Overview
Geodyne Limited, a specialist in geotechnical and environmental services, required urgent compliance with the Cyber Essentials Plus certification to meet the security standards necessary for working with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD). The certification, which includes both technical controls and an independent audit, is essential for organizations handling sensitive government contracts.
Geodyne engaged Varciti to assess, prepare, and implement the necessary changes to ensure they were audit-ready within a tight timeframe.
Project Objectives
The primary goals of the project were to:
- Ensure Geodyne’s IT environment met the strict technical standards of Cyber Essentials Plus.
- Support the internal team with implementing compliant security practices and documentation.
- Conduct readiness testing to ensure a smooth external audit.
- Enable the client to secure future MOD-related work with confidence.
Our Solution
Varciti worked collaboratively with Geodyne’s internal stakeholders to deliver a tailored and practical solution, ensuring minimal disruption to day-to-day operations:
1. Gap Analysis and Readiness Assessment
We began with a full technical assessment of Geodyne’s infrastructure, policies, and security practices. This included evaluating firewalls, user access controls, endpoint protection, software patching, and secure configuration.
2. Policy and Procedure Implementation
Based on our findings, we developed and implemented a suite of tailored security policies and operational procedures. These included:
- Acceptable use policies
- Secure remote access configurations
- Regular patch management processes
- Incident response protocols
- User access reviews and multi-factor authentication (MFA) enforcement
3. Compliance Systems and Tools
To ensure compliance, we assisted in the deployment of tools that supported endpoint monitoring, antivirus protection, and centralized logging. All systems were configured in line with Cyber Essentials Plus requirements.
4. Mock Audit and Final Preparation
A mock audit was conducted to simulate the real assessment. This helped identify and resolve any final non-conformities, giving Geodyne the confidence and clarity needed ahead of their official certification audit.
