Belfast firm Cleaver Fulton Rankin (CFR) has been awarded the Cyber Essentials Certification, a UK government and industry-backed scheme which helps organisations protect themselves against cyber attacks.

The Cyber Essentials Certification is awarded through a verified self-assessment, involving an organisation’s own assessment via a questionnaire. The questionnaire is then approved by a senior body and verified by an independent Certification Body if the organisation has met the appropriate standard.

Michael King, associate in dispute resolution and qualified data protection practitioner at Cleaver Fulton Rankin, said: “Cyber attacks can be costly and damaging to an organisation’s reputation. Loss of information can have severe repercussions under the Data Protection Act 1998.

“Given the potential global nature of today’s business and the connectivity of the internet, no organisation, no matter its size, is immune from the risk. Cyber security is now an urgent requirement in the UK due to the high risk of attack.

“At Cleaver Fulton Rankin, we regularly advise our clients on cyber issues, to include public, private and the charity sectors. We have taken our own advice and take the issue extremely seriously. Our strategy has included membership of CSP UK. We are also delighted to have recently obtained Cyber Essentials certification.”