Are you operating a warehouse and logistics company in the UK? Cyber Essentials certification could safeguard your data, help you comply with regulations, and improve your insurance terms. In this blog, we will tell you more about Cyber Essentials and how it can benefit your business.
Protect Your Warehouse and Logistics Business with Cyber Essentials
Monday, November 20th, 2023
Cybersecurity news fatigue
Today, the news is flooded with cautionary tales of businesses that have been hacked or subject to malware attacks. In fact, an Internet search for “cybersecurity incidents” over a 24-hour period returned 1800 results. That’s a lot of bad news. Unfortunately, over time, we gradually become fatigued and desensitised to cybersecurity news stories, which results in decreased awareness of threats and greater risks. But of course, the threats are genuine.
Recently, Yusen Logistics suffered both a data breach and a cyberattack that temporarily shut down its IT systems and suspended operations. Similarly, in June 2023, KNP Logistics Group was hit by a ransomware attack that disrupted its business operations and prevented it from securing new funding. In September 2023, the firm was forced into administration, making over 700 employees redundant. These news stories highlight the serious effects of cyberattacks on businesses and the need for effective security measures to prevent data loss and downtime.
Understanding Cyber Essentials and its role in your business
Endorsed by the UK Government, Cyber Essentials helps organisations of any size and sector protect themselves against common online threats. It covers five basic technical controls that can help to prevent 80% of cyberattacks:
- Boundary firewalls and internet gateways regulate network traffic.
- Secure configuration mitigates vulnerabilities in devices and software.
- Access control restricts unauthorised system entry.
- Malware protection guards against malicious software.
- Patch management ensures up-to-date security.
Cyber Essentials is a popular certification scheme for UK businesses, with over 132,000 certificates awarded since its launch. By getting certified, your warehouse and logistics business can enjoy several benefits:
- Enhance your reputation and trust with your customers and suppliers, who may depend on your services or data.
- Comply with data protection regulations, such as the GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
- Secure better insurance deals, as some insurers may offer discounts or incentives for certified warehouse and logistics firms. Conversely, some insurers now require Cyber Essentials or similar security measures as a mandatory condition of insurance coverage.
- Avoid costly disruptions, data breaches, reputational damage, and legal liabilities caused by cyberattacks.
Achieving cyber resilience for your warehouse and logistics business
Cyber resilience is the ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from cyberattacks. It is not only about preventing attacks but also about minimising their impact and restoring normal operations as quickly as possible. Cyber resiliency can help you maintain business continuity and avoid operational delays or disruptions caused by online attacks. Moreover, it can protect your data and assets from theft, loss, or damage caused by a cyber assault. Furthermore, it can preserve your reputation and trust with your customers and suppliers. Additionally, it can reduce the financial costs of recovering from cyberattacks, such as ransom payments, fines, compensation claims, or lost revenue.
To achieve cyber resilience, you need to adopt a holistic approach that involves people, processes, and technology. You must educate your staff on cyber security best practices, such as using strong passwords, avoiding phishing emails, and reporting incidents. You need to establish clear policies and procedures for managing cyber risks, such as conducting regular assessments, audits, backups, and tests. You also need to invest in appropriate technological solutions that can help you detect, prevent, respond to, and recover from cyber assaults and similar threats.
Conclusion
Cyber security is not only a matter of compliance or convenience for warehouse and logistics firms. It is also a matter of competitiveness and resilience. By getting Cyber Essentials certified, you can protect your warehouse or logistics business from around 80% of common online threats. This can enhance your reputation and trust with your customers and suppliers, help you comply with data protection regulations, and secure better insurance coverage. Moreover, by adopting a cyber resilience approach, you can minimise the impact of a cyberattack on your operations, data, assets, brand image, and finances.
If you would like to know more about the benefits of Cyber Essentials or improving the resiliency of your warehouse or logistics organisation, contact us today. We are experts in cyber security solutions, and we can help you achieve your business goals.
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