Cybersecurity is one of the most pressing concerns facing businesses today. The damage done by online security breaches can be severe and long-lasting, not just financially, though regulatory penalties are serious enough on their own, but also reputationally, especially for SMEs.
Even now, though, many businesses still treat cybersecurity as a one-and-done exercise – in other words, you get your certification, stick the badge on your website and marketing collateral, then forget about it (at least until it’s time to renew). But ticking a box just isn’t enough; you need to prove that your defences are fit for purpose.
Cyber Essentials certification provides a solid foundation for robust cybersecurity, protecting organisations against around 80% of cyberattacks. But it’s just the start, as new threats continue to emerge all the time. Penetration testing and vulnerability assessments help to complement Cyber Essentials while maintaining a posture of ongoing vigilance when it comes to cybersecurity.
Cyber certification: only the first step
Cyber Essentials (and Cyber Essentials Plus) provide an excellent framework for basic cyber hygiene. It helps certified organisations safeguard themselves against the most common cyberattacks, such as phishing and malware. Cyber Essentials certification is also a prerequisite for many tenders, particularly in the public sector, and firms that aren’t certified won’t be taken into consideration.
However, certification alone won’t keep your business safe given the proliferating cybersecurity threats it faces today. While having Cyber Essentials certification shows your organisation met a certain standard at a certain point, online criminals do not stand still, so you need to adopt a posture of continuous improvement and proactive risk management.
The power of penetration testing
Penetration testing (or simply “pen testing”) involves simulating a real-world cyberattack to identify and exploit weaknesses in your system. In short, a pen test provides a manual, targeted and strategic assessment of your defences.
By testing your resilience in practice, pen testing provides reassurance that your cybersecurity defences are functioning and tells you what to address if there is a problem. It also helps to demonstrate that your organisation is serious about staying secure and isn’t just resting on its laurels after being certified.
This can be a powerful asset for companies operating in highly regulated industries, such as healthcare, pharmaceuticals, finance and law. Clients and auditors will want to see not only evidence of compliance but proof that your protections have been independently verified under realistic conditions.
Complementing your certification with vulnerability assessments
Cyber Essentials, in effect, helps you establish a virtual security fence around your organisation’s digital assets. Vulnerability assessments help you uncover any gaps in that fence by systematically reviewing your systems and network to highlight any known vulnerabilities.
These vulnerabilities will be assigned severity levels indicating how serious and urgent they are, while methods of remediation will also be recommended. This helps you uncover weaknesses that may have been missed previously or recently inadvertently introduced, for example through a new software update.
Together, vulnerability assessments and pen testing back up your Cyber Essentials certification with practical, real-world validation. They ensure that your protections aren’t only in place but actually work, providing a clear view of where to focus your attention where there are weaknesses – for instance, this might involve patching software, tightening user permissions or investing in new detection tools.
Building trust with clients and stakeholders
Customers and clients are increasingly looking for more than just a badge on your website. They’re looking for reassurance that your organisation takes cybersecurity seriously – and that you’re actively managing risk.
Penetration testing is a compelling way of providing that reassurance. It demonstrates that your business is prepared, proactive and continually working to stay one step ahead of attackers. It also highlights your commitment to keeping your customers’ and clients’ data safely under lock and key, and out of the wrong hands.
Data breaches can cost millions of pounds in fines and lost contracts, and the reputational damage they do can be difficult to recover from, especially for smaller firms and new startups. That’s why this level of diligence isn’t just a matter of being extra cautious – it’s just sound business practice.
What’s more, government procurement frameworks are placing greater emphasis on choosing suppliers and contractors who aren’t just certified but whose systems have been thoroughly tested. If you’re bidding for public sector contracts, you may find yourself being asked to prove this.
A smarter approach to cybersecurity
As the cyber threat landscape continues to evolve, so too must the way businesses safeguard themselves. Achieving certification is important, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. Combining Cyber Essentials certification with penetration testing and vulnerability assessments helps organisations move from basic cybersecurity to ongoing protection.
This approach reduces your exposure to risk and builds confidence with clients, partners, and regulators. It also signals that your business is genuinely committed to cybersecurity and is prepared to invest to ensure its long-term resilience.
Want to find out more about Cyber Essentials, vulnerability assessments or penetration testing? Get in touch with the experts at Cyber Tec today and let’s talk about what we can do for your business.
