What is Cyber Essentials?

Cyber Essentials is a Government-backed certification that demonstrates your business has taken the necessary steps to protect against basic cybersecurity threats. There are two levels of certification: Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus.

What is the difference between Cyber Essentials Plus and Cyber Essentials?

The standard Cyber Essentials certification is an online self-assessment. Cyber Essentials Plus is a more rigorous assessment that includes on-premise verification of your self-assessment. Cyber Essentials is suitable for most small businesses, while Cyber Essentials Plus is recommended for larger businesses and those who want to demonstrate their cybersecurity measures to clients, insurers, and professional bodies.

What are the benefits of Cyber Essentials Certification?

Both Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus offer several benefits to businesses. By meeting the certification's requirements, businesses protect themselves from the majority of basic cybersecurity threats. The certification proves to clients, insurers, and governing bodies that your business is committed to protecting IT infrastructure and data. It can also help you win new business, as many government and private sector contracts require or encourage Cyber Essentials certification.

What do I get for completing the certification?

Upon completing Cyber Essentials, you will receive a certificate reference number and a Cyber Essentials badge to showcase on your website and marketing materials. Your business will also be listed on the NCSC's database of Cyber Essentials-certified organizations.

What's the difference between Cyber Essentials vs ISO 27001?

Cyber Essentials can be considered a stepping stone towards full ISO 27001 certification. Cyber Essentials focuses on basic cybersecurity measures, while ISO 27001 is a more comprehensive assessment. If your business is already ISO 27001 compliant, achieving Cyber Essentials certification will be relatively straightforward.

How long does Cyber Essentials Certification last?

Cyber Essentials certification is valid for one year. Organizations must be recertified annually, which is why committing to an ongoing package is recommended. This ensures ongoing security and reduces the effort and cost of annual renewals.

We passed last year. Does this guarantee a pass on our renewal?

Gaining Cyber Essentials certification in the previous year does not guarantee a pass in the following year's renewal. Businesses must stay up to date with the requirements and implement them throughout the year to ensure a successful renewal. That's why an ongoing service is provided as part of our packages, helping you remain compliant throughout the year and significantly reducing the cost and effort required for recertification.

If we fail, can we try again and how much does it cost?

If you fail the initial Cyber Essentials assessment, you have three days to address the issues and resubmit the application. For Cyber Essentials Plus certification, the timeframe is extended to 15 days. While Method IT guarantees certification for businesses that sign up for our plans, it is still possible to fail the initial assessment. However, we will work with you to ensure you submit a passing application within the specified time limit.

What is the benefit of working with a certification body?

Applying for Cyber Essentials certification on your own can be a time-consuming process. If you fail the assessment, it may not be clear what went wrong or how to fix it. Working with a Certification Body like Method IT streamlines the application process. We can identify areas for improvement, explain the necessary steps to pass, and even complete the application on your behalf. Ongoing support is also provided to keep your business protected throughout the year and reduce the effort and cost of future recertifications.

Cyber Essentials Certification | Guaranteed First-Time Pass

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Ongoing guidance and support

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Approved Cyber Essentials Body and Cyber Advisor Scheme Provider

Method IT is one of a handful of companies that meet the strict criteria to be an approved Cyber Essentials Certification body and a Cyber Advisor Scheme Assured Provider. Our certifications demonstrate our technical skill and gives us the ability to assist and advise Customers on what needs they need technically for them to ensure they meet the standards of Cyber Essentials.

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Cyber Essentials is a Government-backed certification that proves your business has taken the necessary steps to protect against the majority of basic cybersecurity threats. There are two levels of certification: Cyber Essential and Cyber Essentials Plus.

The standard Cyber Essentials certification is an online self-assessment. Cyber Essentials Plus is a more in-depth assessment that includes on-premise verification of your self-assessment.

Cyber Essentials will be satisfactory for most small businesses, but larger businesses and those who want to prove their cybersecurity measures to clients, insurers and professional bodies should opt for the additional in-house verification that’s only available with Cyber Essentials Plus.

The Cyber Essentials assessment tests five key areas of your cybersecurity infrastructure: firewalls, secure configuration, user access control, malware protection and patch management.

Both Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus offer a host of benefits to businesses. By meeting the certification’s requirements, businesses will be protecting themselves from 99%* of basic cybersecurity threats. The certification itself proves to clients, insurers and governing bodies that your business is committed to protecting IT infrastructure and data. It can help you win new business, too. Cyber Essentials certification is actively encouraged or required to win an increasing number of Government and private sector contracts.

When you complete Cyber Essentials, you will receive a certificate reference number and a Cyber Essentials badge to publish on your website and marketing collateral. Your business will also be listed on the NCSC’s database of Cyber Essentials-certified organisations.

Cyber Essentials can be seen as a stepping stone towards full ISO 27001 certification. Cyber Essentials focuses on basic cybersecurity measures, while ISO 27001 is a much more in-depth assessment. If you’re already ISO 27001 compliant, achieving Cyber Essentials certification will be relatively straightforward.

Cyber Essentials certification is valid for one year. Organisations must be recertified every year, which is why we recommend committing to an ongoing package. This will keep your business secure and significantly reduce the effort and cost of annual renewals.

Unfortunately, gaining Cyber Essentials certification the previous year does not guarantee you will pass this year. Businesses must stay up to date with the requirements and implement them throughout the year to be sure of a successful renewal. That’s why we provide an ongoing service as part of our packages so that you remain compliant throughout the year and significantly reduce the cost and amount of remedial work needed to recertify.

If you fail the initial Cyber Essentials assessment, you have three days to fix the issues and re-submit the application. This is extended to 15 days for Cyber Essentials Plus certification.

While Method IT guarantees certification for businesses that sign up for one of our plans, it is still possible to fail the initial assessment. However, we will work with you to ensure you submit a passing application within the time limit.

Necessary controls must be in place for a guaranteed pass to be achieved.

Applying for Cyber Essentials certification on your own can be a long and laborious process. If you fail the assessment, it’s not always clear what is wrong or how to fix it. Working with a Certification Body like Method IT streamlines the application process. We can highlight the areas you need to improve and explain exactly what you need to do to pass. In some cases, we can complete the application on your behalf but will require to certify our work and declare that the application is correct. We can also provide ongoing support to keep you protected throughout the year and reduce the effort and cost of recertifying in the future.

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Why choose Method as your IT Support provider?

Ongoing guidance and support

Flexible packages to suit every business

A dedicated team that delivers quick results

Experienced IT consultants trained to conduct assessments

Approved Cyber Essentials Body and Cyber Advisor Scheme Provider

Cyber Essentials FAQs

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