Protos Networks; guiding organisations through Cyber Essentials

Cybercrime is a significant threat to all organisations in the UK, with nearly 40% of businesses reporting a cyber breach or attack in the last 12 months. Cyber Essentials Certification helps to protect organisations of all sizes from a wide range of the most common cyber threats.

Hollie Joinson, Senior Administrator at Protos Networks:

“Whether your organisation consists of a single device or numerous devices in multiple locations, Cyber Essentials Certification is necessary to protect organisations and reassure stakeholders. Protos has developed a simple approach with bespoke guidance, practical outcomes, and received positive feedback from customers along the way.”

“Darren and Gareth, Protos’ lead assessors, have built strong relationships throughout the Cyber Essentials process, bringing customers back year after year and awarding over 300 certifications in 2022.”

Cyber Essentials focuses on five technical controls that have been proven effective against up to 90% of cyber-attacks, detail of which are below.

• Firewalls - Firewalls stop unauthorised access to and from private networks but must be set up correctly to be effective. Boundary firewalls and internet gateways allow you to control who can access your system and where your users can go. Antivirus software defends against viruses and malware, while firewalls protect against external threats. The security provided by the firewall can be adjusted like any other control function (in other words, the firewall ‘rules’).

• Secure configuration - Web server and application server configurations play a crucial role in cyber security. Failure to manage the proper configuration of your servers can lead to a wide variety of security problems.

Configure computers and network devices to reduce vulnerabilities and only provide necessary services. This will help prevent unauthorised actions from being carried out. It will also ensure that each device discloses only the minimum information about itself to the Internet. A scan can reveal opportunities for exploitation through insecure configuration.

• User access control – It is important to keep access to your data and services to a minimum. This should prevent a criminal hacker from being presented with open access to your information. Criminals want to get administrator rights so they can break into applications and access confidential information. Convenience sometimes results in many users having administrator rights, which can create opportunities for exploitation. User accounts, particularly those with special access privileges, should be assigned only to authorised individuals. They must be managed effectively and provide the minimum level of access to applications, computers, and networks.

• Malware Protection – It is vital that you protect your business from malicious software, which will seek to access files on your system. The software can cause chaos by stealing private data, corrupting files, and blocking access until you pay a fee. Protecting against a broad range of malware will protect your computer, your privacy, and important documents from attack.

• Patch management - All devices and software are prone to technical vulnerabilities. cybercriminals can rapidly exploit vulnerabilities once they’ve been discovered and shared publicly. Criminal hackers exploit known vulnerabilities in operating systems and third-party applications if they are not properly patched or updated. Updating software and operating systems will help to fix these known weaknesses. It is crucial to do this as quickly as possible to close any opportunities that could be used to gain access.

Why customers choose to work with Protos to achieve their certification… Protos Networks offer one-to-one guidance from experienced assessors, who advise and guide the customer through the process. The Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus Assessments can now be completed remotely, which makes the whole process much quicker and less demanding for organisations, although just as accurate.

Debbie Bryce - Chief Executive Officer – of West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, shared their experience, “The protection of data is incredibly important to the Chamber, and we are delighted to renew our IASME and Cyber Essential certifications once again with outstanding support from Protos Networks. They have provided brilliant guidance throughout the assessment and made the process very straightforward.”

Jennifer Scott, Russell Taylor Group Ltd’ Quality & Facilities Manager, said, “Working with the wonderful team at Protos Networks to attain the accreditation was an extremely smooth process, with special mention to Darren, who was extremely helpful and supportive. We would have no hesitation in recommending Protos Networks and hope to work with them again soon.”

To find out more about Cyber Essentials, you can visit www.protosnetworks.com or call 0333 370 1353.