What is Cyber Essentials.
Let’s jump into what this means and the difference between this and Cyber Essentials Plus.
Improving your organisation’s cyber security can feel overwhelming, but the UK government’s Cyber Essentials scheme offers a clear and practical starting point. With two levels of certification—Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus—the scheme helps protect against the most common cyber threats.
While both certifications focus on core security controls, they differ in terms of depth and verification. Choosing the right level depends on your organisation’s needs, risk profile, and available resources. A Cyber Essentials Assessor plays a key role in this journey, providing expert guidance to help you understand requirements, implement improvements, and achieve certification with confidence.
So, what does it mean?
Cyber Essentials is a foundational certification that outlines essential security practices every business should follow to defend against common cyber threats. It focuses on five key areas:
- Firewalls – Securing internet connections from unauthorised access.
- Secure Configuration – Ensuring systems are set up with optimal security settings.
- Access Control – Restricting user access to only what’s necessary.
- Malware Protection – Defending against harmful software.
- Patch Management – Keeping software updated with the latest security fixes.
To achieve certification, organisations complete a self-assessment questionnaire, which is reviewed by a Cyber Essentials assessor. Designed to be straightforward and cost-effective, this certification is particularly well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses seeking to demonstrate basic cyber security compliance.
What’s the difference with Cyber Essentials Plus?
Cyber Essentials Plus builds on the basic Cyber Essentials certification by introducing a hands-on, technical verification process.
A Cyber Essentials Plus assessor conducts an independent audit of your systems, including internal and external vulnerability scans. This assessment verifies that your security controls are not only in place but are also effectively protecting your organisation in practice. It offers a higher level of assurance and is ideal for organisations handling sensitive data or requiring a more robust demonstration of their cyber security posture.
While Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus are built on the same core security principles, the key difference lies in the level of assessment. Cyber Essentials relies on a self-assessment, whereas Cyber Essentials Plus includes independent testing by a qualified assessor. This added layer of scrutiny provides greater assurance that security measures are correctly implemented and effective. As a result, Cyber Essentials Plus is more rigorous—but also more valuable—particularly for larger organisations or those operating in highly regulated sectors.
How can we help
Choosing Between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus
Deciding which level of certification is right for your organisation isn’t always straightforward. By working with avecSys in-house Cyber Essentials team, you’ll gain expert guidance tailored to your specific business needs. We provide clear, practical advice to help you select the most appropriate certification—whether you’re aiming to meet basic compliance requirements or demonstrate a higher standard of cyber security assurance.
With assessors qualified to deliver both Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus, avecSys is here to support you every step of the way.
Get in touch today to discuss the right certification path for your organisation.
