Member Article

ITWiser Becomes A Cyber Essentials Certifier

BRADFORD based IT consultancy firm ITWiser is one of the first company’s in the North of England to become an accredited Cyber Essentials certification body through IASME (Information Assurance for Small and Medium Enterprises), which is a scheme designed to protect companies and organisations from all types of common cyber-attacks.

The Government and industry backed Cyber Essentials Certification is already mandatory for suppliers of Government contracts that involve handling personal information and providing certain ICT products. In addition businesses of all sizes, across every sector, are now recognising the benefits of attaining the certification and especially because lots of private sector businesses are making it a key requirement within their tender processes.

ITWiser is now fully licensed to certify companies against both the Government’s Cyber Essentials Scheme and its more stringent PLUS scheme, as well as the Information Assurance for SMEs (IASME) Gold governance standard, which is a separate accreditation specifically designed for SMEs. ITWiser also offers a full range of consulting services to help businesses achieve the relevant certifications.

Martin Clark, who heads up ITWiser explains: “Businesses of all shapes and sizes are at risk of cyber-attacks, ranging from phishing emails and viruses through to direct hacks. Even low-key attacks can cause major disruption and expense. Cyber Essentials is one of the easiest ways that businesses can ensure they have taken the correct precautions to protect themselves from cyber-attacks. The assessment checks that there are relevant security standards in place and also demonstrates to customers and suppliers that an organisation is serious about IT security.

“We’re delighted to be one of the first IT consultancies in West Yorkshire, and only a handful in the North of England, to be offering these hugely valuable certifications following a rigorous approval process that took more than 12 months to complete. We’ve already guided a wide range of businesses through the process and it’s proving particularly popular with those that hold a lot of personal data including legal firms, accountants, insurers and financial organisations.”

A basic Cyber Essentials assessment costs £300, which is a standard fee. In addition ITWiser provides a full range of independent IT services including system audits, risk assessments, support programmes, network services and impartial advice when it comes to buying systems and equipment.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Steven Wright .