Cyber Essentials
Cyber Essentials
Leverage ConnectSecure to help your clients get Cyber Essentials certified
How can you empower your clients to elevate their cybersecurity game? Help them get Cyber Essentials certified with ConnectSecure. Our multi-tenant, all-in-one B2B vulnerability management and compliance platform is the answer to the government-backed scheme for online security.
Built for MSPs by MSPs, ConnectSecure gives you everything you need to identify and address potential vulnerabilities, manage patch updates, and ensure secure configurations — all essential for certification. Make security a defining feature of your clients' success while positioning yourself as the managed service provider they can’t do without.
The 5 requirements for Cyber Essentials certification
Correctly configure firewalls
Every device, including boundary firewalls, desktop computers, laptops, routers, servers, and cloud services like IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, must be secured with a properly configured firewall. This reduces exposure to attacks by restricting access through firewall rules that allow or block traffic based on source, destination, and type of communication protocol. Software firewalls should also be used on devices connecting to untrusted networks, like public Wi-Fi hotspots. Key requirements include changing default passwords, preventing unauthorized access, and blocking unauthenticated inbound connections by default.
Properly Secure Network Devices
Default configurations often have vulnerabilities such as default passwords, unnecessary user accounts, and pre-installed applications that can be exploited. By proactively managing and regularly updating these settings, you can reduce vulnerabilities and ensure only necessary services are enabled. This includes removing unused user accounts, changing default passwords, disabling unnecessary software, and implementing proper device locking controls.
Manage Security Updates
Regularly discovered security flaws, if left unpatched, can be exploited by attackers as seen, for example, during the LastPass breach. Make sure all software is licensed, supported, and updated within 14 days of a critical or high-risk update release. Automatic updates should be enabled where possible, and unsupported software should be removed from devices. Applying these updates promptly helps mitigate security risks and maintain the integrity of your systems.
Control User Access
Only authorized individuals should have access to your organization's applications, computers, and networks. Assign user accounts only to authorized individuals and limit their access based on their roles. Special access privileges, such as administrative accounts, should be carefully managed to prevent unauthorized use. Measures include having a process for account creation and approval, authenticating users with unique credentials, implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA), and removing or disabling accounts when no longer required. Proper password management and user education are also key components of this requirement.
Manage Malware Protection
Malware protection aims to restrict the execution of known malware and untrusted software that can cause damage or access data, using anti-malware software or application allowlisting to prevent malware from running on devices. Anti-malware software should be updated regularly and configured to prevent the execution of malicious code and connections to malicious websites. Application allowlisting ensures that only approved applications, restricted by code signing, can execute on devices, thereby reducing the risk of malware infection.
Drive business with Cyber Essentials compliance
What exactly is Cyber Essentials and why does it matter to MSPs? Tune into this video to hear Chris Blunt, a UK-based licensed Cyber Security Assessor and Consultant, explain why this government-backed certification scheme is only going to grow in importance for the businesses that MSPs serve.
Meet Cyber Essentials requirements with ConnectSecure
No business in the UK can afford to ignore Cyber Essentials. For many, getting certified is increasingly becoming a prerequisite for winning government contracts. Watch now to learn from ConnectSecure President Srikant Sreenivasan and CISO Krishnakumar Kottekkat what it takes to meet the five technical controls of Cyber Essentials with ease.
![turtle list icon](https://connectsecure.com/hubfs/list-icon.png)
Automated Continuous Scanning & Remediation:: Helps MSPs stay ahead of threat actors by proactively scanning client environments, identifying and remediating vulnerabilities across various operating systems (Windows, Linux, Darwin, and ARM), and providing CVE links (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) for a deeper understanding of risks.
![turtle list icon](https://connectsecure.com/hubfs/list-icon.png)
Automated Scheduling: Ensures all systems are consistently monitored, up-to-date, and secure.
![turtle list icon](https://connectsecure.com/hubfs/list-icon.png)
EPSS Scoring: Uses the Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) to prioritize vulnerabilities based on their risk of exploitation.
![turtle list icon](https://connectsecure.com/hubfs/list-icon.png)
Patch Management: Identifies, manages and deploys security patches across all devices, including patches and updates in Microsoft Windows and 600 third-party applications.
![turtle list icon](https://connectsecure.com/hubfs/list-icon.png)
Compliance Reporting: Generates detailed compliance reports that align with Cyber Essentials requirements, simplifying the certification process for clients.
![turtle list icon](https://connectsecure.com/hubfs/list-icon.png)
Asset Inventory Management: Maintains a comprehensive inventory of all connected devices and software, ensuring that all assets meet security standards.
![turtle list icon](https://connectsecure.com/hubfs/list-icon.png)
Configuration Management: Monitors and enforces secure configurations on client systems, ensuring they adhere to Cyber Essentials guidelines.
![turtle list icon](https://connectsecure.com/hubfs/list-icon.png)
User Access Control: Manages and audits user access controls to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive information, a key component of Cyber Essentials compliance.
How Your Clients Benefit from Cyber Essentials Certification
As an MSP, helping your clients achieve Cyber Essentials certification can significantly enhance their security and business operations. This certification not only boosts their defenses against cyber threats but also instills confidence and trust among their stakeholders. Here are five key benefits your clients will experience by obtaining Cyber Essentials certification:
Enhanced Security Posture
Cyber Essentials certification ensures that your clients have implemented basic security controls to protect against common cyber threats, reducing the risk of breaches and data loss.Increased Customer Trust
Achieving certification demonstrates your clients' commitment to cybersecurity, fostering greater trust and confidence among their customers, partners, and suppliers.Regulatory Compliance
Many industries require compliance with specific cybersecurity standards. Cyber Essentials certification helps your clients meet these requirements, avoiding potential fines and legal issues.Competitive Advantage
Certified organizations often stand out in the marketplace. Cyber Essentials certification can be a differentiator, helping your clients win new business and retain existing customers.Cost Savings
By proactively addressing security vulnerabilities, your clients can avoid the significant costs associated with data breaches, including legal fees, fines, and reputational damage.Start using ConnectSecure with a free trial!
![Karl Bickmore, CEO, Snap Tech IT](https://connectsecure.com/hubfs/karl-bickmore.jpg)
Karl Bickmore
CEO | Snap Tech IT![Dennis Houseknecht, CTO, WatSec Cyber Risk Management](https://connectsecure.com/hubfs/dennis-houseknecht.jpg)
Dennis Houseknecht
CTO | WatSec Cyber Risk Management![McKaila Posey, Cybersecurity Services Manager, Entara](https://connectsecure.com/hubfs/McKaila%20Posey-1.jpg)
McKaila Posey
Cybersecurity Services Manager | Entara![Paul Rouse, President and Owner, Rouse Consulting Group](https://connectsecure.com/hubfs/Paul%20Rouse.jpg)
Paul Rouse
President and Owner | Rouse Consulting Group![Sandeep Kaushal, President, TeamLogic IT](https://connectsecure.com/hubfs/Sandeep%20Kaushal.jpg)
Sandeep Kaushal
President | TeamLogic IT![cyber-essentials-guide-cta](https://connectsecure.com/hs-fs/hubfs/cyber-essentials-guide-cta.png?width=1600&height=1134&name=cyber-essentials-guide-cta.png)