Cyber Essentials services and practical security support

Our Cyber Essentials services help you turn security questions into an action plan. You may be responding to a customer request, preparing for a contract or reviewing how your business protects its data. We start by asking what you need to achieve and which systems your staff use.

The Cyber Essentials scheme is backed by the UK Government and supported by the National Cyber Security Centre. It addresses common cyber threats through five technical controls. Read the official scheme overview for independent guidance. KByte helps with preparation and improvements; we do not act as your certification body.

The Cyber Essentials requirements cover five areas. A review looks at how they apply to the systems in your assessment scope.

• Firewalls: manage the connections allowed into and out of your network and devices.
• Secure configuration: remove unnecessary features and replace unsafe default settings.
• User access control: give people the access they need and remove it when no longer required.
• Malware protection: use suitable safeguards against malicious software.
• Security update management: keep supported software updated and plan replacements for unsupported products.

These measures reduce exposure to common cyber attacks. They do not remove every risk or replace a wider security plan.

Before you complete your Cyber Essentials application, you need a clear view of your devices, accounts and services. We can help record what is in use, who manages it and where responsibility sits with an outside supplier. Include remote workers and cloud services in the discussion, rather than assuming only the office network matters.

We then compare the agreed scope with the current requirements and record gaps. Each action should have an owner and a sensible priority. For small and medium-sized organisations, this makes the work easier to follow and helps avoid buying tools before understanding the problem.

A review is useful when it leads to changes your team can maintain. We can help with agreed work such as removing unused accounts, reviewing administrator access, updating software and improving device settings. We explain the impact before changes are made, including any work that may interrupt normal access.

Keep a record of what changed and check that it works as intended. If you rely on another supplier, their input may be needed to confirm settings or responsibilities. Consultancy is always free; hands-on remediation, equipment and subscriptions are quoted separately. See our ongoing maintenance service for help keeping improvements in place.

The certification process is handled through an approved certification body. Cyber Essentials involves a verified self-assessment. Cyber Essentials Plus includes independent technical testing of the controls. A Cyber Essentials Plus audit is not the same as an informal readiness check.

We can help you understand questions, gather records and resolve gaps before your Cyber Essentials assessment. Qualified Cyber Essentials assessors make the assessment decision; KByte does not issue a Cyber Essentials certificate or promise a pass. Certification fees and any independent testing are separate from our support. Achieving Cyber Essentials certification depends on meeting the applicable requirements, not simply booking a review.

Your commitment to cyber security should continue after an application. New staff, replacement devices and software changes can affect the protections you have put in place. Agree who checks these changes and keeps the records current.

Backups, recovery checks, phishing awareness and an incident plan also deserve attention. They support resilience beyond the five controls and can give you greater peace of mind without implying complete protection. Our backup recovery guide explains practical checks. Talk to KByte about your current setup, any customer deadline and the help you need to prepare.