The National Security Inspectorate (NSI) has announced a partnership with Risk Crew, an IASME-accredited Cyber Essentials Certification Body, to deliver cyber security certification and associated benefits to NSI approved companies.
The aim of the new partnership is to provide NSI approved companies with a straightforward pathway to Cyber Essentials certification, building increased reassurance for the wider communities they serve.
Cyber Essentials/Plus certification is a Government-backed, industry supported scheme to help organisations of all sizes protect themselves against a range of common online attacks. Certification is mandatory for Ministry of Defence contracts, many UK Central Civil Government contracts involving the handling of personal information and purveying of certain ICT products and services, and is becoming increasingly desirable for private sector contracts. It will also be a requirement for ARCs signing up to the ECHO-connected service for police response alarm signalling currently undergoing testing, and due to be launched in 2021.
In addition to providing a clear statement of the basic controls organisations should implement to reduce the risks from common online threats, Cyber Essentials certification is an independent awarded approval for organisations to demonstrate to their customers, internal stakeholders, investors, insurers and others they have taken essential cyber security precautions to protect their business and any customer data they hold.
NSI has been working with Risk Crew, a risk and compliance management consultancy and Cyber Essentials/Plus Certification Body for its own Cyber Essentials Plus certification and penetration testing since 2017.
Richard Jenkins, NSI Chief Executive, said “In today’s increasingly interconnected world all businesses, whether large or small, need a secure level of protection against cyber attack. Cyber Essentials/Plus certification reassures companies, and in turn their customers, that business processes and procedures have some level of protection. This new partnership signposts NSI approved companies to Risk Crew as a recognised approvals body in cyber security.”
Risk Crew Chief Executive, Richard Hollis added, “The certification framework provides an essential baseline for protecting business systems and sensitive information assets. The principles and criterion are based upon fundamental cyber security best practices that have been proven to reduce the threat of a breach.”
NSI approved companies interested in applying for Cyber Essentials/Plus certification can find out more and enquire through NSI’s dedicated Cyber Essentials webpage.
