Cyber Essentials is a UK government backed scheme that is designed for small and medium sized enterprises to demonstrate that they meet a baseline of Cyber Security. Cyber Essentials Plus then expands on Cyber Essentials through an independent audit of the network infrastructure.

Cyber Essentials can be obtained by getting in touch with Certification Bodies, appointed by the scheme operator IASME. There are two stages, the first is a self-assessment questionnaire which would be assessed by a qualified assessor, before moving on to an audit, where an independent assessor will carry out checks to ensure that the controls stated in the self-assessment are effective.

The UK government does make Cyber Essentials mandatory throughout the supply chain for all government contracts and increasingly British businesses require their suppliers to conform with the standard.

Cyber Essentials is designed to demonstrate that an organisation meets a baseline for cyber security. It is useful for small and medium sized organisations to improve their security, by implementing controls. In some circumstances, Cyber Essentials is a mandatory requirement to bid for and win government based contracts.

Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certificates are each valid for one year. This is to ensure that organisations continue to meet the requirements and are active in keeping their infrastructure updated and secure.