FEATURE


Cyber Essentials accreditation: 1 in 5 businesses unaware of benefi ts


A WORRYING number of UK businesses are still not aware of the benefi ts of the Government-backed Cyber Essentials Scheme, according to a recent survey from CyberGuard, part of the OGL Group.


Almost a fi fth of IT managers reported that they were unaware of how Cyber Essentials compliance could help their business, with 10% unsure of whether their company even had the certifi cate.


According to the Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2018, 43% of businesses have experienced cyber security breaches or attacks over the last 12 months.


This is particularly concerning since 56% of businesses hold personal data on customers in the cloud. However, there are methods that can be implemented to reduce the risk of data breaches. One such way is through being Cyber Essentials accredited.


Paul Colwell, Chief Technology Offi cer at CyberGuard, said: “Here at CyberGuard, we encourage companies to become Cyber Essentials certifi ed since it can help protect against most common cyber-attacks.”


Cyber Essentials is a Government-backed, industry-supported scheme which launched in June 2014. It aims to help all organisations protect themselves against cyber-attacks. When an organisation is fully compliant, they will receive a certifi cate to show stakeholders and customers that they have the necessary safety measures in place to reduce the risk of a cyber-attack. Cyber Essentials is a quality standard in many industries, and


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a necessity for businesses looking to win certain Government contracts.


In a bid to understand how many businesses employ methods to reduce cyber security risks, cyber security company, CyberGuard, surveyed 251 IT managers in UK companies, ranging from small businesses (20-49 employees) to large companies (750 employees or greater). The survey focussed on whether or not the business had achieved the Cyber Essentials certifi cation.


according to the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2018, 42% of SMEs had experienced at least one cyber-attack in the past year. SMEs are at a higher risk of data breaches when compared to large organisations, but are less likely to have Cyber Essentials certifi cation in place.


The results revealed that 19% of IT managers were unaware of the benefi ts of having a Cyber Essentials certifi cation, with 10% unsure of whether or not their business even had the certifi cate.


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Of the businesses without Cyber Essentials accreditation, two thirds (67%) said that a lack of understanding had been the primary barrier to them applying, with 42% citing a lack of funds.


Almost a third (29%) suggested that they did not consider it important.


In terms of small businesses with between 20 and 49 employees, 33% claimed they either were not Cyber Essentials certifi ed or were not sure. This compares to just 6% of larger, enterprise organisations: for example, those with over 750 employees. This fi nding is particularly worrying for both consumer and employee privacy;


We encourage companies to become Cyber Essentials certifi ed since it can help protect against most common cyber-attacks


However, while there continues to be a lack of awareness around cyber security, there are some positives. The vast majority of the businesses surveyed (81%) stated they were Cyber Essentials certifi ed, with 69% reporting that they understood the benefi ts of being so.


Of those accredited, 84% claimed it has helped their business to win contracts, with other respondents highlighting the importance of the certifi cate in reassuring their customers.


Paul concluded: “In 2019, it should be paramount that businesses who rely on technology protect customer and employee information – as well as their own. Becoming Cyber Essentials certifi ed is a great start to implementing strong and secure cyber security practices.”


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