Would you pass Cyber Essentials today?
Twelve quick questions covering the five Cyber Essentials controls plus backups and staff awareness. Takes about three minutes. Your answers stay in your browser.
What Cyber Essentials is
Cyber Essentials is the UK government-backed scheme that sets out five basic technical controls every organisation should have in place. It's increasingly asked for by customers, insurers and public-sector buyers, and the controls themselves stop the vast majority of everyday attacks. Certification is a self-assessment questionnaire reviewed by an assessor; Cyber Essentials Plus adds a hands-on technical audit.
The five controls
- Firewalls on every internet connection, with default passwords changed.
- Secure configuration: unused software, accounts and features switched off.
- Access control: strong passwords, multi-factor authentication and limited admin rights.
- Malware protection on every device.
- Security updates applied within 14 days, with unsupported software removed.
How we help
We run a readiness assessment, fix the gaps with you or your IT provider, complete the questionnaire alongside you and arrange the certification. Most small businesses go from first call to certificate in four to six weeks.
Common questions
Is this an official Cyber Essentials assessment?
No. It's a free readiness check based on the scheme's five controls, written in plain English. Certification is done through an accredited certification body, which we arrange for you.
How much does Cyber Essentials cost?
The certificate itself is a few hundred pounds depending on business size, set by the scheme. Any work needed to meet the controls is on top, and our readiness check tells you how much that's likely to be before you commit.
Do I need Cyber Essentials Plus?
Basic Cyber Essentials is enough for most small businesses and many contracts. Plus adds an independent technical audit and is usually required for central government work or where a customer insists on it.
How long does the certificate last?
Twelve months. We can run the renewal as a light-touch annual check so it doesn't become a project every year.