Cyber Essentials
Cyber Essentials, made straightforward.
Cyber Essentials is the UK government-backed scheme that shows you have the basic controls in place to stop the most common cyber attacks. We help you prepare, close the gaps and get certified.
What it involves
Five controls that stop the most common attacks.
Cyber Essentials covers five technical controls: firewalls, secure configuration, user access control, malware protection and security update management. Cyber Essentials is a verified self-assessment; Cyber Essentials Plus adds a hands-on technical audit of your systems.
Certification is often required for UK public sector contracts and, increasingly, by larger customers across their supply chains. It’s also a strong foundation for ISO 27001.
- Readiness review against the five controls
- Practical help to close the gaps
- Support with the assessment questionnaire
- Preparation for the Plus technical audit
- A clear route on to ISO 27001
How it works
Four steps to certification.
01 Readiness review
We check your current set-up against the five controls and list what needs to change.
02 Close the gaps
Practical guidance for your team or IT provider to fix what’s missing.
03 Assessment
Support with the questionnaire and, for Plus, preparation for the technical audit.
04 Stay certified
Certificates last 12 months. We help you keep controls in place and renew smoothly.
By the numbers
The threatin numbers.
39,790
Cyber Essentials certifications awarded in the year, plus 12,850 Cyber Essentials Plus
Source: NCSC Annual Review 2025
35%
of large UK businesses hold Cyber Essentials, up from 21%
48%
of large UK businesses formally review their immediate suppliers’ cyber risks
Why CyberQ Group
Expertise you can rely on.
CREST accredited
Independent testing to a standard recognised by government, regulators and insurers.
ISO 27001 certified
We hold ourselves to the same standard we help our clients achieve.
Globally resilient, 24/7/365
Teams in multiple locations, so cover never depends on a single site.
Birmingham HQ, five regions
Headquartered in Alpha Tower, supporting organisations across the UK, Europe, South Africa, the US and Asia.
Related services
Explore further.
Certification Support
Expert help to achieve Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001.
Explore →Vulnerability Management
Continuous scanning with risk-based priorities for remediation.
Explore →Cyber Maturity Assessment
A clear picture of where you stand and a prioritised roadmap.
Explore →ShieldVantage Core
Managed email, network and vulnerability protection for lean IT teams.
Explore →
Both cover the same five controls. Cyber Essentials is a self-assessment verified by a certification body; Cyber Essentials Plus adds a hands-on technical audit of your systems, giving customers greater assurance.
Cyber Essentials certificates are valid for 12 months, so you’ll need to renew each year.
Not by law, but it’s required for many UK government contracts and increasingly by larger organisations for their suppliers.
No, but it’s a useful foundation. Many organisations start with Cyber Essentials and build on it towards ISO 27001.
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Talk to our team.
Book a call with a CyberQ specialist, or call us on 0800 0614 715. No obligation, no jargon.