Cyber threats are constantly evolving and attacks are becoming increasingly frequent - particularly with the rise of AI-driven technologies. Experts widely agree that it’s no longer a question of if your organisation will be targeted, but when. Proactive cybersecurity measures are essential to stay ahead of emerging threats and minimise risk.

Evolution Measurement were looking for additional ways to protect sensitive data, to meet the cybersecurity requirements for tenders and to ensure regulatory compliance. Adhering to Cyber Essentials guidelines and achieving certification was recommended as a suitable solution.

Cyber Essentials is the UK Government’s de facto IT security certification and is often a standard requirement for contracts and tenders as it verifies a reduced cyber risk. It was produced by the UK National Cyber Security Centre in conjunction with IASME who are responsible for the delivery of the scheme. It is ideal for small to medium organisations that want to demonstrate a defence against the most common cyber threats but do not want the more complex and costly ISO 27001 certification.

Hampshire Business Computers (HBC) guided Evolution Measurements through the process and after a couple of days the certification was achieved.

The benefits were immediate:

• Reduced risk of common cyber threats through implementation and best-practices
• Eligibility for tenders and contracts, opening new business opportunities
• Improved client trust
• Stronger internal security culture, with staff trained on basic cyber awareness

Evolution Measurement went over and above the scope of the certification and further enhanced their cyber defences with additional security on 365, advanced threat protection on their emails, penetration testing and other measures.

Neil Cardinal, General Manager at Evolution Measurement, commented:

“We have partnered with HBC for over 18 years - both at Evolution Measurement and at a previous company. They support our UK-based global operations and have consistently been responsive, reliable and proactive. We typically receive a response within 30 minutes and urgent issues are handled immediately

HBC keeps us up to date on the latest cybersecurity threats and provides practical, cost-effective solutions. They are friendly, efficient and a pleasure to work with.

The Cyber Essentials certification process was seamless. HBC managed everything and all we had to do was review and approve. We are very happy with the results and the continued partnership.”

Ed Best, Account Manager at Hampshire Business Computers, added:

“We have had the pleasure of supporting Evolution Measurement since their inception. As the company has grown significantly, we now provide comprehensive IT support, hardware and cybersecurity solutions across their UK, EU and US operations.

To ensure business continuity, we conduct annual system recovery tests, giving confidence that critical data can be restored quickly in the event of an incident.

Their Cyber Essentials certification further strengthens their cybersecurity credentials, helping to prevent data breaches. It also demonstrates to their customers that they have taken proactive steps to secure their systems and maintain compliance with industry standards.”