Wick Hill first UK security disite on Cyber Essentials Scheme

Government scheme designed to let organisations show they have taken necessary security steps

Wick Hill claims to be the first UK security distributor to be certified on the government's Cyber Essentials Scheme.

Part of the UK government's National Cyber Security Strategy, the Cyber Essentials Scheme is designed to offer a statement on the controls organisations should take to avoid internet-based threats and to allow organisations to demonstrate to their customers that they have taken the requisite safeguards.

Ian Kilpatrick, chairman of Wick Hill Group, said: "We believe we are the first security distributor in the UK to achieve this certification. Cyber Essentials is an important government-driven initiative to ensure cyber security for organisations. Commercially, it is also mandated for organisations bidding for a range of government contracts.

"For channel partners, this accreditation not only proves their own security, but it also demonstrates their security awareness to their customers. For organisations, it provides a stronger measure of security than those with the lower-level PCI certification, particularly level 4. And organisations can also have greater confidence in cyber security if they buy from suppliers who are certified," he said.

To achieve the Cyber Essentials accreditation, the distributor had to complete a Cyber Essentials questionnaire and its network went through an external vulnerability test.

Systems covered under the Cyber Essential Scheme include desktops, PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones.