Cyber Essentials is a very simple scheme that assists organisations in protecting their assets against a whole range of the most common cyberattacks. This scheme, which is backed by Government through the Nacional Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), addresses the most common threats to cyber security that originate from the Internet. Most of these threats utilise widely available tools and require minimal skills. These threats include:
- Phishing. Attempts to deceive users into installing malware on their computers through attached malicious files or website links.
- Hacking. Exploit known vulnerabilities in devices connected to the Internet by using widely available methods and tools.
- Password Guessing. Attempts – manual or automatic – to establish unauthorised access to computer systems by guessing passwords.
Cyber Essentials covers only the essential steps to mitigate the above threats by using a set of five technical security controls. These are:
- Secure your internet connection.
- Secure your devices and software.
- Control access to your data and services.
- Protect against viruses and other malware.
- Keep your devices and software up to date.
The above controls are explained clearly in a booklet provided by the NCSC (Cyber-Essentials-A5-Booklet). These controls are addressed in in detail by a set of requirements, which are available by the NCSC (Cyber-Essentials-Requirements-for-IT-infrastructure-2-1).
NTechBiz can prepare organisations for obtaining the Cyber Essentials Certification. NTechBiz is also a Cyber Essentials Certification Body. For further information and quotations, please contact NTechBiz by email at info@ntechbiz.consulting, or by phone at 07454 305 605.