Cloud Security & Compliance

Cloud Security & Compliance

Conversational knowledge about security certifications, NCSC principles, compliance frameworks, evidence requirements, and UK government security standards relevant to G-Cloud service providers.

Purpose

Provide instant answers to common questions about security and compliance requirements for G-Cloud without requiring document generation. This covers certifications, frameworks, clearances, and evidence guidance.

When to Use

Activate when users ask about:

• Whether they need a specific certification (ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, SOC 2, etc.)
• What the NCSC 14 cloud security principles are
• UK GDPR requirements for cloud services
• Security clearance levels and when they apply
• What evidence to provide (and what NOT to provide)
• Certification costs, timelines, and renewal cycles
• NHS DSPT requirements
• AI governance and the AI Playbook

Quick Reference: Key Certifications

Certification	G-Cloud Importance	Validity	Typical Cost
ISO 27001	High — expected by most buyers	3 years (annual surveillance)	£5K–£50K+
Cyber Essentials	High — mandatory for personal data	12 months	£300–£500
Cyber Essentials Plus	High — independent verification	12 months	£1,500–£5,000
SOC 2 Type II	Medium-High — sophisticated buyers	Annual reports	£20K–£80K
CSA STAR	Medium — cloud-native services	Varies by level	Varies
PCI DSS	Required for payment processing	Annual	Varies by level

Quick Reference: G-Cloud 15 Certification Questions

Lot	Required	Also asked
1a/1b	Cyber Essentials Plus; ISO 9001, ISO 20000-1, ISO 27001; ISO 14001, ISO 27017 and (if public cloud is offered) ISO 27018 unless you resell and rely on your cloud provider's accreditations; a Carbon Reduction Plan	ISO 28000:2022, QMS, CSA STAR, PCI DSS
2a/2b	Cyber Essentials	Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 28000:2022, QMS, CSA STAR, PCI DSS
3	Cyber Essentials (also a scored award criterion)	As 2a/2b

Cyber Essentials for Lots 2a, 2b and 3, and ISO 27018 for any 1a/1b service with public cloud, were made mandatory in GCA's Updates to Tender Documents; the question export still shows the earlier wording. If you don't yet hold a certificate, the export offers "working towards it by framework award" or an IASME-certified equivalent.

New G-Cloud 15 service questions: post-quantum cryptography ("Are you compliant with NCSC guidance on post-quantum cryptography?", Lots 1a/1b and 2a/2b), the Software Security Code of Practice (2a/2b governance), an AI chatbot before reaching a person (user support), and web chat accessibility (WCAG 2.2 or EN 301 549). All lots need a Technical Ability Certificate.

Quick Reference: NCSC 14 Principles

#	Principle	Category
1	Data in transit protection	Data Protection
2	Asset protection and resilience	Data Protection
3	Separation between customers	Separation
4	Governance framework	Governance
5	Operational security	Operations
6	Personnel security	Personnel
7	Secure development	Development
8	Supply chain security	Supply Chain
9	Secure user management	Access
10	Identity and authentication	Access
11	External interface protection	Infrastructure
12	Secure service administration	Administration
13	Audit information and alerting for customers	Audit
14	Secure use of the service	Usage

Quick Reference: Security Clearances

Level	Typical Use	Timeline
BPSS	Standard government access, including OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE (a handling caveat within OFFICIAL, not a higher classification)	1–2 weeks
CTC	Airport, defence	6–8 weeks
SC	Regular access to SECRET, occasional TOP SECRET	6–8 weeks
DV	Regular access to TOP SECRET	6–12 months
eDV	TOP SECRET, enhanced	12+ months

Quick Reference: Evidence to Provide

Certification	Provide	Do NOT Provide
ISO 27001	Certificate (scope must cover service)	Full audit reports
Cyber Essentials	Certificate with badge	Internal assessments
SOC 2	Management assertion letter	Full SOC 2 report
CSA STAR	Registry entry link	Detailed assessment
NHS DSPT	Published status	Internal toolkit data
PCI DSS	Attestation of Compliance (AOC)	Pen test findings

General rule: never provide full audit reports, pen test findings, detailed vulnerability data, internal policy documents, or unredacted contracts.

Answering Questions

When answering security and compliance questions:

1. Check the quick reference tables above first for common lookups
2. Consult references/compliance-frameworks.md for detailed requirements, the Technology Code of Practice (13 points), AI Playbook (10 principles), NHS DSPT assertion areas, UK GDPR specifics, and certification renewal schedules
3. Be specific about what's mandatory vs. recommended: on G-Cloud 15, Lots 1a/1b require Cyber Essentials Plus and several ISO certificates as conditions of participation; Lots 2a/2b and 3 require Cyber Essentials, and the other standards are asked but optional.
4. Consider the lot: Lot 3 (Cloud Support) answers only staff security and standards questions; Lots 1a/1b and 2a/2b answer the full security sections, which follow the NCSC cloud security principles

Related Commands

These ArcKit commands generate security-related documents:

Command	Security Area
/arckit-uk-gcloud:security	Comprehensive security evidence document
/arckit-uk-gcloud:sdd-lot1a, sdd-lot1b, sdd-lot2a, sdd-lot2b, sdd-lot3	Security sections within SDDs
/arckit-uk-gcloud:lot-questions	Lot certifications and conditions of participation
/arckit-uk-gcloud:declaration	Procurement Act declaration (exclusion grounds are declared on the Central Digital Platform)

Additional Resources

Reference Files

• references/compliance-frameworks.md — Complete reference covering what G-Cloud 15 requires by lot, all certifications (ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, SOC 2, CSA STAR, PCI DSS, ISO 22301, ISO 20000-1), UK government frameworks (NCSC principles, Technology Code of Practice, AI Playbook, NHS DSPT), data protection (UK GDPR, DPA requirements), security clearances, evidence guidance, and certification renewal schedules. Consult for any detail not covered by the quick reference tables above.