Anthias Consulting take pride in securing customers data and ensuring it is always protected. Therefore, for the last three years, Anthias has invested in achieving a Cyber Essentials certificate with Cyber Insurance credentials through IASME, reflecting Anthias’ commitment to protecting the data they handle. About 1.4% of micro businesses (1 to 9 employees) in the UK hold a Cyber Essentials certificate, which is considerably lower than all other types of businesses*, see below:
- Large employers (250+ staff): ~50%
- Medium-sized firms (50–249 staff): 23%
- Small businesses (10–49 staff): 7.1%
- Micro businesses (1–9 staff): 1.4%
Why are numbers low for micro businesses?
Many small owners think they are too small to be a target for hackers. Some lack awareness of the National Cyber Security Centre scheme or how to apply. Cost and time can be a barrier for very small teams, though basic self-assessments are designed to be accessible.
Why is cyber security so important?
For a micro business, it is important to strengthen the defences and operate as securely as the larger organisations to ensure operations are protected and your business is secure, which in turn helps to build trust among our customers and delegates.
Whilst a micro business is likely to have a more straightforward process for handling data than a larger organisation, it does not make them any less vulnerable to the impact of a breach or any less liable should they fail to meet the requirements. That is why implementing a cybersecurity strategy is vital.
As a part of this, Anthias require all employees and contractors, who are an integral part of Anthias’ team, to actively adopt a ‘security and privacy first’ mindset, when processing data or performing work on behalf of Anthias.
Here are some of Anthias' guidelines
Protect client and company data: Always treat client information, training materials, and company data as strictly confidential. Never store sensitive data on unencrypted personal devices or public cloud storage.
Secure your work environment: Ensure home or office Wi-Fi networks are password-protected (avoid using public Wi-Fi without a secure VPN). Keep computers operating systems, anti-virus software, and applications fully updated.
Use strong access controls: Protect all accounts associated with Anthias using strong, unique passwords and enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) wherever available.
Practice safe data sharing: Only transfer data through approved, secure channels. Double-check recipient email addresses before sending LOCKED PDF attachments to prevent data leaks.
Report incidents immediately: If there is a suspect of data breach, lost device containing company information, or encounter a sophisticated phishing attempt targeting the business, Anthias immediately act in line with insurance and certification protocols.
Here you can see Anthias's most recent Cyber Essential certificate, which year on year is getting harder to obtain with new rules and regulations due to the growing number of phishing attacks and breaches that businesses experience.
You can find their privacy policy from their website, and know your data is always protected with Anthias.
If you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected] for further details.
*This data has been taken from https://cybersmart.co.uk/cyber-essentials-statistics/
