On 2 July 2023, TLScontact was awarded the certification “Cyber Essentials Plus” by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). Achieving this certification reflects how seriously we take cyber security and our commitment to protecting our systems, our government clients, and our visa customers.
What is Cyber Essentials Plus?
The Cyber Essentials Plus certification is a UK government-backed accreditation that is internationally recognised. It validates our adherence to the best cyber security practices.
Although it is a UK-based certification, our Cyber Security Team are working to implement all its requirements globally across all our corporate offices and centres, for all our clients. That will guarantee proactive security and an all-round safe environment for our government clients and visa applicants as we handle their sensitive data.
Five cyber security pillars
The certification is based on five key pillars:
1. Firewall configuration: keeping firewalls strong and secure.
2. Secure configuration: implementing security measures when building and installing computers and network devices.
3. User access control: regulating who or what can view or use resources in our computing environment.
4. Patch management: applying updates to software, drivers, and firmware to protect against vulnerabilities.
5. Malware protection: adding an extra layer of security to computers to protect against cyberattacks.
Third-party accreditation for TLScontact cyber security measures
The Cyber Essentials Plus certification is divided into two phases:
1. “Cyber Essentials” certification: a questionnaire to self-assess the cyber security measures in place, a mandatory step before moving on to the next stage. We were certified on 12 May 2023, and we were able to pursue the “Plus”.
2. “Plus” certification: a third-party accredited auditor examined our adherence to these five pillars. We became fully certified on 2 July 2023.
“The process of getting fully certified was quick, as it took us less than two months. That is a testament to the measures that were already in place at TLScontact regarding cyber security. There is no need to get ready when you stay ready,” says Ryan Hiney-Brasil, Cyber Security Manager.
In a technology-driven world, cyber security is more important now than ever. It is the pillar that companies rely on to secure their systems, and at TLScontact strong cyber security controls are even more essential in view of the sensitive personal data that we manage on behalf of our government clients and visa customers. We realise that even a single successful cyberattack can cause irreparable damage, and we pledge to keep all our stakeholders protected from online threats. This new certification is a further demonstration of the strength of that pledge.