UK cyber security certification pilot launched

The London Digital Security Centre (LDSC) has announced a pilot of the UK’s first police-backed cyber security certification scheme.

The national scheme is being launched in partnership with Secured by Design (SBD), the national police crime prevention initiative, and is supported by The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (Mopac), alongside The Metropolitan and City of London Police.

At the heart of the two-part certification scheme is Cyber Essentials, a government-backed industry-supported scheme to help organisations protect themselves against common online threats.

Guy Ferguson, chief executive officer at Secured by Design, said: “Police crime prevention initiatives have always responded to developing and emerging crime patterns with innovation and creativity.

“We are delighted to be working closely with the London Digital Security Centre to develop new techniques that will better support people and businesses online,” he said.

Chris Diogenous, chief commercial officer at the LDSC, said almost half of small businesses in the UK have been the victims of cyber crime in the past 12 months. “Yet the overwhelming majority of cyber attacks can be prevented using simple measures,” he said.

“For the first time, UK businesses can demonstrate that they have taken the necessary measures to protect the data they hold and reduce their overall vulnerability to cyber crime,” he added.

The certification scheme is divided into two awards. The first award, Secured by Design – Police Preferred Specification, will assess and verify cyber security suppliers to ensure supply chains are resilient.

The award will launch with seven early adopters: BlockPhish, CyberSmart, the IASME Consortium, SecurityScorecard, Titania, Xcina, and Yoti.

“Being part of the Secure by Design scheme is a natural fit for us, and we look forward to working with our new partners in helping companies to improve their cyber defences,” said Daryl Flack, CIO at BlockPhish.

“Joining the scheme will allow us to promote good cyber practice to a wider audience, helping protect even more organisations against an ever-increasing modern day threat,” said Emma Philpott, CEO at the IASME Consortium.

“Participation will benefit our customers alongside the communities and partners we work with, creating greater resilience within the environments they use to live and work,” said Kevin Porter, director business development and sales at Xcina.

“By joining this new cyber security initiative, we can ensure people have a greater awareness of what they need to do to keep themselves safe and their data secure,” said John Abbott, director of business growth at Yoti.

The second award, Digitally Aware – Secured by Design, is an educational initiative designed to help SBD members improve their protection against cyber crime. Using a risk assessment tool and an award scheme, the LDSC will educate members on implementing basic measures and promoting good security within their organisations.

UK organisations interested in joining the scheme are encouraged to contact Chris Diogenous or Simon Newman by email.

 The London Digital Security Centre is a not-for-profit organisation founded by Mopac as a joint venture with the Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police.

The LDSC works alongside the National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre (ActionFraud) to help prevent businesses being the victims of cyber crime.

The LDSC provides free impartial advice and support to businesses to help improve their digital security and enable them to work in a secure online environment.