After thorough research, you’ve made the decision to pursue Cyber Essentials certification—a crucial step in strengthening your organisation’s defences. But now you’re probably asking yourself, how can I ensure the assessment goes off without a hitch? We understand your concerns. You want to avoid wasting valuable time and ensure that your operations remain uninterrupted. With everything on your plate, the last thing you need is a setback.
That’s why we’ve put together these essential tips to help you navigate the Cyber Essentials assessment with confidence and ease. This blog will guide you step-by-step through the basics, so you can pass with flying colours and avoid any surprises along the way.
Let’s get started with the Cyber Essentials requirements.
What to Know Before You Get Started
You’re about to embark on your Cyber Essentials journey. But before you dive into the assessment process, there are a few things you’ll want to have on your radar. Getting these steps right will set you up for success and make the process smoother
Preparation is everything. Just like any security strategy, the groundwork you lay now will pay off later. So, what should you be focusing on?
- 1. Once set up on the portal, you will have 6 months to complete and pass the assessment, if this window lapses you will need to re-purchase Cyber Essentials.
- 2. Make sure all answers are complete, any unanswered questions will result in a failed status. After you receive your assessor's feedback, promptly update your answers. This is crucial because some questions require details like the version numbers of software and internet browsers.
- 3.These might be current when you first answer but can become outdated within weeks. Updating your answers quickly helps avoid further amendments and delays.
- 4. When you're ready to submit, remember that clicking the submit button doesn't formally submit the assessment. You'll need to provide the contact details of a senior staff member. They will receive an email to sign off the application, which will then formally submit your answers
Mastering Your Cyber Essentials Assessment: The Cyber Essentials Checklist
Getting it right can make a significant difference in how smoothly the process goes. So, let’s dive into some key tips to help you master this assessment.
- Read Thoroughly: Ensure you carefully read the following ‘Cyber Essentials Requirements for IT Infrastructure document’, which is linked throughout the assessment.
- Answer Appropriately: For questions with “Yes/No” options, simply selecting the correct choice is often sufficient to answer the question.
- Provide Detailed Responses: If a question requires more than a simple “Yes,” such as describing an internal process, provide a comprehensive answer in the large text field. You can also use the “Applicant’s Notes” section for additional details.
- Avoid Reusing Old Answers: If you are renewing your certification, don’t just copy answers from previous years without reviewing them first, as this could lead to non-compliance with the Cyber Essentials scheme.
- Detail Your Processes: When describing a process, include specifics like who is responsible, who signs off, who takes action, and how it is recorded.
Get Audit-Ready With These Invaluable Equilibrium Tips
Getting it right can make a significant difference in how smoothly the process goes. So, let’s dive into some key tips to help you master this assessment.
- 1.Scope Of Assessment
If the assessment scope does not cover the entire organisation, a clear exclusion statement must be included in the scope description.
For example: “Whole organisation excluding development network.”
The scope description should outline any areas of the business with internet access that have been excluded from the assessment. List all geographical locations within the scope. If there are any remote workers, specify those based in the UK/abroad. All end-user devices, network equipment, and malware protection should not be using unsupported software or firmware (an automatic fail). You do not need to include switches or wireless access points that do not contain a firewall or do not route internet traffic.
- 2.Firewalls
When explaining how to change a firewall password, you need to provide a step-by step guide on how to change it for both software and hardware firewalls.
- 3. Security Update Management
Ensure that the browser versions are up to date.
Patch management: Keep all software and systems up to date with the latest security patches and updates. Any software you use should be updated as soon as a new patch or installation becomes available. Ideally within the 14-day window.
Malware protection: It is imperative to guarantee the installation and regular updating of anti-virus software on every device, including those owned by employees, if they are utilised for business-related activities.
- 4.Password-Based Authentication
There should be no maximum limit on password length; arbitrary limits are not allowed. MFA must be applied to all administrator and user accounts on cloud services.
Get Cyber Essentials Certified with Confidence
Achieving a Cyber Essentials certificate is more than just a checkbox—it’s a critical step in safeguarding your organisation against cyber threats. By preparing thoroughly, updating your answers promptly, and following best practices for your IT infrastructure, you’re setting your business up for success.
At Equilibrium Security, we’re committed to being more than just a service provider—we’re your partner in security. With our expertise and personalised support, we’ll help you every step of the way, ensuring you achieve certification with confidence and ease.
Don’t leave your security to chance. Contact us today at 0121 663 0055 or email us at enquiries@equilibrium-security.co.uk, and let’s secure your organisation together.
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