Running a business in Hull and East Yorkshire is demanding. You’re balancing growth, managing operations, and serving customers. Understandably, complex IT security often sits on a long “to-do” list, handled by your IT team or a provider, and considered “ticked off.”
But the landscape has fundamentally shifted.
Recently, HM Government sent a direct letter to the leaders of the UK’s top companies. The message was clear: cybersecurity is no longer just an IT problem. Citing “growing more intense, frequent and sophisticated” threats, the government has officially declared it a direct threat to our economic and national security.
This isn’t just a concern for an IT Manager or a “London problem.” This is now a boardroom-level responsibility. For business owners, Managing Directors, and Finance Managers right here in Hull, this letter is a signal of a massive change in expectations. It’s a change that will ripple down through every supply chain in our region.
So, what does this new mandate really mean for your business?
The “Good Enough” Gap: Cyber Essentials vs. Cyber Essentials Plus
For years, many businesses have (rightly) aimed for the government-backed Cyber Essentials (CE) certification. It’s an effective, self-assessed certification showing you have key protections in place.
But here’s the rub: in this “increasingly hostile landscape,” a self-assessment is no longer enough.
Cyber Essentials (CE): Think of this as an MOT you fill out yourself. You attest that you have the five key controls (firewalls, secure configuration, access control, etc.). It’s a statement of intent.
Cyber Essentials Plus (CE+): This is the full MOT carried out by an independent mechanic. A certification body conducts a hands-on technical audit to verify your controls. They don’t just ask if you have malware protection; they actively try to send test files to see if your defences actually block them.
For a board that is now being held accountable for cyber risk, a basic CE certificate is a promise. A CE+ certification is verifiable proof.
What the Government Now Expects from Your Business
The government’s new directive isn’t just a warning; it’s a strategic playbook. It outlines three core pillars of a modern, resilient business.
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It Starts at the Top (The Cyber Governance Code of Practice)
The primary request is to “Make cyber risk a Board-level priority” using the new Cyber Governance Code of Practice.
This means translating technical jargon into business impact. But more importantly, it means rehearsing your response. As a business owner, have you ever asked: “What exactly do we do if we get hit with a major ransomware attack on a Tuesday morning?”
A Disaster Recovery plan sitting on a shelf is a liability. A plan that you have actually walked through and tested is your lifeline.
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Getting an ‘Early Warning’ (NCSC Early Warning Service)
This one is a technical no-brainer. The government is urging all businesses to sign up for the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) free Early Warning service.
Think of it as the Met Office for cyber threats. It doesn’t just send generic warnings; it provides high-confidence intelligence about potential attacks on your specific network. It’s actionable data that gives you time to stop an incident before it escalates.
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The Local Supply Chain Squeeze (Mandating Cyber Essentials)
This is perhaps the most critical point for SMEs in Hull and East Yorkshire.
The government letter highlights a damning statistic: only 14% of UK businesses check the cyber risks of their immediate suppliers. To fix this, the government is telling all large companies to “embed the same requirements [Cyber Essentials] across your own supply chain.”
What does this mean for you?
It means that the large operators in our region—the manufacturers, the logistics firms, the public sector bodies you tender for—will no longer just ask if you’re secure. They will require you to prove it.
Suddenly, not having that verifiable Cyber Essentials Plus certification isn’t just an internal risk; it’s a commercial one. You could fail a tender or even lose an existing contract.
Moving from “Ticking a Box” to Genuinely Secure
As a local IT partner, we see many companies fall into the trap of treating cybersecurity as a one-off compliance hurdle.
The Pitfall: Relying on that “paper-only” self-assessment. It provides a dangerous false sense of security and simply won’t stand up to a real-world attack or the scrutiny of a major client’s due diligence.
The PrimaryTech Approach: We don’t just “get you the badge.” We use the Cyber Essentials Plus framework as a continuous improvement tool. We turn that audit into a regular health check, hardening your systems year-round. We work with your leadership to run those “what if” scenarios, moving your incident response plan from theory to muscle memory.
Your New Mandate: From Promise to Proof
This letter from HM Government is a paradigm shift. It officially moves cybersecurity from the server room to the boardroom, making it a core responsibility for every business leader.
For businesses in Hull and East Yorkshire, this is a moment of opportunity. It’s a chance to get ahead of the curve, protect your hard-earned reputation, and solidify your position in your supply chain.
Basic Cyber Essentials was a good starting point, but it’s no longer the destination. The new standard is about building verifiable resilience. It’s about being able to prove to your clients, your insurers, and your board that you are secure.
The question for every business owner in our region is no longer if you take cyber security seriously, but how you prove it.
Published: October 20