Cyber Essentials Assessment Service

Stay safe and competitive with our complete service. We’ll guide you through the whole Cyber Essentials process from assessment to certification

What is Cyber Essentials?

Cyber Essentials is a certification scheme backed by government to help organisations keep their data – and customers’ data – safe from cyber attacks.

The UK government’s National Cyber Security Centre states it is a minimum standard of cyber security for all organisations – from SMEs to large corporations. If you don’t have it yet, you really should act now.

It’s not just about online safety – getting Cyber Essentials is a route to keeping your organisation competitive. Many clients and all government contracts will insist you hold certification. It can also help reduce the cost of cyber insurance.

Perhaps you don’t have it yet because you don’t have the time or resources in-house to achieve certification. Our Cyber Essentials Assessment Service – described in detail further below – provides a pain-free and efficient route to achieving certification.

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What is Cyber Essentials Basic and Cyber Essentials Plus?

Cyber Essentials Basic is a self-assessment certification. Your organisation must verify it has fundamental security controls in place across five key areas: firewalls, secure configuration, user access control, malware protection and security updates. Essentially, it’s like a security health check.

Cyber Essentials Plus includes everything in the basic certification but adds independent technical verification. Certified assessors conduct system scans, vulnerability testing and on-site security assessments to verify your controls actually work as intended.

Depending on your level of need, our Cyber Essentials Assessment Service can support either Basic or Plus accreditation.

Why Do I Need Cyber Essentials?

Better Protected

Organisations that roll out Cyber Essentials controls make 92% fewer insurance claims. They are safer against the 7.7m cyber crimes experienced by businesses in the UK over the past year.

More Opportunities

Many contracts – particularly government work – mandate Cyber Essentials certification. It also helps demonstrate your commitment to compliance regulations such as GDPR.

Establishing Trust

Even where compliance isn’t mandatory, achieving Cyber Essentials sends out strong trust signals to your partners. The relatively small cost of certification can bring big benefits.

Reduced Insurance

Achieving Cyber Essentials can make it easier to obtain coverage and reduce premiums. In fact, you are likely to pay less for that insurance if you have Cyber Essentials.

*Figures from https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberessentials/overview

Why Should I Use a Professional Cyber Essentials Assessment Service?

UK government data tells us that 44% of UK businesses have a basic skills gap in basic and advanced technical skills. They ‘lack the confidence to carry out the basic tasks laid out in the government-endorsed Cyber Essentials scheme’.

This absolutely confirms what we’ve seen in the field. Many businesses fail to see the Cyber Essentials questionnaire through to the end. Consequently, they break the three-month window for completing the assessment – and then have to start again or give up completely. Or they lack the technical understanding to complete Cyber Essentials Plus auditors’ recommendations. Again, their application languishes.
As elementary as it may sound, many businesses also miss renewal dates and lose certification. It really pays to have our professional team managing the process through our Cyber Essentials assessment service.

Always Look for These Trust Signals: We are Accredited by Industry Leaders

Why Should I Choose Intersys' Cyber Essentials Assessment Service?

We are a cyber security provider with close to 30 years in the industry and a track record helping organisations achieve Cyber Essentials Basic and Cyber Essentials Plus.

This service is just part of our overall portfolio of cyber security services which includes audits, penetration testing, gap analysis and complete cyber security as a service – all following NIST best-practice guidelines. (See our case studies here.)

This matters because it demonstrates we are well qualified to assess your cyber security readiness and undertake remedial action to ensure you get that valuable certification. Our diligent no-stone-unturned approach is what is required to gain accreditation – and what you need in an increasingly dangerous environment online.

We will guide you all the way through your assessment, undertake any remedial action and handle document submission – this is a complete service.

How Much Does it Cost?

The costs include initial assessment, remedial action to help you achieve certification, the application, the cost of the certification and scheduling future applications.

These are approximate figures and a precise figure will be given depending on your organisation’s needs.

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    Service
    Number of Users
    Annual Cost
  
    Cyber Essentials Basic
    Any
    From £675
  
    Cyber Essentials Plus
    1-9
    From £1450
  
    10-49
    From £1650
  
    50-99
    From £2050
  
    100-499
    From £3095

Service	Number of Users	Annual Cost
Cyber Essentials Basic	Any	From £675
Cyber Essentials Plus	1-9	From £1450
	10-49	From £1650
	50-99	From £2050
	100-499	From £3095

How Long Does the Process Take?

This depends on the size of your organisation and how far forward you are with implementing the security controls.
For smaller organisations with fewer systems, the whole process usually takes around three days. For larger, more complex requirements, the process can take longer.
Typically, our Cyber Essentials Assessment Service includes one day’s consultancy to audit an environment and confirm if it aligns with the Cyber Essentials framework. This is followed by a subsequent day of work to implement any necessary mitigations and align the IT estate accordingly. Finally, we arrange for payment of your application and spend approximately one day to fill out the questionnaire and complete the process on your behalf.
Your audit will be undertaken by our external Cyber Essentials certification partner and your certificate will include a reference to this partner. You will also be listed on the information assurance website IASME. Your certification is valid for a year, after which you will need to repeat the process to maintain certification.

What Does the Intersys Cyber Essentials Assessment: Basic Involve?

This self-assessment certification ensures you have essential security controls in place across five key areas:

Secure Configuration: Implementing security measures across your systems and software
Access Control: Managing user permissions and administrative privileges
Malware Protection: Defending against viruses and other malicious software
Boundary Firewalls: Protecting your internet connection
Security Update Management: Keeping your devices and software up to date

Our team will:

Guide you through the self-assessment questionnaire
Review your current security measures
Identify and help address any gaps
Support your certification submission
Provide recommendations for ongoing compliance

What Does the Intersys Cyber Essentials Assessment: Plus Involve?

Take your cyber security to the next level with Cyber Essentials Plus. This advanced certification includes everything in the basic certification plus hands-on technical verification by our certified assessors.

We conduct:

Independent system scans
On-site security assessments
Thorough vulnerability testing
Detailed device and software audits
Verification of security controls

Which Cyber Essentials Assessment Should I Choose?

In an ideal world, everyone would choose Cyber Essentials Plus – the growth of ever-more-sophisticated threats means we all need the highest level of protection possible.

More pragmatically, start, at least, with the Basic certification to begin your journey towards great resilience. If you want – or need to demonstrate for a partner or potential partner – a high level of security assurance and enhanced commitment to data protection, choose the Plus option.

FREE Additional Submission

In the unlikely event that you fail the audit, Intersys will make a second application at no additional cost.

Case Study: Validating Security Controls for Private Investment Firm

We helped a private investment firm validate its security controls and align them against the Cyber Essentials framework.
In the first phase of the project, we conducted an in-depth application review across the business and discovered unauthorised applications and insecure password storage policies. We uncovered all non-compliances in a short time frame and quickly suggested remediation measures.
In the second phase, we validated the existing IT controls against the Cyber Essentials Framework. This included ensuring that all applications were updated within fourteen days, securing User Account Control and Group Policy Objects and rolling out an updated BYOD policy.
The client passed the Cyber Essentials assessment on the first attempt. Key stakeholders within the business were assured that their IT controls had been professionally validated and that they adhered to the government-backed Cyber Essentials Framework.

See more case studies

Talk to Us Now

Talk to one of our experts about our Cyber Essentials Assessment Service

+44 (0)20 3005 4440

[email protected]

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