Hello - IT Consultant | Cyber Essentials | NSI Gold

[scott.sos-tech]

Good evening all!

 

My name’s Scott and I’m an Essex-based IT Consultant with 17 years of experience in various sectors. Most recently, Government Agency and Corporate.   I am abreast with aligning large complex organisations with Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications.

 

I now run my own IT Consultancy business, SOS Tech Ltd.   I’m able to offer businesses in the Essex/Suffolk/London/Kent/Herts areas with NSI Approval, to offer my support with assessing, remediating and certifying businesses against Cyber Essentials requirements .  I have already helped several small-medium sized NSI Approved businesses across the Southeast achieve their certification, performing service improvements along the way.

 

Cyber Essentials certification is now required for NSI Approval for companies connecting to the Echo system, see below:

 

https://www.nsi.org.uk/approved-companies/strengthening-cyber-security/

 

If you would like to arrange an initial discussion and scoping call, please reach out.

 

Cheers,

 

Scott

www.linkedin.com/in/scottsos

IT Consultant    ✉️ *****@*****.tld   ️ ‍

[james.wilson]

Quote

Cyber Essentials certification is now required for NSI Approval for companies connecting to the Echo system, see below:

Hi Scott

Im afraid the above quote isnt 100% true. Previous force policy had this as a requirment but is now optional.

You may also want to look at the bsia scheme CySPAG

[scott.sos-tech]

Hi James thanks for your reply

 

the below page on the Echo website also stipulates Cyber Essentials as a prerequisite certification 

 

https://www.echo.uk.net/news/how-do-i-connect-to-echo.html

 

‘Onboarding Stage-1: 

This involves registering contact details and all necessary information including Cyber Essentials certification to allow ECHO to accept signals from the ARC. ‘
 

If you have a later evidence to the contrary that would help

Thanks

 

 

[PeterJames]

14 hours ago, scott.sos-tech said:

Hi James thanks for your reply

 

 

If you have a later evidence to the contrary that would help

Thanks

 

 

James represents NSI installers (Other accreditations are available) on the board of BSIA. I spoke with my inspectorate during our biannual audit in October and he also confirmed that Cyber essentials is currently optional for installers. 

When it first came out I spoke with a few IT companies who wanted me to use clouds and windows, didnt seem very secure to me.

[MrHappy]

14 hours ago, scott.sos-tech said:

the below page on the Echo website also stipulates Cyber Essentials as a prerequisite certification 

-

If you have a later evidence to the contrary that would help

 

lets have look at the information on your link dated Dec 2020 -

 

 

Quote

 

All approved Alarm Receiving Centres (ARCs) recognised by the police and holding Cyber Essentials/Cyber Essentials Plus are eligible to use the ECHO platform when it comes on stream. (see: www.cyberessentials.ncsc.gov.uk for further information.) To avoid delay in getting ECHO-connected when the time comes, it is strongly recommended ARCs not currently holding Cyber Essentials should obtain this certification as soon as possible, as a prequalification to commencing the ECHO onboarding process. Failure to do so will delay onboarding.

All UK alarm handling software providers have details of the ECHO interface specification and are at varying stages of interface development. ARCs should check with their providers to confirm the current status of the development.

ECHO is interconnected with the BT Redcare platform and CSL’s Gemini Global platform. These connections connect ARCs’ alarm handling systems with the ECHO platform.

All ARCs will have received an automated email invitation from ECHO to commence the 2-stage ECHO onboarding to enable automated alarm signalling to ECHO-connected police forces. Onboarding is a secure online process.

Onboarding Stage-1:

This involves registering contact details and all necessary information including Cyber Essentials certification to allow ECHO to accept signals from the ARC.

Once completed, final testing of signalling between the ARC and ECHO will confirm connectivity is established. This will mean automated signalling service is possible between the ARC and all ECHOconnected police forces.

Onboarding Stage-2:

This involves an online declaration by the ARC of the number of active URN connection elements (Hold up elements and Intruder Alarm elements) the ARC is monitoring for each ECHO-connected police force. It also requires the Commercial Agreement between the ARC and ECHO be signed and agreed payment arrangements completed.

Once completed, the ECHO service between ECHO-connected police forces and the ARC will commence.

Not all police forces will be ECHO-connected at the start of the ECHO service.

As police forces come onstream ARCs will receive an automated email informing them. A Stage-2 declaration will be required from the ARC to activate the ECHO service for the newly ECHO-connected police force. This forms the basis of fees due for the ECHO Service and allows the service to be extended to include the new police force

 

 

If you run an Alarm Receiving Centre the rozzers have mostly automated their control rooms (ECHO) & to be on their platform you'll need a "Cyber Essentials Cert" which is nothing to do with NSI (or SSAIB)

 

If you don't have your own ARC but use an accredited 3rd party like almost all of the modest sized alarm co's there's no need to bother with "Cyber Essentials" as it not essential to have

 

PS all business & personal passwords are B@nanaman1983 & I've never been hacked....

[james.wilson]

look at the latest npcc force policy.

however it will probabky become mandatory for installers but isnt yet. Plus my vote on comitee currently is i want a documemt that has some industry input. cyber essentials does not and has little to do with intruder alarms and alarm companies. i say little not nothing.