and budgets. Currently with GDPR a hot topic, our GDPR Readiness Assessment Programme enables a business to rapidly pinpoint what they must focus on with a rapidly reducing deadline date approaching. Why did you sign as an LDSC partner? LDSC have a worthy goal to make aware and educate businesses in London to the growing risks of cyber crime. Many attacks arise due to human error rather than a lack of technology so awareness is a key first step. Our Academy and this Magazine strives to achieve the same goal. We also like that LDSC seek to champion value solutions for SMEs and we believe our iCyber-Shield Cyber Defence Platform has a role to play here, especially as the cost of getting the right technical resources are sky-rocketing in the current environment with the demand for skills far out-stripping supply. What do you believe the biggest future challenges for an SME are? SME’s are in a really tough place. With a lack of time, lack of resource and lack of budget and with accelerating evolution in attacks and regulations aimed at improving organisations security to protect individuals data there is a lot to do. The sheer pace of new vendor solutions and the price of technical resources which has risen this year alone by over 30% means that SMEs are realistically outpriced in getting help. However many of the basic efforts to protect your business need minimal technical spend, the right advice is key. LDSC provides an easily accessible set of resources to keep businesses safer. What would you like to see the London Digital Security Centre achieve in the next 12 months? We would like to see LDSC achieve its ambitious goals to get an awareness outreach programme succeed in London. We would also like to see LDSC put on more networking events for the mid-size enterprise sectors.
Symantec Juliet_StanfordSmith@symantec.com What products do you provide? Symantec Corporation, the world’s leading cyber security company, helps organizations, governments and people secure their most important data wherever it lives. Organisations across the world look to Symantec for strategic, integrated solutions to defend against sophisticated attacks across endpoints, cloud and infrastructure. Likewise, a global community of more than 50 million people and families rely on Symantec’s Norton and LifeLock product suites to protect their digital lives at home and across their devices. Symantec operates one of the world’s largest civilian cyber intelligence networks, allowing it to see and protect against the most advanced threats. https://www.symantec.com/about/newsroom/digital-assetgallery
APMG International estelle.hicks-bennett@apmggroup.co.uk What products do you provide? We are a global accreditation and examination institute, with a diverse portfolio of certification schemes including internationally
renowned solutions for project, business and IT Management, Public and Private Partnerships and Cyber security. Three of our products and services are offered on the LDSC MarketPlace; an online cyber security training platform (MITIGATE), the UK Government’s Cyber Essentials scheme and the UK MOD developed Cyber Defence Capability Assessment Tool (CDCAT®). In addition, there is currently a free MITIGATE Social Engineering module, and a discount for Cyber Essentials certification available to members. Why did you sign as an LDSC partner? LDSC are championing cyber security from the ground up, particularly in support of SMEs. They approached APMG to become a preferred partner, having identified us as a trustworthy, competent and established organisation with a world-class cyber portfolio that meets the needs of organisations of all sizes. What do you believe the biggest challenges to an SME currently is? SME’s are bombarded with an enormous volume of advice and information, and it is difficult to identify relevant areas to focus on, to keep their business secure. Often, an expert is required to identify what the business needs are, in an area as detailed, technical and continuously evolving as cyber security. It can be easy to invest in the wrong area, and not actually achieve what your business requires to be secure. Some businesses may not need to spend anything – others may need to invest in key areas to protect valuable assets and information. Reliable and trustworthy advice is required – and the LDSC-approval gives that assurance that the businesses you are dealing with can be relied upon for high quality advice and services. What do you believe the biggest future challenges for an SME are? Cyber security is evolving at such a fast pace, that keeping ahead of the threat will always be the biggest challenge. Identifying the right products/training/services that can help with this will be a wise investment for any business. More and more organisations require their partners and suppliers to demonstrate good cyber hygiene before they will enter into a contract. What would you like to see the London Digital Security Centre achieve in the next 12 months? If the importance of cyber security is successfully conveyed, and awareness is raised - with more people, and small businesses understanding the complexities (or knowing where to go to find out) – that will be a great achievement.
PAV IT Services Colin.ward@pav.co.uk What products do you provide? PAV i.t. Services is an IT managed services provider specialising in security solutions to help businesses of all sizes better protect themselves against cyber crime. One of our principal services is a cyber security audit, which provides a road map™ for SMEs to highlight the most effective steps they need to become more cyber resilient. PAV also delivers user awareness and phishing simulations to help ensure that employees become a company’s strongest defence against cyber crime rather than its weakest link.
27