For most businesses in this difficult financial climate, £1000 is an amount of money which could be of great use. For some companies, cyber security goes un-prioritised because business owners may think they simply don’t have the budget for it (even if it means risking money and sensitive data in the long run). This is why the Scottish Government have opened up a funding programme for cyber security; specifically towards Cyber Essentials certification.
Cyber Essentials is a UK Government scheme to enable businesses to obtain a minimum level of cyber security. The Cyber Essentials certification shows that your business is doing its part in maintaining approved security levels.
There are 5 areas which Cyber Essentials covers:
- Secure Configuration
- Firewalls
- Access Control
- Malware Protection
- Patching & Updates
Cyber Essentials certification can reduce your risk of a cyber attack by 80%
How Cyber Essentials will benefit you
This not only benefits your data as a business. It also reassures other businesses and customers you may be interacting with that their sensitive data is safe with you. It is a reflection of your businesses commitment to cyber security.
In fact, some Government contracts require Cyber Essentials certification. Through the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) website, you can even search for organisations which have been Cyber Essentials certified. With your certification, you are automatically listed on the certified directory.
How do I get started?
To register for the £1000 towards your Cyber Essentials, or find out more, head over to this page here, and fill out the simple form. From there it will direct you through the necessary steps.
To browse the directory of certified organisations, you can do so here.
