IT and cyber security company Converged Communication Solutions was recognised for its commitment to cyber security at the inaugural Cyber Community Awards.
The firm’s chief security officer Robbie Ross received a Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC) ‘Shine the Light’ award in acknowledgement for his efforts highlighting the importance of cyber security.
Organised by the SBRC, the Cyber Community Awards recognise the individuals and organisations that contribute to keeping Scotland’s online community safe. The virtual ceremony, hosted by comedian Fred MacAulay, was held as part of Cyber Scotland Week.
Converged, which has offices in Aberdeen and Inverness, was a finalist in the Outstanding Cyber Community Event category, while Robbie Ross was nominated for the Cyber Community Hero award.
Preventing people & businesses falling victim to cybercrime
Although not named Cyber Community Hero, Robbie was granted an SBRC ‘Shine the Light’ Award in recognition of his work educating individuals and businesses across the north of Scotland about the importance of cyber security. Robbie, who joined Converged last year from Police Scotland, is committed to educating people about cybercrime and helping to prevent them falling victim to it. He has delivered presentations on cyber security to numerous business groups across Scotland, including in rural Aberdeenshire and the Highlands and Islands.
Converged was praised in the Outstanding Community Event category for its ‘What is cyber security?’ series of events that it organised in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The online events provided an introduction to cyber security for micro businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises with a limited knowledge of the subject. Along with explaining what cyber security is and the risks posed by different cyber threats, the hour-long sessions highlighted to delegates the ways that they can better protect themselves from cybercrime.
Dedicated cyber security team acknowledged
Robbie’s accolade and the two nominations acknowledge the investment Converged has made in its cyber security division over the past two years. Along with a dedicated cyber security team, the firm is a Certification Body for the UK government-backed Cyber Essentials Plus and Cyber Essentials schemes, and a certifying assessor for the IASME (Information Assurance for SMEs) Governance Standard.
Neil Christie, managing director, Converged Communication Solutions, said: “It is fantastic that Robbie’s commitment to supporting businesses and charities from becoming victims of cybercrime has been recognised with the Shine the Light award. He has a huge knowledge about the subject and how it can impact the nation, meaning he is able to provide a distinctive insight into cyber security. In the past he has gone above and beyond to deliver cyber security presentations, including standing in a barn in rural Aberdeenshire with snow swirling round his head.
“Being nominated for these awards is testament to the hard work of our cyber security team to engage with businesses and educate them on the critical need to protect their digital lives. It also recognises the time and investment Converged has made in this hugely important area.
“From previous cyber security seminars we’d held it was clear there was a need to strip the subject back to basics. Many organisations, particularly smaller ones, have little understanding of the topic and how it can impact them. With the ‘What is Cyber Security?’ webinars, we broke the subject down so those people could grasp it, appreciate its implications and gain confidence to implement changes that can better protect them when they are online. We look forward to delivering more of these sessions going forward.”
