Cybersecurity built for small businesses

- no expertise required.

CyberSmart is making cybersecurity simple and accessible to everyone. Businesses shouldn’t have to think about protecting their data. CyberSmart’s philosophy is to give every business, no matter how small, the tools to protect themselves easily and effectively.

Over 50% of SMEs are hacked every year. Most of them have no cyber protection.

In January 2022 the NCSC are introducing the biggest update to Cyber Essentials technical controls since its launch. This includes a new set of requirements for the Cyber Essentials scheme in response to the evolving cyber security challenges that organisations now face.

Why are the changes being made?

Digital transformation, adoption of cloud services, and a shift to home and hybrid working driven by COVID has transformed the working landscape. This Cyber Essentials update is in response to these changes and signals a move to more regular reviews of the scheme’s technical controls.

Why is the update important?

Cyber Essentials is a government-backed scheme that helps organisations defend against common cyber threats. And a Cyber Essentials certification is often a requirement for organisations working on UK government contracts. The 2022 update will help organisations maintain their basic cyber hygiene, providing reassurance for managers, staff, and customers.

How will the update affect you?

Officially released on 24 January 2022, the update includes revisions to the use of cloud services, home working, multi-factor authentication, password management, security updates and more. Any assessments already underway or started before that date will use the current technical standard and have six months to complete the assessment.

All Cyber Essentials applications starting on or after 24 January will use the updated version of requirements. As some organisations may need to make extra efforts when assessed against the new standards, there will be a grace period of up to 12 months for some of the requirements.

To find out more read our downloadable PDF

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How CyberSmart works

Small businesses often get left behind when it comes to cybersecurity. Most security tools are built for enterprises with big budgets and in-house expertise. So for SMEs without these resources, getting cyber secure can feel expensive, confusing and out-of-reach.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

The CyberSmart platform guides your customers through a journey to being cyber secure – with no need for expertise or expensive software. CyberSmart assesses how the business is currently doing and guides them all the way through to achieving security that customers can trust.

With CyberSmart you’ll be able to:

Protect the customers business 24/7 with continuous monitoring of all company devices
Ensure their people are working safely with cyber-awareness training modules, shareable security policies, and device monitoring
Prove to your customers and suppliers they’re cyber secure by completing government-standard cybersecurity certifications quickly and easily

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CyberSmart makes it easy for you to demonstrate your commitment to security through supporting customers in getting certified in Cyber Essentials, the UK government’s cyber security scheme. Cyber Essentials is a crucial benchmark for robust cyber hygiene practices and serves as proof of a company’s digital resilience.

Cyber Essentials is a UK government certification scheme designed to provide standards for protecting small and medium sized businesses from 80% of cyber attacks.

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While Cyber Essentials is self-assessed, Cyber Essentials Plus includes an independent assessment carried out by a licensed auditor.

Cyber Essentials Plus provides you with absolute assurance that your cybersecurity is up to scratch. And customers don’t have to take your word that you’re cyber secure – they can rely on the expertise of a professional.
It provides unlimited expert guidance to ensure you pass the first time and includes an independent assessment from an expert auditor either remotely or on-site.

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