How can SMEs Prioritise Cybersecurity Risks?

We will take you through the steps you need to take to strengthen your defences: 

Step 1: Understand Your Risks 

Before jumping into solutions, SMEs should begin by assessing their current risks. Some questions you should be asking yourself are: 

• What kind of data does your business handle (e.g., client data, financials, intellectual property)? 

• Who has access to your systems, and how are the access rights managed? 

• Are you reliant on third-party suppliers or cloud-based services? 

• Do you have the capacity to respond to a data breach or cyberattack? 

Once you understand your potential risks, you can better understand certification frameworks and how they will be relevant to your business. 

Step 2: Start with Cyber Essentials 

Cyber Essentials is the ideal starting point for SMEs. It provides a simple but efficient framework for protecting against cyber threats to support your organisation in protecting itself against well-known cyber threats such as phishing, malware and many others. It is a requirement of the Cyber Essentials certification that your organisation implements:  

• Firewalls and secure configuration 

• User access controls 

• Malware protection 

• Security Update Management  

Achieving the Cyber Essentials certification demonstrates to your clients that your business takes cyber security seriously and often meets basic requirements for certain contracts. 

Step 3: Advance with Cyber Essentials Plus 

Cyber Essentials Plus is an extension of Cyber Essentials; it includes a hands-on technical audit carried out by a qualified assessor. This additional verification provides a more robust level of assurance and can help identify any weaknesses that may have been ignored internally.  

Step 4: Strengthen with ISO 27001 

For SMEs seeking a more comprehensive approach to information security, ISO 27001 is the one you want. Rather than focusing only on technical controls, ISO 27001 takes a risk based, strategic approach to information security management. It covers: 

• Governance and leadership involvement  

• Risk assessment and treatment plans 

• Ongoing monitoring, auditing and improvement  

• Legal and regulatory compliance  

• Supplier and third-party security  

While it requires more time and resources to implement than Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001 is the whole package and helps organisations to embed security into their business culture. It’s particularly valuable for organisations handling sensitive data, working in regulated industries, or aiming to build trust with high profile clients. 

Step 5: Embed and Improve  

Cybersecurity doesn’t fix everything; it requires dedication and patience. If you pursue a certification in in Cyber Essentials or ISO 27001, you should also invest in: 

• Regular staff training and awareness  

• Incident response planning 

• Ongoing risk reviews and updates to policies  

No matter your size or sector, cybersecurity should never be an afterthought. By aligning with trusted certification standards like ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, and Cyber Essentials Plus, SMEs can take meaningful, measurable steps to reduce their risk, improve resilience and build customer confidence.  

We’re here to support you on your journey to better cyber security, get in touch with us today to learn how we can take control of its cyber security future. 

For more information:

Visit our website for more information about us and the various standards that can boost your cyber security, visit our website: Certification Services | Centre for Assessment