Cyber Essentials Certification & Support
Cyber Essentials Certification and Support
Achieve Cyber Essentials certification with practical support from Digital Office Group. We help organisations understand the requirements, identify security gaps, implement the necessary improvements and complete the certification process.
Whether you are working towards Cyber Essentials for the first time, renewing an existing certificate or preparing for Cyber Essentials Plus, our cyber security specialists can guide your organisation through every stage.
Start Your Cyber Essentials AssessmentWhat Is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a UK Government-backed cyber security certification scheme designed to help organisations protect themselves against the most common internet-based cyber attacks.
The certification focuses on five essential technical controls that can reduce an organisation’s exposure to threats such as malware, ransomware, phishing-related compromise and attacks against unpatched software.
Cyber Essentials is suitable for organisations of all sizes and sectors. Certification can demonstrate to customers, suppliers, insurers and other stakeholders that your organisation has implemented a recognised baseline of cyber security.
Digital Office Group can support the certification alongside our wider managed IT services and cyber security solutions.
We can help you:
- Understand the certification requirements
- Define the correct assessment scope
- Identify devices, systems and cloud services
- Review your current cyber security controls
- Find gaps that could prevent certification
- Implement the required improvements
- Prepare your self-assessment answers
- Complete the certification process
- Prepare for Cyber Essentials Plus
- Maintain compliance ahead of annual renewal
What Does Cyber Essentials Assess?
Cyber Essentials assesses whether your organisation has correctly implemented five core technical controls across the IT systems included within the scope of the certification.
Firewalls
Internet-connected devices and networks must be protected by correctly configured firewalls that prevent unauthorised access.
Secure Configuration
Devices, applications and cloud services must be securely configured, with unnecessary accounts, services and default settings removed or changed.
User Access Control
Users should only have the access and administrative privileges required to perform their roles.
Malware Protection
Appropriate measures must be used to prevent malware from running on computers, laptops, servers and other protected devices.
Security Updates
Operating systems, software, firmware and applications must remain supported and receive important security updates promptly.
How We Help You Achieve Cyber Essentials
We do more than provide an assessment questionnaire. Our team helps you understand your current position, resolve technical gaps and prepare clear, accurate answers for certification.
1. Discovery
We discuss your organisation, IT environment, business structure and reason for seeking certification.
2. Scope
We help identify the networks, devices, users, cloud services and locations that should be included within the assessment.
3. Gap Analysis
Your existing controls are reviewed against the current Cyber Essentials requirements to identify potential areas of non-compliance.
4. Remediation
We help implement the required changes, such as software updates, MFA, firewall configuration and improved access controls.
5. Certification
We support you through the assessment, answer technical queries and help address any feedback before certification is completed.
Cyber Essentials Gap Analysis
Many organisations begin the Cyber Essentials assessment without fully understanding their network, devices, cloud services or administrative access. This can lead to inaccurate answers, unexpected remediation work or an unsuccessful assessment.
Our Cyber Essentials gap analysis reviews the areas most likely to affect certification. We then provide a clear action plan identifying what needs to change, who is responsible and how the improvements can be implemented.
Where Digital Office Group already manages your IT environment, we can often implement the necessary controls directly through our business IT support services.
Our review may include:
- Supported operating systems and applications
- Security update and patching processes
- Firewall and router configuration
- Internet-facing services
- User and administrator accounts
- Multi-factor authentication
- Microsoft 365 security settings
- Endpoint malware protection
- Mobile phones and tablets
- Remote and home-working devices
- Cloud services and applications
- Bring-your-own-device arrangements
Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus?
Both levels are based on the same five technical controls. The main difference is how the controls are assessed and independently verified.
| Feature | Cyber Essentials | Cyber Essentials Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment type | Verified self-assessment questionnaire | Verified self-assessment followed by an independent technical audit |
| Technical testing | No separate hands-on technical audit | Includes technical testing of a representative sample of systems |
| Five technical controls | Included | Included |
| Level of assurance | Confirms the organisation’s answers have been independently assessed | Provides greater assurance that controls are operating correctly in practice |
| Suitable for | Organisations seeking a recognised cyber security baseline | Organisations requiring greater assurance for customers, contracts or supply chains |
| Renewal | Required annually | Required annually |
Do you need Cyber Essentials Plus?
Cyber Essentials Plus may be required when bidding for certain contracts, joining regulated supply chains or working with customers that require stronger independent assurance.
We can review your requirements and advise whether standard Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus is the most appropriate route for your organisation.
Why Achieve Cyber Essentials?
Certification is not simply a badge for your website. The preparation process can help identify unsupported software, excessive user permissions, weak security settings and other vulnerabilities that may otherwise remain unnoticed.
- Reduce exposure to common cyber attacks
- Demonstrate your commitment to cyber security
- Build confidence with customers and stakeholders
- Support bids, tenders and procurement requirements
- Strengthen your supply-chain credentials
- Identify unsupported or insecure technology
- Improve access and administrator controls
- Support conversations with cyber insurers
- Create a foundation for further security improvements
Why Organisations Struggle to Pass
Cyber Essentials requirements are straightforward in principle, but organisations can encounter problems when their systems are undocumented, inconsistently managed or reliant on outdated technology.
Unsupported Software
Computers, servers, mobile devices or applications may no longer receive the security updates required for certification.
Missing Security Updates
Important security updates may not be installed within the required timescale across every device included in scope.
Excessive Admin Access
Users may have permanent administrator privileges even when these rights are not required for their everyday work.
Incomplete MFA
Multi-factor authentication may not be enabled across all relevant cloud services, administrator accounts or remote access systems.
Unknown Devices
The organisation may not have a reliable record of every computer, mobile device, firewall or cloud service included within scope.
Incorrect Scope
Networks, locations or services may be excluded without an appropriate technical separation or clearly documented reason.
Preparing Your Microsoft 365 Environment
Microsoft 365 is often a central part of the Cyber Essentials assessment. Your organisation may need to demonstrate that user access, administrator privileges, authentication and cloud security settings are appropriately controlled.
Our team can review your tenant, identify privileged accounts, implement multi-factor authentication and improve account management before the assessment.
Learn more about our Microsoft 365 services.
Microsoft 365 preparation can include:
- Reviewing global administrator accounts
- Enabling multi-factor authentication
- Removing unused user accounts
- Reviewing shared and generic accounts
- Separating administrator and everyday accounts
- Reviewing external access
- Checking licensing and security capabilities
- Reviewing mobile and personal device access
- Strengthening password and authentication policies
- Documenting account management processes
Build on Your Cyber Essentials Foundation
Cyber Essentials provides an important technical baseline, but it does not replace a wider cyber security strategy. Organisations should continue to consider backup, email protection, staff awareness, continuous monitoring and incident response.
24/7 Threat Monitoring
Monitor protected endpoints around the clock with human-led investigation and rapid threat containment.
Explore our Managed Detection and Response service.
Managed IT Support
Keep devices supported, patched and securely managed through proactive monitoring and responsive technical support.
Learn more about our managed IT services.
Cyber Security Consultancy
Review your wider risks, policies and security controls and create a practical improvement plan for your organisation.
View our cyber security consultancy services.
Backup and Recovery
Protect important business information and support recovery following deletion, corruption, ransomware or system failure.
Explore our disaster recovery services.
Remote IT Support
Give users access to responsive technical assistance while devices remain monitored, maintained and updated.
View our remote IT support.
Outsourced IT Services
Access the technical skills required to maintain your IT environment and support ongoing security compliance.
Discover our outsourced IT support.
Cyber Essentials Renewal Support
Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certificates are valid for 12 months. Your organisation must complete a new assessment to maintain its certified status.
IT environments can change significantly during the year. New employees, devices, applications, cloud services and office locations may all affect your next assessment.
Digital Office Group can review your environment ahead of renewal, identify changes and help ensure that security controls continue to meet the current requirements.
Renewal preparation may include:
- Reviewing changes since the previous assessment
- Confirming the current certification scope
- Checking operating systems and software support
- Reviewing new cloud services
- Checking leavers and unused accounts
- Reviewing administrator privileges
- Confirming MFA remains active
- Checking patching and update compliance
- Updating technical documentation
- Preparing the new assessment submission
Practical Support from Assessment to Certification
Achieving Cyber Essentials can be difficult when an assessor identifies technical changes but your organisation has no internal resource to implement them.
Digital Office Group combines cyber security knowledge with practical IT expertise. We can identify weaknesses, explain what needs to change and help implement the improvements required across devices, Microsoft 365, firewalls, networks and user accounts.
As a family-owned business established in 1994, we support organisations across the Midlands and throughout the UK with managed IT, cyber security, connectivity, communications and workplace technology.
Why work with us?
- Support through the complete certification journey
- Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus guidance
- Practical technical gap analysis
- Remediation delivered by experienced IT specialists
- Microsoft 365 and endpoint security expertise
- Firewall, patching and access-control support
- Clear advice without unnecessary jargon
- Ongoing managed IT and cyber security services
- ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified
- Family-owned and established in 1994
Cyber Essentials Certification FAQs
What is Cyber Essentials certification?
Cyber Essentials is a UK Government-backed certification scheme that assesses whether an organisation has implemented five important technical controls designed to protect against common internet-based cyber attacks.
Can Digital Office Group help us achieve certification?
Yes. We can help define your scope, review your existing security, identify gaps, implement the required improvements and support you through the assessment and certification process.
What is the difference between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus?
Cyber Essentials is based on an independently verified self-assessment. Cyber Essentials Plus covers the same five technical controls but also includes an independent technical audit to verify that the controls are working correctly.
How long does Cyber Essentials certification last?
Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certificates are valid for 12 months. A new assessment is required each year to maintain certification.
How long does it take to achieve Cyber Essentials?
The timescale depends on the size and complexity of your organisation and how much remediation work is required. An organisation with modern, centrally managed systems may complete the process quickly, while unsupported software or incomplete security controls can extend the project.
Do all our computers need to be included?
The assessment scope must be clearly defined and appropriately cover the systems exposed to internet-based threats. Devices or networks should not be excluded simply because they are difficult to manage. We can help establish a suitable and defensible scope.
Do we need multi-factor authentication?
Multi-factor authentication is an important part of the current Cyber Essentials requirements for relevant cloud services and administrator access. We can review your Microsoft 365 and other cloud services and help implement MFA where required.
Can we pass with old or unsupported software?
Software and operating systems included within scope generally need to be supported and receive appropriate security updates. Unsupported systems are a common reason organisations need remediation before certification.
Does Cyber Essentials prevent every cyber attack?
No cyber security certification can eliminate every risk. Cyber Essentials provides an important baseline against common attacks but should be supported by measures such as secure backups, email protection, user training and continuous threat monitoring.
Can you support our annual renewal?
Yes. We can review changes to your systems, confirm the current assessment scope, check your controls and support the completion of your annual renewal.
How much does Cyber Essentials certification cost?
The total cost depends on your organisation’s size, the chosen certification level and whether technical remediation is required. We can carry out an initial discussion and provide a clear proposal based on your environment.
Ready to Achieve Cyber Essentials?
Speak to Digital Office Group about Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus. We will review your current position, explain the certification process and help your organisation implement the controls required to achieve certification.
Start Your Cyber Essentials Assessment