MSC UK Achieves Cyber Security ‘Gold Standard’

MSC Industrial Supply Co. UK (MSC) has successfully achieved the Government-backed Cyber Essentials Plus certification, enhancing its status as one of the most trusted and secure partners within the industrial supply chain.

The nationwide supplier of metalworking and MRO industrial consumables was awarded the accreditation, which is the highest level of digital security for business operations in the UK, after a year-long effort working towards its demanding requirements. MSC is now able to provide customers with ultimate peace of mind regarding cyber security, with the accreditation covering the business’s internal systems as well as external industrial vending hardware installed at customer sites.

The Cyber Essentials Plus certification process requires businesses to ensure their digital systems and infrastructure are protected against intrusion, theft, and damage, and involves hands-on, technical verification by an independent auditor. The technical audit process covers a series of internal and external vulnerability scans to check the security of patches and system configurations, as well as robust testing of all in-scope systems.

Wayne Golessa, Operations Manager for MSC UK, comments: “Privacy and security are of crucial importance for many of our customers, whether that’s because of proprietary information or because of the industries they work in. Our Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation is the gold standard for digital security in the UK and comes with the assurance that we take privacy and security of our software and hardware very seriously, both internally and across our portfolio of industrial vending machines used by many of our larger customers.”

Achieving the Cyber Essentials Plus standard not only allows MSC to tender for Government contracts, but to work more effectively with its larger customers. With many of OEMs and large manufacturing businesses now making the accreditation mandatory for any future business, pressure is on the manufacturing supply chain to review their digital security arrangements and adapt accordingly.

Andy Smith, Head of Key Accounts at MSC UK, adds: “We are living in a world where data transfer is an essential supply chain requirement, and our customers require the reassurance that their data will be kept confidential and secure.

“Working in various market sectors including aerospace and defence, it is imperative that MSC can provide assurances that we take privacy and security seriously. Our Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation gives our clients the confidence that our software and hardware can be implemented within their operational infrastructure, to deliver a robust and secure supply chain.”

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