UK Electrical are proud to announce that we’ve achieved our Cyber Essentials accreditation. This means that our systems are protected against cyber-attacks and that we’re doing everything possible to protect our customers’ data. Given today’s climate especially, this is more important than ever.
What is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a UK-Government backed certification scheme designed to show that an organisation has implemented a minimum level of protection against the most common cyber-attacks.
The scheme is managed by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which is part of Government Communications Head Quarters (GCHQ).
In 2014, the UK Government identified that small businesses were particularly vulnerable to cyber-attacks and commissioned a report into the issue. The result was the Cyber Essentials Scheme which was launched in June 2014.
How is accreditation achieved?
To achieve accreditation, UK Electrical had to prove that we have measures in place to protect our systems against common cyber threats.
We spent lots of time introducing new controls and procedures and invested lots of money in new hardware and software in order to meet the five key controls of Cyber Essentials.
- Firewalls and internet gateways
- Secure configuration
- User access control
- Malware protection
- Patch management
What are the benefits of Cyber Essentials?
Our business partners can be assured that UK Electrical takes cyber security seriously and that we are not only meeting but exceeding the requirements set out by the NCSC including:
- Multi-factor authentication
- Anti-virus & malware protection
- Strict access control policies
- Backups and disaster recovery plans
- Up-to-date software
- Focus on business continuity
What is Multi-factor authentication?
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is an extra layer of security that requires more than one method of identification. This could be something you know, such as a password, and something you have, such as a security token.
Why is anti-virus & malware protection important?
Anti-virus and malware protection is important because it helps to protect your systems from being infected with malicious software. This can lead to data loss, as well as downtime for your business.
What are strict access control policies?
Strict access control policies help to ensure that only authorised users have access to sensitive data.
Backups and disaster recovery plans
These help to ensure that your data is safe and recoverable in the event of a disaster.
Up-to-date software
Up-to-date software is important because it helps to protect your systems from being exploited by hackers. Older versions of software often contain vulnerabilities that can be exploited by cyber-criminals.
Focus on business continuity
This means that UK Electrical have plans in place to ensure that we can continue to operate in the event of a cyber attack.
What else is UK Electrical doing to protect against cyber-attacks?
We are implementing a 12-month cyber-security campaign for UK Electrical staff. The campaign is designed to raise awareness of cyber-risks and combines:
- Dummy phishing emails
- Communications campaign (through emails, blogs, team briefings)
- Individual cyber vulnerability assessments
- Tailored training (mandatory for all staff)
- Ongoing risk-assessments
Operations Director Debbie Fellows made the following comment on the accreditation;
“Cyber Essentials is a key part of our cyber security strategy and we are delighted to have achieved certification. The scheme gives us peace of mind that we are doing everything possible to protect our customers’ data and this will remain a key focus over the coming months and years”
The future of cyber security?
The NCSC has made the following predictions for the future of cyber security:
- There will be an increase in attacks on IoT (Internet of Things) devices
- There will be an increase in ransomware attacks
- There will be an increase in data breaches
- Cyber-attacks will become more sophisticated
- Organisations like UK Electrical will need to do more to protect themselves against cyber-attacks.
This cements the importance of UK Electrical’s current and future commitment to cyber security. If you would like more information our on Cyber Essentials certification, please contact us.
You can view a PDF copy of our Cyber Essentials certification here
