By Salma El-Sakka
The UK government will allocate £2.4 million to provide a 75% discount on the Cyber Essentials certification programme for small and medium-sized enterprises, aiming to help around 6,000 businesses strengthen their defences against rising cyber threats.
Funding Details
The discount reduces the cost of certification to between £80 and £125 plus VAT, and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis until March or until the funding runs out. Businesses that have not been certified in the past four years are eligible.
Minister Emphasises Vulnerability
Cyber security minister Liz Lloyd said SMEs were “particularly vulnerable in the age of rising cyber threats” and pledged that the government would “back our SMEs and make them match-fit.”
Recent High-Profile Attacks
The initiative follows a series of major cyber incidents. Last week, approximately $6.3 billion was stolen from Binance wallets in the largest cryptocurrency theft in history, with blockchain intelligence firms attributing the attack to a North Korean hacking unit. In October, fashion retailer Asos disclosed that an unauthorised party accessed an employee’s account, exposing customer names and contact details. Last year, a cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover halted production for several weeks, significantly impacting sales and financial performance.
Programme Background
Developed by the National Cyber Security Centre, Cyber Essentials is the government’s recommended minimum security standard designed to prevent the most common internet-based cyber attacks.
