Certification & Compliance Challenges for Modern Businesses
Dunedin IT helps organisations stay compliant, reduce risk, and meet the standards customers expect — whether it’s Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, GDPR, or sector-specific frameworks.
Is Cyber Essentials really worth it for small and growing businesses?
No organisation is “too small” to be targeted. Cyber Essentials provides a recognised baseline of security controls that stop the most common attacks. For SMEs, it’s a simple, cost-effective way to reduce risk, reassure customers, and qualify for tenders that require it.
What’s the difference between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus?
Cyber Essentials is a self-assessment that confirms you have the core security controls in place. Cyber Essentials Plus goes much further — it includes independent technical testing to prove your systems, devices, and configurations are actually secure in practice, not just on paper.
For organisations working with larger businesses, public sector bodies, or tender-based contracts, Plus is often expected or required. But it’s important to be prepared: Cyber Essentials Plus is significantly more demanding than the basic certification and may require noticeable changes to your IT setup before you can pass.
We’ve got cyber insurance, that is enough?
Cyber insurance helps with the financial impact of an incident, but it doesn’t stop one from happening. Most insurers now require proof that core security controls are in place — things like MFA, patching, endpoint protection, and proper backups. Without these, a claim can be reduced or rejected.
Certification frameworks like Cyber Essentials demonstrate that your business is taking reasonable steps to reduce risk, which supports insurance coverage rather than replacing it.
What do insurers look for now, and how has their approach changed?
Insurers have become far stricter in recent years. They no longer rely on simple questionnaires — they expect evidence of good security hygiene, logged checks, and clear policies. Many now tie premiums and payouts to controls such as MFA, privileged access management, regular patching, backup testing, and incident response processes.
In short, insurance is shifting towards “prove you’re secure first, then we’ll cover you”. Certification and ongoing compliance help meet those expectations and reduce your risk profile.
How long does certification take?
Most organisations achieve Cyber Essentials in a few weeks. Existing Dunedin IT clients typically move faster because many of the controls are already in place. Cyber Essentials Plus can take slightly longer due to independent testing, but preparation removes most of the friction.
Rory, Systems Engineer
Compliance shouldn’t be a yearly scramble. It’s about steady, consistent checks that keep your systems secure and your business protected.
We help organisations stay on top of the essentials, reduce risk, and meet the standards customers now expect.
How Compliance & Certification Helps Your Organisation
Whether you’re working in regulated sectors, bidding for larger contracts, or simply strengthening your security posture, certification provides clear, proven standards that reduce cyber risk and build trust. Modern frameworks like Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, and GDPR alignment help protect your organisation from attacks, human error, and configuration drift — keeping your systems secure and your business credible.
Dunedin IT supports you throughout the full compliance lifecycle with clear guidance, year-round checks, and practical remediation that fit how your organisation actually operates. The result: stronger security, smoother audits, and confidence that your business is meeting the standards customers now expect.
Security Baseline
Stronger Foundations. Lower Risk.
Contract Readiness
Win More Work. Prove Compliance.
Audit Confidence
Evidence Ready. Always Prepared.
Operational Compliance
Aligned Systems. Clear Controls.
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Related Services
Legacy
Basics Covered. Risks Remain - Essential protection with antivirus, patching, and basic security controls. A safe starting point, but not enough for today’s threats.
Proactive
Threats Prevented. Attacks Stopped. Advanced monitoring, detection, and awareness that strengthen your defences and stop most attacks before they start.
Mitgation & Response
Incidents Contained. Operations Restored. Rapid response, recovery, and continuity planning so you can act fast and minimise disruption when issues arise.
Certification & Compliance
Standards Met. Trust Earned. Achieve Cyber Essentials and align with recognised frameworks like IASME, GDPR, and ISO27001 to prove your resilience.
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Fast, friendly, and reliable support whenever you need it, ensuring minimal downtime and maximum productivity.
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Compliance & Certifications Built Around Your Business
ACED
Architecture, Construction, Engineering & Design
HEART
Heritage, Entertainment, Arts, Recreation & Tourism
TRUST
Charities, Community & Third Sector
FIRM
Finance, Insurance, Regulation & Management
TECH
Technology, Innovation & Digital
FLOW
Fuel, Light, Operations & Waste
HEAL
Health, Education & Life Sciences
STYLE
Retail, Lifestyle & Consumer Goods
ACED
Dunedin IT protects project-critical data and ensures continuity for architectural practices, structural engineers, design consultancies, contractors, and construction management firms across Scotland and the UK.
Your teams rely on fast access to drawings, models, schedules, and project files — whether in the studio, on-site, or working remotely. We safeguard your data from loss and ensure your business stays operational even when systems fail, devices break, or cyber incidents strike.
What we support for ACED
- Backup protection for CAD files, models, and project data
- Fast recovery options for site-based devices and laptops
- Continuity planning to keep projects moving during outages
HEART
Dunedin IT helps venues, museums, attractions, arts organisations, and tourism sites protect their operational data and stay open to the public — even when unexpected failures occur.
From ticketing systems to volunteer databases, every organisation in HEART relies on data continuity to keep visitors supported and services running smoothly.
What we support for HEART
- Backup and continuity for ticketing, EPOS and membership systems
- Secure storage of digital assets, archives, and media
- Plans that keep venues running during outages or high-season pressure
TRUST
We help charities, social enterprises, community groups, and non-profits protect sensitive data, grant records, and operational systems with modern backup and continuity planning that fits real-world budgets.
Your teams often work across mixed devices and flexible hours — making simple, reliable protection essential.
What we support for TRUST
- Protection for donor records, case files, and shared documents
- Simple recovery options for hybrid and volunteer-led teams
- Continuity planning that supports safeguarding and compliance needs
FIRM
Dunedin IT delivers strong, compliant backup and continuity solutions for accountants, financial services, insurance brokers, and regulated organisations across Scotland.
These teams need guaranteed data protection, secure recovery, and confidence that core systems will stay operational under pressure.
What we support for FIRM
- Backup retention aligned to financial and regulatory standards
- Fast recovery of critical line-of-business systems
- Continuity plans that minimise operational and reputational risk
TECH
We support software companies, digital agencies, IT teams, and tech-enabled businesses with modern backup and continuity solutions built for fast-moving environments.
Your teams depend on reliable access to code repositories, shared files, cloud platforms, and customer data — we ensure they stay protected and recoverable.
What we support for TECH
- Backup protection for cloud workloads and development systems
- Failover options for always-on services and apps
- Continuity planning for distributed and remote teams
TECH
Dunedin IT safeguards operational data for energy providers, utilities contractors, logistics firms, and environmental services where downtime directly impacts public service and safety.
We ensure that operational systems, field devices, and critical infrastructure data can be recovered quickly and reliably.
What we support for FLOW
- Protection for operational and field-based systems
- Continuity planning for remote sites and critical operations
- Fast recovery to reduce impact on service delivery
HEAL
We help clinics, training providers, research organisations, education centres, and life-science groups protect sensitive information with reliable, compliant backup and continuity solutions.
Your data is often highly regulated, highly confidential, and essential to public service.
What we support for HEAL
- Secure backup of sensitive or regulated data
- Recovery plans that support safeguarding and compliance
- Business continuity for essential services and learning environments
STYLE
Dunedin IT supports retailers, hospitality groups, lifestyle businesses, and consumer brands with reliable backup and continuity solutions that keep operations running — even during peak trading.
POS systems, stock records, booking platforms, and customer data stay protected and recoverable.
What we support for STYLE
- Backup for POS, stock systems and booking platforms
- Quick recovery to minimise downtime during trading
- Practical continuity plans for multi-site retail and hospitality
See what our clients say
Trusted by businesses who value reliability, partnership, and results.
Case Study: Bamburgh Castle
Securing Growth through Partnership
With a host of big-screen appearances to its name, most recently appearing in the latest Indiana Jones movie, Bamburgh Castle is used to being in the spotlight.
Having recently delivered an IT and Communications solution to the estates management office for Bamburgh Castle, we were tasked with bringing the Castle itself up to date with its connectivity. With a beautiful but challenging location, Dunedin IT has been working closely with our client to deliver and support the new technologies that will be instrumental in developing their business.
Remove Compliance Worries. Demonstrate through cerifications.
Dunedin IT delivers secure backups, reliable recovery, and clear continuity planning — managed by real people who know your setup. Share your details and our team will make sure your data is protected, your risks are reduced, and your organisation stays operational when it matters most.
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