The Peaceful Change Initiative
THE ORGANISATION
The Peaceful Change Initiative (PCI) is a renowned international non-governmental organisation. They are committed to helping societies manage large-scale change in non-violent ways, thereby building mechanisms and relationships that support long-term peace. Their operations span across North Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the South Caucasus region.
THE CHALLENGE
Operating in regions with complex socio-political landscapes, such as Libya, presented unique IT and cybersecurity challenges for PCI. The necessity to secure their network and enhance their cybersecurity posture, particularly in line with government guidelines, led to a comprehensive review of their existing infrastructure.
OUR APPROACH
The Cyber Essentials Plus project was proposed and executed remotely for PCI. Implementing the Cyber Essentials Plus certification involves a structured project approach that focuses on enhancing an organisation’s IT infrastructure and cybersecurity practices. Here’s our approach for such project:
1. Initial Assessment and Planning: Evaluate existing IT infrastructure, identify stakeholders, and understand Cyber Essentials requirements.
2. Gap Analysis: Assess cybersecurity risks, compare current practices with Cyber Essentials standards, and prepare a gap analysis report.
3. Develop Implementation Plan: Set clear objectives and timelines, allocate resources, and plan staff training.
4. Implementation: Upgrade IT infrastructure, enhance security measures, and establish continuous monitoring.
5. Internal Audit and Pre-Assessment: Conduct an internal audit, rectify issues, and perform a pre-assessment.
6. Official Assessment: Coordinate with a certified body for the Cyber Essentials Plus assessment and provide necessary documentation.
8. Certification and Continuous Compliance: Receive certification and maintain ongoing compliance.
THE RESULTS
The project has significantly bolstered PCI’s cybersecurity posture, enhancing the security of their operations and the data they handle. Importantly, the Cyber Essentials Plus certification has opened new doors for PCI, enabling them to be considered for critical projects.
What stands out in this project is the exceptional commitment and dedication of our engineers. They worked out-of-hours, going above and beyond, to meet the required deadline. As a result, the project was completed in record time, further demonstrating our team’s capability to deliver under pressure.
This project serves as a testament to our team’s expertise and PCI’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of cybersecurity.
KEY OUTCOMES
- Enhanced Cybersecurity Posture: The Cyber Essentials Plus project greatly strengthened PCI’s network security, aligning it with rigorous government guidelines.
- Operational Security Improvement: The security of PCI’s operations and data handling was notably enhanced, crucial for their work in complex socio-political environments.
- Certification and New Opportunities: Achieving the Cyber Essentials Plus certification has allowed PCI to qualify for critical projects, expanding their scope of work.
- Rapid and Efficient Execution: The commitment and dedication of the engineering team led to the project’s completion in a remarkably short time, showcasing their ability to deliver under pressure.
- Testament to Team Expertise and PCI’s Commitment: The successful completion of this project is a testament to the team’s expertise and PCI’s dedication to maintaining the highest cybersecurity standards.