Cyber Essentials in Higher Education: Your Digital Shield Against Cyber Villains

Introduction

Picture this: You’re a cybercriminal sitting in your dimly lit lair, rubbing your hands together gleefully as you scan the internet for vulnerable targets. You spot a university network that looks promising; thousands of students, valuable research data, and financial information galore! 

But wait… what’s this? Do they have Cyber Essentials certification? Dramatically slams laptop shut “Blast! Foiled again!”

Okay, maybe it doesn’t happen quite like that, but the sentiment isn’t far off. 

Welcome to the world of Cyber Essentials in Higher Education; the UK’s answer to keeping the digital baddies at bay, especially in our hallowed halls of learning.

What Exactly IS Cyber Essentials? (And Why Should You Care?)

Think of Cyber Essentials as your digital bouncer. It’s a UK Government-backed certification scheme that essentially gives cyber attackers a firm “You’re not on the list” at the door of your network. 

The National Cyber Security Centre puts it perfectly: certification gives you “peace of mind that your defences will protect against the vast majority of common cyber-attacks simply because these attacks are looking for targets which do not have the Cyber Essentials technical controls in place.”

In other words, most hackers are lazy. They want easy targets, not fortified digital castles.

The Mandatory Players: Who MUST Have Cyber Essentials?

Here’s where things get interesting (and legally binding). Cyber Essentials isn’t just a nice-to-have digital badge; it’s absolutely mandatory for any organisation handling government contracts involving personal information and ICT. This includes:

• Government departments and agencies (obviously)
• Public sector organisations working with sensitive data
• Any organisation bidding for government contracts worth more than £5 million that involve handling personal information
• Defence contractors and suppliers
• Healthcare organisations dealing with government contracts

But here’s the plot twist: while not technically mandatory for universities in general, the reality is quite different…

Universities: The Voluntary-But-Actually-Essential Club

Universities occupy a fascinating grey area in the Cyber Essentials landscape. 

Technically, they’re not required to have certification unless they’re directly handling specific government contracts. But, and this is a big but, the practical reality tells a different story entirely.

Take the University of Nottingham, for example.

Last year, Mark Hewitt, their Head of Cyber Security, explained: “As a major research organisation, the University of Nottingham is increasingly asked for Cyber Essentials certification when undertaking work for research partners such as the NHS, Rolls-Royce, and BAE Systems.”

The numbers are staggering: it’s estimated that around £100 million of the University of Nottingham’s research income per year will become dependent on holding Cyber Essentials certification. 

That’s not pocket change. That’s the difference between thriving research programs and watching opportunities slip away to better-protected competitors.

Cyber Essentials vs Cyber Essentials Plus: The Ultimate Boss Battle

Now, if Cyber Essentials is your reliable shield, then Cyber Essentials Plus is your full suit of enchanted armour with bonus magical properties.

Cyber Essentials (Standard Edition):

• Self-assessment questionnaire
• External vulnerability scan
• Certificate valid for one year
• Covers the five key security controls

Cyber Essentials Plus (Premium Edition):

• Everything from the standard version
• Plus hands-on technical verification by certified assessors
• Internal vulnerability testing
• More rigorous testing of security controls
• Higher level of assurance (and bragging rights)

To learn more about Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus, check out our article.

Why Universities Choose the Plus Option (Hint: It’s Not Just for the Fancy Certificate)

Universities like Nottingham often opt for Cyber Essentials Plus for several compelling reasons:

Research Credibility

When you’re collaborating with organisations like Rolls-Royce or BAE Systems, they want to know your security isn’t just theoretical. The hands-on verification of Cyber Essentials Plus provides that extra layer of confidence.

Competitive Advantage

In the research funding battlefield, having a higher certification can be the deciding factor between winning and losing multi-million pound grants.

Risk Management

Universities handle incredibly sensitive data, from student records to cutting-edge research. The enhanced testing provides better protection against increasingly sophisticated threats.

Future-Proofing

As Michael Skinner, Nottingham’s Chief Information Security Officer, notes, the certification required “tremendous effort from a vast number of DTS colleagues.” Getting it right the first time with Plus certification means being prepared for increasingly stringent future requirements.

The Nottingham Success Story: A Team Effort

The University of Nottingham’s journey to Cyber Essentials Plus certification wasn’t just about ticking boxes; it was a university-wide effort that involved its entire Digital and Technology Services team. 

The certification covers their data centre management networks, virtual desktop network, and secure endpoint networks, providing comprehensive protection for their research environment.

As Mike Relf, Director of Service Delivery, emphasised: “Getting to this point has involved a lot of time and effort on behalf of a lot of people… Everyone involved should be very proud of the part they and their teams have played.”

Conclusion: Your Digital Future Depends on It

In today’s interconnected world, cybersecurity isn’t just about protecting your organisation; it’s about protecting your ability to participate in the digital economy. 

For universities, Cyber Essentials, and more appropriately, Cyber Essentials Plus certification has evolved from a nice-to-have to a business-critical requirement.

Whether you’re a small college looking at basic certification or a major research university considering the Plus option, the message is clear: the cost of certification pales in comparison to the cost of being left out of the digital conversation entirely.

After all, in the world of cybersecurity, it’s better to be the fortress than the sitting duck. And with £100 million in research funding potentially hanging in the balance, that’s one conversation you definitely want to be part of.

Are you looking to complete your Cyber Essentials Plus? Our penetration testing services can help you identify and remediate vulnerabilities across your attack surface. Get in touch today.