KFA Connect Awarded Cyber Essentials Plus Certification
In an increasingly digital world, where cyber security threats grow more sophisticated by the day, businesses must adopt stringent measures to safeguard their and their customer’s data and operations.
KFA Connect has recently earned the Cyber Essentials Plus certification, underscoring our commitment to cyber security.
What is Cyber Essentials Plus?
Cyber Essentials is a UK Government-backed cyber security certification scheme that helps businesses protect themselves from common cyber threats.
There are two levels of certification – Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus, Cyber Essentials Plus represents a higher tier of recognition.
To achieve this certification, organisations undergo a thorough, independent assessment that includes internal and external vulnerability scans, as well as rigorous testing of their cyber security measures.
The certification covers five essential controls:
- Secure Configuration
- Boundary Firewalls and Internet Gateways
- Access Control
- Patch Management
- Malware Protection
Passing the Cyber Essentials Plus assessment shows that a business can protect itself against a wide range of cyber threats, including those that target weaknesses in software and hardware configurations.
Why Cyber Security Matters to KFA Connect
As a company that looks after a diverse range of customers, KFA Connect operates at the forefront of technology.
This makes robust cyber security measures not just a best practice, but a fundamental requirement.
Our customer portfolio includes businesses that handle sensitive data and require seamless digital operations. Ensuring the safety and confidentiality of customer data is paramount, and achieving Cyber Essentials Plus certification demonstrates that KFA Connect is equipped to meet this responsibility.
It also assures our customers that we follow good practice to minimise the risks of data breaches or cyberattacks.
The Certification Process
Earning the Cyber Essentials Plus certification requires more than simple compliance with cyber security policies – it entails rigorous evaluation by a certifying body.
KFA Connect underwent a series of tests conducted by cyber security professionals who assessed the company’s defence mechanisms, including:
- Vulnerability Scans: External and internal assessments to identify any potential weak points in the company’s infrastructure.
- Penetration Testing: Simulated cyberattacks to evaluate how our systems would respond to real-world threats.
- System Configuration Audits: Ensuring that all devices, software, and networks are configured securely and free from known vulnerabilities.
Passing these assessments required that KFA Connect meet strict security standards across all its digital infrastructure, including servers, mobile devices, and workstations.
Benefits of Cyber Essentials Plus for KFA Connect Customers
For our customers, the Cyber Essentials Plus certification offers a number of significant advantages:
- Enhanced Trust and Transparency: Customers can rest assured knowing their data is safeguarded by a company that follows recognised cyber security best practices.
- Protection Against Common Threats: From phishing attacks to malware and ransomware, Cyber Essentials Plus certification ensures that KFA Connect has implemented effective defence mechanisms.
- Regulatory Compliance: Many industries now require vendors and service providers to comply with rigorous cyber security standards. With Cyber Essentials Plus, KFA Connect aligns with these expectations, easing the compliance burden for our customers.
- Business Continuity: By minimising the risk of cyberattacks, KFA Connect helps ensure that our customers experience uninterrupted service and protected data, which are critical to business continuity.
Leading by Example in Cyber Security
Cyber Essentials Plus is not only a badge of honour for KFA Connect but also a testament to the company’s proactive approach to security.
In an age where even small vulnerabilities can lead to significant breaches, our certification demonstrates a commitment to setting a high standard for both internal practices and client-facing operations.
Cyber Essentials Plus covers the devices, software, and services that KFA use to operate the business. As software developers, integrators and solutions experts, this extends to the software and systems that we use to offer services to our customers.
This means that our cloud services are protected with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for example, and that devices used to access our systems must be up to date, registered with the company, and compliant with a security policy before access is granted.
Our colleagues have received training on the importance of good security practice, because we form a human firewall against many threats.
“Achieving Cyber Essentials Plus certification reflects our ongoing commitment to safeguarding our infrastructure and the data entrusted to us by our clients.
As cyber security threats become more sophisticated, we believe it is vital to stay ahead by adopting the most robust defences possible.”
Richard Austin
KFA Connect – New Business Director
Moving Forward
As cyber threats evolve, so must the defences that businesses deploy.
KFA Connect’s achievement of the Cyber Essentials Plus certification is a clear indication that the company is both forward-thinking and dedicated to providing secure, reliable software solutions.
And whilst KFA is audited annually, this is not something that we only revisit every year, we update our guidance as new threats emerge so that we can stay on the front foot.
We see Cyber Essentials as the minimum standard and work to ensure that we do not just meet the requirements, we exceed them demonstrating our commitment to the security and stability of our systems and the systems that we operate on behalf of our customers.
