Keeping your information safe

This article was taken from the Spring edition of Equinox. You can read the full magazine here.

We’re pleased to share some important news about how we protect your financial and personal information. Earlier this year, Equilibrium achieved Cyber Essentials Plus certification – a rigorous, government-backed standard that independently verifies the strength of our cyber security controls. This certification reinforces our commitment to keeping your data safe, secure, and private at all times. 

What is Cyber Essentials Plus?

Think of Cyber Essentials Plus as a comprehensive health check for our IT systems, but performed by qualified, independent specialists. 

While the basic Cyber Essentials certification we’ve held since November 2022, involves a self-assessment, Cyber Essentials Plus goes significantly further. External cyber security experts conduct an in-depth review of our systems, testing our defences in real time to ensure they meet strict government-approved criteria. It’s the difference between taking your own blood pressure at home and receiving a full clinical assessment by a medical professional.

This assessment was carried out in partnership with Axon, our IT managed service provider, who work closely with us to maintain and protect our technology infrastructure. Together, we ensure every part of our systems from the cloud platforms that store your information, to the laptops and devices our team uses every day meets high, independently verified security standards.

Why this matters to you

Your information is personal, sensitive, and valuable – and protecting it is a responsibility we take extremely seriously.  

The certification confirms that our controls are robust across five key areas: 

1. Secure internet connections 
2. Proper configuration of devices and systems 
3. Strict access controls 
4. Protection against malware and malicious software 
5. Keeping all systems updated and patched 

In practical terms, this means that when you share details of your investments, pension arrangements, estate planning, or personal information, it’s stored and accessed within systems that meet stringent security standards. Every device, connection point, and system we use has been tested and validated as secure.

Real-world protection against real-world threats 

Cyber threats continue to evolve, with phishing emails, ransomware attacks and data breaches becoming more sophisticated. You may have seen examples in the news affecting retailers, large manufacturers, and even government departments. 

Our Cyber Essentials Plus certification demonstrates that we have appropriate, modern controls in place to protect against these common risks. This includes:

• Technology that blocks suspicious or malicious emails before they reach our team. 

• Regular staff training so we can quickly spot potential threats. 

• Secure, encrypted backups of all critical information. 

• Continuous updates and security patches for all software. 

• Tight controls over who can access your information. 

• Multifactor authentication, and single sign on across our systems.

Together, these measures significantly reduce the risk of cyber-attacks and ensure your data remains protected. 

The value of expert support

Our partnership with Axon means we always have specialist cyber security expertise on hand. They monitor our systems continuously, respond quickly to potential issues, and help ensure we remain protected as new threats emerge. 

Their support was invaluable throughout the assessment process, providing the independent assessor with detailed evidence of how we maintain and secure our systems every day. 

A continued commitment 

Cyber Essentials Plus is not something we achieve once and forget about. We need to maintain the same high standards throughout the year and undergo re-certification annually. Cyber security changes rapidly, and so do we. Our team stays informed about emerging risks and best practices, and Axon ensures our technical defences remain effective and up to date. 

How you can stay safe too 

While we work hard to protect your information within our systems, you can help protect yourself too. 

 Be cautious of unsolicited emails, texts, or calls requesting personal information. 

• If in doubt, contact us directly – we’re always happy to verify anything that seems unusual. 

• Remember: we will never ask for passwords or sensitive information by email. 

• Whenever possible, please use our Client Portal, which provides secure, end-to-end encrypted communication. 

• If you haven’t done so already, please attend our Cyber Security Masterclass where you can find out more information. 

Your trust means everything 

Trust is central to our relationship with you. Achieving Cyber Essentials Plus certification 

is one way we show that your trust is well placed, and that protecting your information is – and always will be – a top priority for us.