UK Cuts Cybersecurity Certification Costs for Smaller Businesses
(MENAFN) Thousands of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises across the United Kingdom will receive a 75% reduction in the cost of obtaining government-backed Cyber Essentials certification under a new initiative aimed at improving protection against online threats.
Eligible businesses will be able to secure the certification for between £80 ($108) and £125, excluding value-added tax. The program is designed to help organizations strengthen their defenses against common cyberattacks.
The government said the initiative would make cybersecurity assistance more affordable, noting that a major cyber incident affecting a British business or organization is estimated to cause average losses of £195,000 ($261,539).
Cybersecurity Minister Liz Lloyd said smaller companies must receive support to avoid becoming increasingly exposed to digital threats.
"We are not going to sit back and let malicious actors take advantage -- we will back our SMEs and help them be protected and secure," she said.
The government is also cooperating with more than 230 companies that have signed the Cyber Resilience Pledge, an initiative intended to improve security throughout business supply chains.
Participating organizations can nominate groups of small and medium-sized enterprises for free Cyber Essentials certification. Some selected companies will also receive guidance from cybersecurity advisers at no cost.
In a separate development, 14 organizations have joined the UK's second group of Software Security Ambassadors. The participating companies include Fortinet, Thales, Capgemini, SANS, Zscaler and QinetiQ.
Working alongside the government, the organizations will promote secure software development practices and encourage businesses across their supply chains to adopt the Software Security Code of Practice.
The measures follow suspected cyber incidents involving refrigeration systems at food businesses in eight European countries. The disruptions reportedly resulted in food losses and prompted a criminal investigation in Belgium.
Incidents were reported Monday in Sweden, Belgium, Estonia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Ireland and Denmark. Retailers in Finland were also examining whether unusual overnight temperature changes were connected to the incidents.
The government said the latest measures are part of a broader strategy to strengthen cybersecurity across the British economy as artificial intelligence continues to transform the nature of digital threats.
Eligible businesses will be able to secure the certification for between £80 ($108) and £125, excluding value-added tax. The program is designed to help organizations strengthen their defenses against common cyberattacks.
The government said the initiative would make cybersecurity assistance more affordable, noting that a major cyber incident affecting a British business or organization is estimated to cause average losses of £195,000 ($261,539).
Cybersecurity Minister Liz Lloyd said smaller companies must receive support to avoid becoming increasingly exposed to digital threats.
"We are not going to sit back and let malicious actors take advantage -- we will back our SMEs and help them be protected and secure," she said.
The government is also cooperating with more than 230 companies that have signed the Cyber Resilience Pledge, an initiative intended to improve security throughout business supply chains.
Participating organizations can nominate groups of small and medium-sized enterprises for free Cyber Essentials certification. Some selected companies will also receive guidance from cybersecurity advisers at no cost.
In a separate development, 14 organizations have joined the UK's second group of Software Security Ambassadors. The participating companies include Fortinet, Thales, Capgemini, SANS, Zscaler and QinetiQ.
Working alongside the government, the organizations will promote secure software development practices and encourage businesses across their supply chains to adopt the Software Security Code of Practice.
The measures follow suspected cyber incidents involving refrigeration systems at food businesses in eight European countries. The disruptions reportedly resulted in food losses and prompted a criminal investigation in Belgium.
Incidents were reported Monday in Sweden, Belgium, Estonia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Ireland and Denmark. Retailers in Finland were also examining whether unusual overnight temperature changes were connected to the incidents.
The government said the latest measures are part of a broader strategy to strengthen cybersecurity across the British economy as artificial intelligence continues to transform the nature of digital threats.
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