IASME is partnering with the NCSC to deliver their new Industry Assurance scheme, Cyber Advisors. Officially launched at CYBERUK in Belfast this week, the scheme is designed to help the UK’s numerous SMEs.
‘It can be hard to know where to find consultants that offer reliable and appropriate advice on cyber security, especially for SMEs. IASME is proud to deliver the NCSC’s Cyber Advisor scheme to provide a trusted source of good cyber security advice for small organisations’
Dr Emma Philpott MBE, CEO IASME
What is the Cyber Advisor Scheme and who is it for?
Cyber Advisor is a targeted consultancy scheme aimed primarily at small organisations. Such organisations often lack in-house expertise or easy access to qualified people who can help them to secure their networks. Additionally, small and micro organisations might have limited time and funds to invest in security, which means it can be hard to know where to focus the limited resources they do have.
Cyber Advisors are trusted professionals that will provide cost-effective advice and where required, hands-on help. Cyber Advisors will initially focus on helping organisations to implement the five Cyber Essentials Technical Controls. This service will be known as Cyber Advisor (Cyber Essentials). The name includes Cyber Essentials in order to differentiate them from any future assured Cyber Advisors assisting small organisations in other areas of cyber security.
Why link the scheme to Cyber Essentials? The NCSC believes the Cyber Essentials technical controls mitigate the majority of high volume, low-skill attacks perpetrated through the internet, including ransomware attacks. For this reason, one of the easiest ways to make the UK more secure is to help organisations to implement the technical controls at scale across the UK. Organisations working with a Cyber Advisor will not be obliged to gain Cyber Essentials certification.
Who are the Cyber Advisors?
Every Cyber Advisor must pass an independent assessment, the Certificate of Competence in Cyber Essentials Implementation. The assessment tests an individual’s knowledge and understanding of the technical controls, their competence in doing practical, hands-on IT configuration and support, and their ability to understand and work with small organisations.
You can find more information on this assessment on the Cyber Scheme webpage.
Additionally, all Cyber Advisors work for a company which has met the NCSC’s standards and been accepted as an Assured Service Provider for the Cyber Advisor service.
Join us
At the time of writing, more than 20 companies are ready to offer the Cyber Advisor (Cyber Essentials) service – there is at least one in every nation of the UK and in the Channel Islands too. However, there is potential and capacity for many hundreds more companies and Advisors to come on board so please visit the IASME website if you want to know more about joining the scheme.
Companies of any size can apply to join and we particularly welcome companies located in or serving geographically remote or under-represented areas. Similarly, if your company is working hard to address issues of under-representation in the cyber security workforce, we’d love you to be part of the scheme.
Find a Cyber Advisor
A list of Cyber Advisors is available (Find a Cyber Advisor); organisations looking for cyber security advice will be able to approach these organisations directly.