Cyber Essentials Scheme

Designed to help organisations of any size demonstrate their commitment to cyber security - while keeping the approach simple and costs low.

What is Cyber Essentials Scheme?

Cyber Essentials Scheme is a simple but effective government-backed programme that will help you safeguard your business, no matter how big or small, from a wide range of cyber threats.

Cyber attacks happen in a variety of shapes and sizes, but the great majority are quite simple in nature and are carried out by people with little or no technical knowledge. They're the digital equivalent of a thief checking to see if your front door is unlocked. Our recommendations are intended to keep you safe from these types of attacks.

There are two certification levels, the Cyber Essentials Verified Self-Assessment and the Cyber Essentials Plus.

The verified Cyber Essentials Verified Self-Assessment is the prerequisite to the Cyber Essentials Plus. The Cyber Essentials Plus must be completed within 3 months of the Cyber Essentials Verified Self-Assessment

Download your copy of the Cyber Essentials Questionnaire here.

Cyber Essentials Verified Self-Assessment

The Cyber Essentials Verified Self-Assessment gives you protection against a wide variety of the most common cyber attacks. This is important because vulnerability to simple attacks can mark you out as target for more in-depth unwanted attention from cyber criminals and others.

Certification gives you peace of mind that your defences will protect against the vast majority of common cyber attacks simply because these attacks are looking for targets which do not have the Cyber Essentials technical controls in place.

The Cyber Essentials (Verified Self-Assessment) shows you how to address those basic floors in your cyber security and prevent the most common attacks exploiting your data and reflecting on your reputation.

Cyber Essentials Plus

Cyber Essentials Plus still has the Cyber Essentials trademark simplicity of approach, and the protections you need to put in place are the same, but for Cyber Essentials Plus a hands-on technical verification is carried ouAlternatively you can familiarise yourself with cyber security terminology, gaining enough knowledge to begin securing your IT.

The 5 technical control themes of Cyber Essentials

Firewalls

You should protect your Internet connection with a firewall. Many organisations will have a dedicated boundary firewall which protects their whole network.
User Access Control

Standard accounts should be used for general work. By ensuring that your staff don’t browse the web or check emails from an account with administrative privileges you cut down on the chance that an admin account will be compromised.
Malware protection

Malware is short for ‘malicious software’ also know as Anti-Virus must be installed on all endpoints that support this software
Secure Configuration

Your accounts should always be password-protected. For ‘important’ accounts, such as banking and IT administration, you should use two-factor authentication, also known as 2FA.
Patch management

No matter which phones, tablets, laptops or computers your organisation is using, it’s important that the manufacturer still supports the device with regular security updates and that you install those updates as soon as they are released.

Why should you get Cyber Essentials?

Protect against approximately 80% of cyber attacks
Reassure customers that you are working to secure your IT against cyber attack
Demonstrates to your customers and supply chain that you have considered you security posture
You have a clear picture of your organisation's cyber security posture
Some Government contracts require Cyber Essentials certification

Cyber Essentials Scheme

What is Cyber Essentials Scheme?

Cyber Essentials Question Booklet Montpellier

Cyber Essentials Questionnaire Montpellier

Cyber Essentials Requirements for IT infrastructure Montpellier

The 5 technical control themes of Cyber Essentials

Firewalls

User Access Control

Malware protection

Secure Configuration

Patch management

Why should you get Cyber Essentials?

Cyber Essentials Verified Self-Assessment

Cyber Essentials Plus

Managed Cyber Essentials Plus