What is Cyber Essentials?

Cyber Essentials is a United Kingdom government-backed certification for organizations that ensures organizations have a set of basic security controls to secure their IT infrastructure from common cyberthreats. These security controls help protect sensitive data while mitigating cyber risks.

With the Cyber Essentials certification, organizations are qualified as more cyber resilient and are then eligible to bid for government contracts.

Benefits of Cyber Essentials certification

The Cyber Essentials certification is beneficial to different types of organizations:

• Small and medium enterprises: Provides a cost-effective way to improve security for SMEs.
• Large enterprises: Complements existing security frameworks and enhances overall resilience.
• Non-profit organizations: Protects sensitive donor and beneficiary information.

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Key features of Cyber Essentials

Here are the three key facets of Cyber Essentials:

• Five Core Controls: Core Controls refer to fundamental security measures that every organization should implement to protect its IT infrastructure from common cyberthreats. These controls establish a strong baseline of security by addressing the most frequent vulnerabilities that attackers exploit. The five controls include: 1) Firewalls, 2) Secure configuration, 3) Security update management, 4) User access control, and 5) Malware protection.
• Certification Levels: There are two levels of Cyber Essentials certification: 1) Basic self-assessment, and 2) Advanced certification requiring an external assessment.
• Industry recognition: The certification is recognized by government bodies and private sector organizations as an indication of cybersecurity diligence.

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History of Cyber Essentials

Cyber Essentials was launched in 2014 by the UK Government's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre. The initiative was established in response to the increasing number of cyberthreats targeting businesses of all sizes. The goal was to provide a clear and accessible baseline of cybersecurity for organizations. In 2016, Cyber Essentials Plus was introduced, and this provides a higher level of assurance because testing is conducted by an external party.

Regular updates are being made to Cyber Essentials to address evolving cyberthreats and to incorporate the latest security best practices.

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Difference between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus

Cyber Essentials Plus is an advanced version of the Cyber Essentials certification. Below, we explore the major differences between the two.

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Who must comply?

Cyber Essentials is particularly relevant for organizations that handle sensitive information or provide services to the public sector. However, implementing its guidelines benefits any business aiming to enhance its cybersecurity posture. Cyber Essentials is mandatory for organizations bidding for certain UK government contracts.

Not all government contracts require Cyber Essentials certification. The necessity for certification depends on the nature of the contract and the sensitivity of the data involved.

Since October 1, 2014, the UK government has mandated that suppliers bidding for certain public contracts hold Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus certification. This requirement applies to contracts involving the handling of personal information and the provision of specific information and communication technology products and services.

For example, the Ministry of Defence has required all suppliers to comply with the Cyber Essentials scheme since January 1, 2016. This mandate extends throughout the supply chain, meaning that not only direct contractors but also the subcontractors must hold the certification.

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How to implement Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus in your organization

Implementing Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus involves a series of strategic steps to ensure your organization meets the required security standards.

Step-by-step implementation

1. Understand the requirements
   • Establish the scope.
   • Familiarize yourself with the five Core Controls of Cyber Essentials.
   • Assess your current security posture against these controls.
2. Conduct a self-assessment
   • Complete the Cyber Essentials questionnaire to identify gaps.
   • Engage stakeholders across IT, operations, and management.
3. Address identified gaps
   • Implement necessary security measures such as firewall configurations, access controls, and regular patching.
   • Train employees on cybersecurity best practices.
4. Choose a certification body
   • Select an accredited certification body to conduct the assessment.
   • Prepare documentation and evidence of compliance.
5. Undergo assessment
   • For Cyber Essentials: Complete an online self-assessment.
   • For Cyber Essentials Plus: Participate in an external vulnerability scan and on-site checks.
6. Maintain compliance
   • Regularly review and update security measures.
   • Recertify annually to ensure ongoing compliance.

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Cyber Essentials checklist

Follow this checklist to ensure your organization meets the Cyber Essentials requirements:

1. Firewalls
   • Install and maintain firewalls to protect internet connections.
   • Configure firewalls to block unauthorized access.
2. Secure configuration
   • Remove unnecessary software and services.
   • Disable auto-run features that enable file execution upon download.
   • Ensure default passwords are changed.
   • Apply security configurations to all devices.
3. Security update management
   • Regularly update all software and operating systems.
   • Apply security patches promptly to mitigate vulnerabilities.
4. User access control
   • Implement strong password policies.
   • Restrict administrative privileges to essential personnel.
   • Use multi-factor authentication where possible.
5. Malware protection
   • Install and maintain anti-malware software on all devices.
   • Ensure malware protection is regularly updated.

Apart from the checklist above, organizations should also invest in:

• Employee training: Conduct regular cybersecurity training sessions.
• Data backup: Implement regular data backup procedures.
• Incident response plan: Develop and maintain a plan to respond to cyber incidents.

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Implications of non-compliance with Cyber Essentials

Failing to achieve or maintain Cyber Essentials compliance can result in significant consequences for your organization.

1. Increased vulnerability:
   • Higher risk of cyberattacks and data breaches.
   • Potential loss of sensitive information and intellectual property.
2. Loss of business opportunities:
   • Ineligibility for certain government contracts and tenders.
   • Reduced trust from clients and partners concerned about security.
3. Financial consequences:
   • Costs associated with data breaches, including remediation and legal fees.
   • Potential fines under data protection regulations like the GDPR .
4. Reputational damage:
   • Negative publicity resulting from security incidents.
   • Erosion of customer trust and confidence in your brand.
5. Operational disruptions:
   • Downtime and loss of productivity due to cyber incidents.
   • Resource allocation to address and recover from attacks.

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How ManageEngine Log360 helps you achieve Cyber Essentials compliance

ManageEngine Log360 is a unified SIEM solution that accelerates and enhances your organization's Cyber Essentials compliance. Let's see how Log360 helps you comply with each of the functions .

Firewalls: Log360 helps generate reports such as Windows firewall auditing, firewall failed logons, firewall VPN user connected, and more.

Secure configuration: Log360 provides insightful software installation reports.

Security update management: Log360 provides numerous reports, such as Patch Report, Successful Patch Events, Policy Deployment Events, and more.

User access control: Log360 delivers insights through User logon and logoff reports that help you track user accesses. Log360's UEBA helps you detect suspicious activities from users in your network by utilizing machine learning techniques. Dynamic peer grouping capabilities enables you to detect anomalies on a granular level by grouping users in a network based on behavior exhibited by them and establishing a baseline for the group.

Malware protection: Log360 provides reports such as Malware object events, Defender malware detection, Trickbot malware recon activity, and more to help you comply with this function. Log360 also generates process reports which track background process initiation in your network that indicate potential malware activity.