MDS has announced that its Managed Service been awarded Cyber Essentials certification. Cyber Essentials is a new UK Government-backed and industry-supported scheme that guides businesses in protecting themselves against cyber threats.

The certification further enhances the MDS’s accreditations, having received TM Forum Frameworx Conformance certification in December. With data assurance and security at the forefront of many MVNOs’ agenda, MDS has proactively evidenced its credentials, with independent testing by two respected bodies.

The Cyber Essentials scheme was developed by Government and industry with two clear purposes in mind. The first is to provide a clear statement of the basic controls all organisations should implement to mitigate the risk from common internet based threats, within the context of the Government’s 10 Steps to Cyber Security. Secondly, through the Assurance Framework, Cyber Essentials certification offers a way for organisations to demonstrate to customers, investors, insurers and others that they have taken these essential precautions.

“Cyber Essentials assures our partners and customers that we take cyber security very seriously,” commented Barry Dowd, Senior Vice President of Managed Service at MDS. “Our Managed Service is a key differentiator, as we offer a complete turn-key solution that allows customers to reduce overheads and focus on delivering products.

“This certification demonstrates that we are fully compliant when it comes to cyber security. Our partners and customers depend on us to provide secure infrastructure and we are always looking for ways to improve how we manage cyber security threats. For those we work with, this certification provides additional peace of mind.”

Cyber Essentials offers a sound foundation of basic hygiene measures that all types of organisations can implement and potentially build upon. It defines a focused set of controls that provide cost-effective, basic cyber security for organisations of all sizes.