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Most criminal hackers aren’t state-sponsored agencies or activists looking for high-profile targets. Nor do they spend countless hours staking out and researching their targets. Instead, they tend to be opportunistic, looking for any available target. In that regard, you can think of them as burglars; yes, they’re aware of high-value marks, but it’s more effective to go after easier targets. Just as burglars identify marks by scouting neighbourhoods and looking for poorly protected homes, cybercriminals look for easily exploitable weaknesses.
Cyber Essentials addresses this, helping organisations avoid weaknesses and address vulnerabilities before criminal hackers have the chance to exploit them. Organisations can certify to Cyber Essentials by completing a self-assessment questionnaire which contains requirements related to each of the scheme’s five controls.
If you need help meeting those requirements, Micro Nova is here to help. We offer a variety of solutions based on the level of support you need
Cyber Essentials is a UK government scheme that outlines steps that organisations can take to secure their systems. It contains five controls that cover the basics of effective information security.
They can be implemented by anyone who is familiar with the scheme, regardless of their information security knowledge. Despite the scheme’s focus on only the fundamentals of cyber security, it is hugely beneficial to anyone who certifies. Those who follow the Cyber Essentials scheme can prevent about 80% of cyber attacks.
How does Cyber Essentials work?
CYBER ESSENTIALS
Implementing NCSC Guidelines
CYBER ESSENTIALS
Implementing NCSC Guidelines
DEVICE SECURITY
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What are the five controls?
Complexity is the enemy of good cyber security. We offer unified cloud-native security, complementary services, and reliable long-lasting partnerships that make your daily life easier. Highly automated proactive technologies take care of most of the workload for you. All the elements work together as one, eliminating overlaps and silos. Efficient workflows, built-in guidance and risk-based prioritization help you to focus on the most pressing tasks at hand.
1. Firewalls
These are designed to prevent unauthorised access to or from private networks, but a good setup of these devices is essential to be fully effective. Boundary firewalls and Internet gateways determine who has permission to access your system from the Internet and allow you to control where your users can go. Although antivirus software helps protect the system against viruses and malware, a firewall helps keep attackers or external threats from getting access to your system in the first place. The security provided by the firewall can be adjusted like any other control function (in other words, the firewall ‘rules’).
2. 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. Computers and network devices should be configured to minimise the number of inherent vulnerabilities and provide only the services required to fulfil their intended function. This will help prevent unauthorised actions from being carried out and 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.
3. 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. Obtaining administrator rights is a crucial objective for criminal hackers, allowing them to gain unauthorised access to applications and other sensitive data. 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, managed effectively, and provide the minimum level of access to applications, computers and networks.
4. 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 wreak havoc by gaining access and stealing confidential information, damaging files, and even locking them and preventing access unless you pay a ransom. Protecting against a broad range of malware (including computer viruses, worms, spyware, botnet software and ransomware) will protect your computer, your privacy and your important documents from attack.
5. Patch management
All devices and software are prone to technical vulnerabilities. Cyber criminals 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.
Most criminal hackers aren’t state-sponsored agencies or activists looking for high-profile targets. Nor do they spend countless hours staking out and researching their targets. Instead, they tend to be opportunistic, looking for any available target. In that regard, you can think of them as burglars; yes, they’re aware of high-value marks, but it’s more effective to go after easier targets. Just as burglars identify marks by scouting neighbourhoods and looking for poorly protected homes, cybercriminals look for easily exploitable weaknesses.
Cyber Essentials addresses this, helping organisations avoid weaknesses and address vulnerabilities before criminal hackers have the chance to exploit them. Organisations can certify to Cyber Essentials by completing a self-assessment questionnaire which contains requirements related to each of the scheme’s five controls.
If you need help meeting those requirements, Micro Nova is here to help. We offer a variety of solutions based on the level of support you need
Cyber Essentials is a UK government scheme that outlines steps that organisations can take to secure their systems. It contains five controls that cover the basics of effective information security.
They can be implemented by anyone who is familiar with the scheme, regardless of their information security knowledge. Despite the scheme’s focus on only the fundamentals of cyber security, it is hugely beneficial to anyone who certifies. Those who follow the Cyber Essentials scheme can prevent about 80% of cyber attacks.
What are the five controls?
Complexity is the enemy of good cyber security. We offer unified cloud-native security, complementary services, and reliable long-lasting partnerships that make your daily life easier. Highly automated proactive technologies take care of most of the workload for you. All the elements work together as one, eliminating overlaps and silos. Efficient workflows, built-in guidance and risk-based prioritization help you to focus on the most pressing tasks at hand.
How does Cyber Essentials work?
1. Firewalls
These are designed to prevent unauthorised access to or from private networks, but a good setup of these devices is essential to be fully effective. Boundary firewalls and Internet gateways determine who has permission to access your system from the Internet and allow you to control where your users can go. Although antivirus software helps protect the system against viruses and malware, a firewall helps keep attackers or external threats from getting access to your system in the first place. The security provided by the firewall can be adjusted like any other control function (in other words, the firewall ‘rules’).
2. 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. Computers and network devices should be configured to minimise the number of inherent vulnerabilities and provide only the services required to fulfil their intended function. This will help prevent unauthorised actions from being carried out and 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.
3. 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. Obtaining administrator rights is a crucial objective for criminal hackers, allowing them to gain unauthorised access to applications and other sensitive data. 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, managed effectively, and provide the minimum level of access to applications, computers and networks.
4. 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 wreak havoc by gaining access and stealing confidential information, damaging files, and even locking them and preventing access unless you pay a ransom. Protecting against a broad range of malware (including computer viruses, worms, spyware, botnet software and ransomware) will protect your computer, your privacy and your important documents from attack.
5. Patch management
All devices and software are prone to technical vulnerabilities. Cyber criminals 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.
CYBER ESSENTIALS
Implementing NCSC Guidelines
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How to Complete the Cyber Essentials Basic Questionnaire
In this video an engineer explains cyber essentials and its different components.
