Cyber Essentials readiness · Manchester & the North West
Get ready for Cyber Essentials, without the guesswork.
Readiness support, not certification. Cyber Essentials certificates are issued by certification bodies licensed by IASME. We are not a certification body and cannot guarantee the outcome of an assessment.
What Cyber Essentials covers
Five technical controls that stop the most common attacks.
Firewalls
Making sure every device and internet connection is protected by a properly configured firewall.
Secure configuration
Removing default passwords, unnecessary accounts and software that attackers can exploit.
Security update management
Keeping operating systems, applications and devices supported and patched promptly.
User access control
Giving people only the access they need, controlling administrator accounts and using MFA.
Malware protection
Protecting devices against malicious software with appropriate, up-to-date protection.
How we help
From first check to confident application.
- 1
Readiness check
We review your devices, accounts, cloud services and settings against each requirement and give you a clear list of gaps.
- 2
Fix the gaps
We fix issues directly or alongside your IT provider, prioritising anything that would cause an automatic fail.
- 3
Prepare to apply
We help you scope the assessment correctly and work through the questionnaire with you, so your answers are accurate.
- 4
Plus, if you need it
For Cyber Essentials Plus, we help you prepare for the certification body's technical audit.
Common reasons businesses fail first time
- Unsupported operating systems still in use, often on shop-floor or office PCs
- MFA missing on some cloud accounts
- Updates not applied within the required timeframe
- Staff using administrator accounts for everyday work
- Scope defined incorrectly, leaving devices or services out
Want a broader view?
Cyber Essentials does not cover payment fraud, backups or business continuity. Our Business Protection Review covers all of these, and prepares you for Cyber Essentials at the same time.
FAQs
Cyber Essentials questions, answered plainly.
Do you issue Cyber Essentials certificates?
No. Certificates are issued by certification bodies licensed by IASME, which runs the scheme on behalf of the National Cyber Security Centre. We help you get ready and support you through the process, and you apply to a certification body of your choice.
What is the difference between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus?
Cyber Essentials is a self-assessment questionnaire that is verified by a certification body. Cyber Essentials Plus covers the same controls but adds a hands-on technical audit of your systems by the certification body.
How long does it take to get ready?
It depends on your starting point. Some businesses are close and need a handful of fixes; others need to replace unsupported devices or roll out MFA first. Our readiness check gives you a clear list and a realistic timetable.
Can you guarantee we will pass?
No one can guarantee the outcome, as the decision rests with the certification body. We make sure you understand each requirement, fix the gaps and answer the questionnaire accurately, which is what gives you the best chance of passing first time.
Should we do Cyber Essentials or ISO 27001?
They do different jobs. Cyber Essentials covers a core set of technical controls and is often required by public-sector and supply-chain customers. ISO 27001 is a full management system for information security. Many businesses start with Cyber Essentials and move to ISO 27001 when customers ask for it.
Next step
Find out how close you are to Cyber Essentials.
Start with a short conversation. We'll ask about your devices, accounts and IT setup, and tell you honestly how much work is likely to be needed.
30 to 45 minutes, by video or in person
At a time that suits you.
A conversation, not a sales pitch
We want to understand your business first.
A clear proposal
If we can help, you will know what we suggest and what it will cost.