Background

Pytilia helps organisations futureproof their business. Since launch in 2020, Pytilia has demonstrated a strong track record in delivering software solutions for a range of international clients including some of the biggest names in IT. Innovation is core to their DNA and they have used a range of pioneering AI techniques to solve their customers’ most challenging problems across the Cyber, Financial Services and Healthcare domains. Pytilia recognise the importance of applying secure-by-design principles to their solutions and have demonstrated their commitment to cyber security through a recent, successful certification to Cyber Essentials Plus via the NCSC scheme for companies developing fundamental AI technologies.

Why Pytilia Chose Vertical Structure

Engaging with Vertical Structure, Pytilia presented a requirement to enhance their overall operational resilience, baseline cyber security, and to signal to their customers and the AI market alike, their ongoing commitment to cyber security. Subsequently choosing Cyber Essentials Plus as their path to deliver on these goals, the team at Vertical Structure began working with them on the certification journey.

As a ‘contributor to the development of core AI technologies’ in the UK, Pytilia’s certification was achieved under a scheme made available by the NCSC. The scheme, which provides funding for organisations operating in the most critical sectors and who develop leading-edge technology, helps develop resilience against the most common forms of cyber-attack.

Commenting on the value delivered by the funded Cyber Essentials scheme, Vertical Structure CEO Simon Whittaker commented:

As one of only a few Certification Bodies operating in Northern Ireland and a leading implementor of the hugely successful NCSC scheme, choosing Vertical Structure was the clear choice for Pytilia:

The Solution

To assist Pytilia in a smooth and efficient certification, Vertical Structure’s security consultants initiated this project by exercising their Cyber Essentials boilerplate – their own, homegrown, tried and tested framework for successfully guiding organisations through the certification process.

Having opted for maximum efficiency, Pytilia opted for a pre-assessment evaluation; a process by which software vulnerabilities and non-compliances are uncovered and reported back ahead of the final audit. At the conclusion of this phase, adequate remediation time is allocated prior to the final Cyber Essentials Plus audit.

Although optional, this phase is designed to not only prepare clients for the audit through use of a ‘dry run’, but to make the process more time and cost efficient while significantly improving the chances of a first-time pass.

From start to finish, the process was completed in under 10 weeks, following these core stages:

• Cyber Essentials self-assessment
• Cyber Essentials Plus requirements gathering
• Vulnerability assessments
• Findings review and reporting
• Remediation phase
• Final Audit
• Successful Certification

Paul McKeown, Cyber Security Consultant and Cyber Essentials Specialist at Vertical Structure commented:

Results

The output of the process for Pytilia was a smooth and efficient certification to the Cyber Essentials Plus standard under the guidance and expertise of Paul and the team within Vertical Structure.

When asked about the certification process, Tim McCartney from Pytilia commented:

About Pytilia

Pytilia helps organisations futureproof their business…. With an established track record in delivering software solutions and a range of international clients including some of the biggest names in IT, we have a particular focus on:

• Financial Services especially RegTech/Compliance & WealthTech;
• Infrastructure including Cyber & Data Pipelines;
• Health & Life Sciences

Innovation is core to our DNA. We’ve a strong R&D pedigree with an AI focus and a track record of successful collaborative research with academic partners. We’re delighted:

• to have been one of the winners of the inaugural FinTech Scotland / Financial Regulation Innovation Lab Call on Simplifying Compliance using AI & Emerging Technologies;
• to be one of 8 company projects active in the Cyber-AI Hub at the Queen’s University Belfast Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) investigating: “Context-aware vulnerability detection & mitigation using AI”;