A Dorset cyber security firm has taken part in a scheme to help bolster protection for the government’s IT systems from online threats.
C3IA Solutions, headquartered in Poole, was one of two companies to take part in a three-month pilot, working for the Government Security Group (GSG) within the Cabinet Office.
The consultancy, which has more than 130 staff including former military personnel, said it had conducted an assessment on a government department using a new set of stringent security measures, known as ‘GovAssure’. The firm added that it had helped the Cabinet Office to refine the process in preparation for its launch.
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Jim Hawkins, delivery and security director at C3IA Solutions, said: “It was a rewarding contract that allowed us to work in collaboration with the GSG, the National Cyber Security Centre and a government department to achieve the desired outcome. GovAssure introduces a number of changes in the way government protects itself from cyber threats.
“As we were one of only two companies involved with the GovAssure pilot, we have gained a detailed insight of the process, and based on this knowledge and experience we are now able to assist other government departments and organisations as they go through the same process.”
It comes after a study for the Cabinet Office estimated that the cost of cyber crime to the UK economy stood at £27bn per year. The report warned that its results showed that cyber crime was solely a government concern, and that “much larger swathes” of industry were at risk.
Mr Hawkins said: “What we learned can also be applied to business. Hostile hackers won’t just target government agencies, but companies too – and not just big businesses, but any business. Cyber essentials should be a starting point for companies, and this government-backed scheme gives a basic level of protection. But cyber-security is an ongoing task and it should be as important as physical security.”
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