Jersey Cyber Security Centre has achieved Cyber Essentials Plus certification, demonstrating an independently verified level of cyber security preparedness.
Cyber Essentials is a UK-Government backed cyber security accreditation scheme, which assess organisations against five key areas of technical cyber security controls.
Matt Palmer (pictured), Director of Jersey Cyber Security Centre (JCSC), said: “We encourage all Jersey organisations to consider working towards achieving Cyber Essentials. This isn’t just because it gives customers and clients reassurance. It’s also because – by adopting these technical controls – businesses can protect themselves against the most common cyber attacks.
“Cyber Essentials really works – businesses with the certification have a 92% lower risk of a cyber insurance claim. Like fire safety or food hygiene, all organisations processing data should be able to demonstrate good basic controls.
“With this in mind, it’s absolutely right that Jersey’s cyber security authority should achieve Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation ourselves.”
To achieve Cyber Essentials, organisations take a self-assessment which is then verified. To achieve Cyber Essentials Plus, JCSC underwent an on-site technical assessment which covers all the systems and devices it uses.
JCSC’s assessment was carried out by Prosperity 24/7, and technical support was provided by JCSC’s local IT provider SystemLabs.
Matt Palmer continued: “We knew we exceeded many of the requirements of Cyber Essentials, but there were still things we needed to improve. We now have first-hand experience of going through the process, so we can provide more informed support and guidance to other local organisations who are thinking about Cyber Essentials.
“We are particularly pleased that all this work has been carried out by Jersey providers, helping to support our digital sector.
“I’d like to thank SystemLabs and Prosperity 24/7 for their support through this process, and I hope that our experience will encourage other organisations to work towards a Cyber Essentials accreditation.”
Cyber Essentials was introduced by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in 2014, following a series of high-profile cyber attacks against the UK. The NCSC found that introducing just five basic controls could have prevented these attacks.
Since then, more than 190,000 certificates have been issued. The costs for accreditation start at £320 and depend on the level of accreditation, and the size of the organisation.
John Gillies, Head of Technical Services at SystemLabs, said: “Congratulations to the team at JCSC on achieving CE+ certification!
“With a clear objective in mind, they engaged SystemLabs to help coordinate efforts toward this goal. It’s been an inspiring and rewarding experience working alongside such a cutting-edge and knowledgeable organisation.
“Beyond the certification, this project has helped strengthen the Island’s cyber security capabilities.”
Stephanie Fox, Head of Security at Prosperity 24/7, said: “In today’s digital landscape, safeguarding your business with Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus is not just a precaution—it’s a commitment to protecting your clients, your reputation, and your financial stability.
“Prosperity 24/7 are an IASME Certified Body authorised to perform Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Certifications for Channel Islands businesses and across the UK. We continue to support and work closely with business across all sectors in their certification journeys.
“Our team of technical consultants along with our qualified IASME Assessors, offer a cohesive delivery model that provides the desired level of support and guidance required to achieve full compliance with the standards and make the certification process less overwhelming.”
