CCT Mark Testing
The CCT Mark Scheme (CESG Claims Tested Mark) is a UK Government managed scheme that assures buyers of IT security and Information Assurance (IA) products and services that the products do what they claim to do. Enex Testlab is an approved testing laboratory for this scheme.
The scheme is administered by CESG which is the National Authority for Information Assurance and is part of GCHQ at Cheltenham.
The CCT Mark scheme is a quick and cost effective way of testing and validating the claims made for the security functionality of IA products and services. The CCT Mark means that your products can be used across the wider public service to manage risks at Impact Level 2 and below.
Increasingly the public sector is requiring CCT Mark certification as part of its procurement activities.
How does it work?
The scheme has been designed to be quick and cost effective taking about 10-12 weeks from beginning to award.
There are 4 steps in the process all of which Enex Testlab can help you with.
- An Information Assurance Claims Document (ICD) is produced for your product or service. This states the claims that are being made for the product and that you want tested, and how they will be tested.
- The ICD is registered with CESG which reviews it together with the proposed Enex test programme and accepts it for claims testing.
- Enex completes the agreed testing and issues a test report.
- CESG reviews the report and if satisfied awards the CCT Mark for a period of two years. Details are published on the CCT Mark website – www.cctmark.gov.uk.
What are the Benefits?
Your public sector customers can have complete assurance about the claims that you are making. This shortens the sell cycle for you and reduces the risk for them. It also automatically qualifies the product or service for entry on the MOD DIPCOG register of IA security products and services.
- Cost effective and speedy
The process takes no more than 3 months to complete and the cost is capped by CESG at no more than £20,000. In many instances the actual cost for getting a product or service through the CCT Mark process is in the order of £8 – 10,000.
Enex Testlab is an independent testing laboratory approved by CESG to carry out these tests. This gives assurance to you and your customers
The claims testing process also looks at ease of use and the accuracy of guidance documentation, giving an additional level of assurance to your customers
This is the only scheme that covers IA services. In addition to any specific testing that may be required existing customers are interviewed to check the procedures against claims being made in the ICD.