Modern companies can use the power of technology to their advantage, and having a strong IT network can open so many doors as a business. The problem is that this also leads to more issues with things like cyber attacks, and you have to try to prepare to battle against these. Using technology as a business is essential, but it’s important to protect the company as much as possible.Â
There are a lot of ways in which you can look after your company, as well as developing a secure and stable business for the future. Try to think about some of the best ways of achieving this, and making use of a security framework like Cyber Essentials is one of the best ways of being able to achieve this. In this blog post, we will look at what Cyber Essentials is, what it covers, and how Creative Networks can help you understand and implement it better.
What is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a 2014 government-backed accreditation scheme focused on improving a company’s IT security. Backed by the National Cyber Security Centre, the scheme seeks to provide a framework for businesses to work with in order to look after their security, customer data, and sensitive information. You need to have Cyber Essentials if you are serious about protecting your company, and this is important for success in the future.
It is important to have Cyber Essentials to boost all elements of your security, and making sure you gain accreditation in the right way is something that makes a massive difference. Being able to implement Cyber Essentials in your business is great because this presents a one-size-fits-all framework for businesses of any size looking to be more successful and secure.
Why is Cyber Essentials So Important for Your Business?
You have to make sure you do the best you can to improve your business and make it more secure. Longevity is really important for success, and this is something that you can achieve by implementing Cyber Essentials. Whilst this is not a legal requirement for UK businesses, it is certainly something you should be looking to get sorted as quickly as possible. Here are some of the reasons why Cyber Essentials is so important for your business:
Enhances Reputation
As a modern company, your reputation is everything, and having a security framework such as Cyber Essentials can be amazing for your reputation. It shows a desire to go above and beyond when it comes to looking after your company and it’s sensitive data, and this is very appealing to customers, so try to think about how you can implement this.
Protects Your Data
Pretty much all business data these days exists online, and this is why it is important to develop ideas that are going to protect and look after your data, which Cyber Essentials is key for. Guarding against issues such as data hacks and malware is vital, and this is something you can achieve with the right measures in place.
Give You Peace of Mind
It is important to have peace of mind as a business owner, and to know that you are taking all the necessary steps to make your company as secure as you can. This is important for short-term and long-term business planning.
Saves You Money
Sometimes you need to spend money to make money, and though Cyber Essentials costs money, it is a highly worthwhile investment long-term. It will protect your brand, and reduce the risk of expensive data breaches and loss of information, which can take years and lots of money to recover.
How Can You Implement Cyber Essentials?
One of the key things that you need to think about is how you can implement Cyber Essentials within your business, and this is something that Creative Networks can help you with. If you fail Cyber Essentials your company is going to be more vulnerable, so you have to make sure you have the right measures in place.Â
In order to implement Cyber Essentials and make it work for you, it is important to understand how long it takes to get Cyber Essentials, and this is typically achieved through an external audit of your business, in order to make sure everything is running as effectively as possible. The process could take a few days or a few months depending upon the size of your business.
What Areas Does Cyber Essentials Cover?
Knowing the areas that Cyber Essentials covers is super important for being able to implement this effectively, as well as putting yourself in the best possible position for successful accreditation. Looking at the five key controls of Cyber Essentials is hugely important for understanding what it covers, and how this is going to improve your business.
As a modern company, you need to be able to look at some of the best ways in which this can become a key part of your business, and there are loads of factors that play a role in this. So, let’s take a look at the 5 different areas Cyber Essentials covers, and how this can impact your company:
1. Firewalls
Firewalls are important for providing an initial layer of protection for the business, and for protecting your online presence from unauthorised access. This is a key part of the process of protecting your company more effectively, and needs to be implemented.
2. Secure Configuration
Secure configuration is vital for reducing the risk of security breaches and problems, and this is why your IT networks all need to be correctly configured as much as possible.
3. Use Access Control
Access control is vital for limiting the people who are able to access your data, and this plays a massive part in making your business better and stronger. Try to ensure you are utilising access control services in order to make your business safer and more secure.
4. Malware Protection
Malware can be highly destructive for a lot of modern companies, and taking steps to protect against this is crucial. Keeping all of your business data and information safe and secure is vital, and malware protection helps with this.
5. Patch Management
Patch management is crucial for helping protect your devices and software against vulnerabilities. This is something that can really go a long way towards improving your safety and security measures, and you need to think carefully about the best way of achieving this.
Cyber Essentials Plus
When you have passed your Cyber Essentials accreditation, there are so many things that play a part in this, and you need to consider the best course of action. Once this is sorted out for your business, you should be looking forward, and coming up with some of the key ways of enhancing your business protection, and making sure you keep on top of this.
One of the best ways of being able to do this would be to focus on getting Cyber Essentials Plus, and this is something that you will have to have Cyber Essentials already to be able to implement. Consider this an extra layer of protection for your business, and this is something you need to try to get right as much as possible.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, it is really important to be able to take the right steps to help make your company better, and safer. And there is no question that Cyber Essentials plays a key role in this. Covering all the elements of system protection and business security, Cyber Essentials is a game-changer for a lot of companies, and something that you need to try to implement as much as possible.
If you want to enjoy long-term success, as well as making sure you are focused on being a safer, more secure, and more appealing business, then Cyber Essentials is going to play a huge role. This is something that you need to consider, and getting in touch with Creative Networks is a great way of being able to implement this framework accurately and effectively.
