-backed scheme that helps businesses to protect themselves from cyber attacks.
Cyber Essentials Plus builds upon the foundation of Cyber Essentials.
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Offering a higher level of assurance for organisations seeking greater security validation.
While both certifications focus on the same five key technical controls (firewalls, secure configuration, access controls, malware protection, and patch management), Cyber Essentials Plus goes a step further.
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The key difference is that Cyber Essentials Plus involves a hands-on technical audit conducted by an independent assessor. This audit verifies that the security controls are correctly implemented and effective in protecting the organisation's systems.
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Cyber Essentials Plus is a simple and effective way to demonstrate the security of your organisation.
The Cyber Essentials audit is the specific component that makes up the Cyber Essentials Plus certification. Here's what it involves:
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Purpose:To verify that the five essential technical security controls (firewalls, secure configuration, access controls, malware protection, and patch management) are correctly implemented and functioning as intended.
To provide a higher level of assurance than the self-assessment questionnaire used in standard Cyber Essentials.
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Auditor:The audit is conducted by an independent, qualified assessor from a certification body accredited by the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). OCM are a certification body for cyber essentials.
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Vulnerability Scan: The assessor typically uses a vulnerability scanning tool to identify potential weaknesses on a sample of your systems.
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Technical Checks: The assessor will manually verify a range of security configurations, including firewall settings, user permissions, anti-malware software, and patch levels.
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Simulated Attacks: The audit might include simulated phishing attacks or other tests to assess your defences against common cyber threats.
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Here are the key benefits of Cyber Essentials Plus over Cyber Essentials:
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Increased Assurance: Cyber Essentials Plus provides a higher level of trust due to the independent technical audit, ensuring that security controls are properly in place and offer genuine protection.
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Enhanced Security Posture: The hands-on audit helps identify and fix potential vulnerabilities that a self-assessment questionnaire might miss, strengthening your actual security posture.
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Greater Customer Confidence: The more rigorous certification boosts confidence among customers, partners, and stakeholders, demonstrating a stronger commitment to cybersecurity.
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Competitive Advantage: Cyber Essentials Plus can be a significant differentiator when bidding on contracts, especially those in sectors where security is paramount, or when working with organisations that require a higher level of security assurance.
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Demonstrate your security commitment. Contact us for a free Cyber Essentials Plus consultation.
Secure Your Business with Cyber Essentials Plus – Contact OCM Communications Today!
Contact us for more information or to schedule a consultation. Ensure your business is protected against cyber threats with our expert support and guidance.
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FirewallsCreate a security filter between the internet and your network. Firewalls are essential for protecting your internet connection. They act as a barrier between your internal network and external networks (such as the internet), preventing unauthorised access to your systems and data. Organisations must ensure that all devices that connect to the internet are protected by a properly configured firewall.
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Secure ConfigurationSecure configuration involves setting up computers and network devices to reduce vulnerabilities. This includes changing default settings, disabling unnecessary features, and ensuring that only essential software is installed and running. Organisations need to ensure that devices and software are configured securely from the outset to minimise security risks.
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User Access ControlUser access control ensures that only authorised individuals have access to systems and data. This involves implementing user accounts with appropriate privileges and using strong, unique passwords. It also includes restricting administrative privileges to only those who need them for their role.
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Malware ProtectionMalware protection involves deploying anti-malware solutions to detect and prevent malicious software from infecting systems. This includes using antivirus software and other security tools to scan and protect against malware. Organisations must ensure that their anti-malware software is up-to-date and configured to scan for malware regularly
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Software Security UpdatesSecurity update management, or patch management, ensures that software and devices are kept up-to-date with the latest security patches and updates. This reduces vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers. Organisations need to implement a process to regularly update and patch systems to protect against known threats.