Stop cyberattacks
The technical controls outlined in Cyber Essentials can help to protect your business against the vast majority of opportunistic cyberattacks.
93% of Cyber Essentials-certified businesses
Prevent data breaches and win customers
Reassure customers
Get the CE logo on your website to show your commitment to cybersecurity best practice and protecting customer data.
Get expert support
Our knowledgeable consultants are certified Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus Assessors, with years of industry experience.
Grow your business
Cyber Essentials is becoming a minimum requirement for supply chain security, so being certified can help you win more business.
Kickstart your security with Cyber Essentials
Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus are UK Government-backed certification standards that use five simple controls to create a strong security foundation. These are:
- Firewalls
- Secure configuration
- User access control
- Malware protection
- Patch management
Using this framework, Cyber Essentials certifications help you set a high barrier, protecting your business from the majority of opportunistic attacks.
Take your business to the next level
Certification to the Cyber Essentials standard is increasingly becoming a minimum requirement for businesses of all sizes and having Cyber Essentials Plus certification enables you to bid for Government, NHS, MoD and public sector contracts.
Cyber Essentials accreditation also comes with free cyber liability insurance with up to £25,000 coverage.*
*Available to UK-based businesses with a turnover of up to £20m upon successful completion of the Cyber Essentials certification. Terms and conditions apply
Go beyond compliance with Defense.com™
As part of your Cyber Essentials certification you’ll get access to our suite of high-impact security tools to help you take your cyber threat management to the next level.
Our easy-to-use SaaS platform puts these best-in-class cyber defenses right at your fingertips, all for no extra cost. Get started today with a free trial of Defense.com™.
Get a quote
Why choose Defense.com™?
Defense.com™ is a registered IASME Certification body for both Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus, and we’re certified to both standards ourselves. Our consultants are likewise highly qualified, all being independently certified Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus Practitioners.
We’ve helped hundreds of companies achieve Cyber Essentials, and we’ll use that experience to make your certification journey as painless as possible.
We have a range of CE packages with varying degrees of support and service, meaning you can choose an option to suit your budget and resources.
Here’s what our customers say about us
Protecting the world’s leading brands
Christopher Blewitt Infrastructure Team Lead, Backup SystemsThe expertise we received from day one was excellent, and thanks to their insight we passed Cyber Essentials first time. With our 10-year history of keeping customer data secure, the Cyber Essentials scheme adds further confidence and value to the Backup Systems offerings.
Cyber Essentials FAQs
Cyber Essentials is a UK Government-backed compliance standard that sets a good baseline security standard for any organization. It comprises 5 simple technical controls that together increase your cyber defenses, protecting your business against around 80% of opportunistic attacks. It’s a self-assessment questionnaire that’s marked by a registered certification body, such as Defense.com™.
Cyber Essentials Plus certification is stronger than the standard Cyber Essentials certification. It’s all the requirements of basic Cyber Essentials, plus independent verification of your self-assessment. It also involves a vulnerability scan. Defense.com™ recommends all organizations aim for Cyber Essentials Plus certification, as with a little extra work, you get a much stronger certification, and better security.
Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus is mandatory for businesses wanting to bid for certain UK Government, NHS, MoD and other public sector contracts. Holding a valid Cyber Essentials certification is increasingly becoming seen as a standard requirement amongst business of all industry sizes and sectors.
The length of time needed to get Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus certification depends on the resources you have available and the state of your current security defenses. If you’re in a rush, or you have low internal resource to spare, Defense.com™ offer Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus packages that come with consultant-led support and tailored policy documents.
The base level of Cyber Essentials certification (not Cyber Essentials Plus) includes following a five step assessment of your security controls and completing a questionnaire. The questionnaire is then marked by an official certification body, such as Defense.com™. We provide guidance to help you set the right security controls, policies and procedures.
Successfully completing Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus and maintaining your compliance is valuable to business of all sizes. The CE scheme is increasingly becoming seen as a standard requirement amongst business of all industry sizes and sectors within the UK. It also demonstrates to your existing and potential customers that you’re a responsible business that takes security seriously, boosting your reputation. This applies both inside and outside the UK.
Certification for Cyber Essentials and CE Plus lasts for one calendar year. To maintain your compliance, you must re-certify every year. This is generally easier than achieving compliance in the first place. Defense.com™ customers will get re-certification reminders in plenty of time, so your compliance doesn’t expire, and we’re always on-hand to help you through the process.
Cyber Essentials started in the UK and is backed by the UK Government, but there’s nothing stopping non-UK companies being certified against this valuable standard. In fact, the Cyber Essentials scheme is increasingly seen as a valid cybersecurity standard right across the world. We also offer our own Defense.com™ Health Check to organizations outside of the UK.
