Cyber Essentials,certified without the friction.
Get Cyber Essentials & Cyber Essentials Plus certified with hands-on support, plus penetration testing, vulnerability testing and firewall configuration, all from one dedicated UK team.
Certification That
Actually Matters
Cyber Essentials isn't box-ticking: it unlocks contracts, lowers costs, and is the standard the UK government itself recommends.
5
Technical controls covered
12mo
Certificate validity
Unlocks Public & Private Contracts
Mandatory for bidding on many central UK government, NHS, and MoD contracts handling sensitive data, and increasingly required by major corporate supply chains.
Mitigates Up to 80% of Common Cyber Attacks
Focuses on five fundamental technical controls (firewalls, secure configuration, user access control, malware protection, and patch management) that block the majority of basic, opportunistic threats.
Lowers Insurance Premiums & Legal Liabilities
Demonstrates proactive compliance with UK GDPR data protection standards, helping avoid regulatory fines and often qualifying small businesses for included cyber liability insurance or lower premiums.
Builds Customer & Stakeholder Trust
Places your business on the official National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) database, verifiable proof to clients and partners that you protect their sensitive data.
You've seen why Cyber Essentials matters. Now see how fast SMEs, public sector suppliers, and enterprise vendors get certified.
From first submission through to your certificate, we work hands-on with you at every step, delivering measurable compliance that's fast, audit-ready, and backed by a 100% pass-support guarantee.
Cyber Essentials vs Cyber Essentials Plus
Same five technical controls, different depth of verification. Most SMEs start with Cyber Essentials; higher-assurance contracts often require Plus.
| Feature | Cyber Essentials | Cyber Essentials Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Self-assessment questionnaire | ||
| Assessor verification | ||
| Independent technical audit | ||
| External vulnerability scan | ||
| Internal device sampling | ||
| Recognised for most SME contracts | ||
| Required for higher-assurance tenders |
The 5 Simple Fundamentals Of Cyber Essentials
Many businesses are already doing the below because it makes good business sense. It's all you need to obtain your Cyber Essentials certification; we can help you make sure all the boxes are ticked.
Update Management
Keep software and operating systems up to date with the latest patches to fix security weaknesses and deny access to fraudsters.
User Access
Ensure employees only have access to the data they need, with special access privileges reserved only for authorised individuals.
Firewalls & Internet Gateways
Firewalls provide vital protection against external threats, but they must be correctly configured and active to be effective.
Secure Configuration
Proper configuration of servers can reduce vulnerabilities and prevent online criminals from carrying out unauthorised actions.
Malware Protection
Protection against malware can safeguard sensitive data and documents, safeguarding your business from attack by cybercriminals.
Steps to Get Certified
A guided, hands-on path from scoping to certificate, with a dedicated specialist on hand at every stage.
Scoping
We agree the boundary of your assessment: a device, a network, or your whole organisation. This gets confirmed with you before any questionnaire work begins, so there are no surprises later.
Self-Assessment
Complete a guided questionnaire against the five technical controls, with our support throughout. We're on hand to explain what each question means for your specific setup.
Review
We check your submission and flag anything that needs addressing before it goes for formal assessment. Our readiness review is designed to catch issues before they cost you a resubmission.
Certification
Your certificate is issued, backed by IASME/NCSC accreditation, valid for 12 months. We'll also remind you well ahead of renewal so it never lapses silently.
External Scan (Plus only)
An independent technical audit and vulnerability scan of your in-scope systems. Findings are explained in plain English, with clear guidance on anything that needs fixing.
Certification, testing & hardening, delivered end to end.
CyberStark is the only team you'll need, from your first Cyber Essentials submission through to penetration testing, vulnerability scanning and firewall hardening. We manage certification end to end with our accredited certification body partner, no handoffs, no separate vendors, no repeated onboarding.
Certification
- Cyber Essentials
- Cyber Essentials Plus
- Renewal management
Penetration Testing
- Web & network testing
- CREST-aligned methodology
- Free retest included
Vulnerability & Firewall
- Automated scanning
- Firewall hardening
- Quarterly cadence
From government suppliers to sole traders
Whatever brought you here, a tender requirement, an insurer, or a client asking questions, there's a clear path to certification.
Which Industries Need
Cyber Essentials Certification
Check All Industries
Direct contractual requirement for qualifying contracts handling personal data or ICT services. Councils, government departments and arms-length bodies are increasingly expected to demonstrate baseline compliance before a contract is even awarded. We help you scope the assessment around your existing systems, close any gaps in phishing defences and legacy platforms, and get certified without disrupting live services.
Know MoreCertification scoped to how you actually operate
Timeline and scope shift with headcount; see indicative guidance for your bracket, or get a tailored quote.
Go beyond certification
Certification confirms you meet the baseline. These services help you actually close the gaps it finds.
Let's Close Your
Compliance Gaps Next
Growing UK businesses trust CyberStark to get them certified fast and keep them compliant. We'll bring that same rigour to your organisation.
Real people, not just a checklist
A lot of providers hand you a generic package and a login. We hand you a plan built around your business, and people who explain what's actually going on.
Hands-on support
A named specialist guides you through everything, no generic self-service portal.
Structured readiness review
We check your submission is ready before it goes for formal assessment, so you're not caught out by an easy-to-avoid mistake.
Fast turnaround
Certification in as little as 5 working days, security reviews and testing often start within days.
Nothing lapses silently
We track certificate expiry and follow-up scans ahead of time, so your protection never quietly goes stale.
One team, every service
Penetration testing, vulnerability testing, and ongoing monitoring handled in-house by our own team. Certification is coordinated end-to-end by us with an accredited certification body, so you get one point of contact, not several vendors to manage.
Certification pass guarantee
If you don't pass Cyber Essentials first time, we work with you at no extra cost until you do.
Hands-on support
A named specialist guides you through everything, no generic self-service portal.
Structured readiness review
We check your submission is ready before it goes for formal assessment, so you're not caught out by an easy-to-avoid mistake.
Fast turnaround
Certification in as little as 5 working days, security reviews and testing often start within days.
Nothing lapses silently
We track certificate expiry and follow-up scans ahead of time, so your protection never quietly goes stale.
One team, every service
Penetration testing, vulnerability testing, and ongoing monitoring handled in-house by our own team. Certification is coordinated end-to-end by us with an accredited certification body, so you get one point of contact, not several vendors to manage.
Certification pass guarantee
If you don't pass Cyber Essentials first time, we work with you at no extra cost until you do.
Guidance, not just a sales page
Certified?
Now let's prove it.
Tell us a little about your organisation and we'll send an itemised quote, no obligation, no sales call required. Certified in as little as 5 days.
Frequently asked questions
We help growing UK businesses put real cyber security in place, technical controls, ongoing monitoring, testing, and certifications like Cyber Essentials when you need one, without you having to hire an in-house security team. Tell us about your business and we'll tell you honestly what you actually need, not everything we happen to sell.
It depends on your size, your industry, and what's actually driving the request, a client asking for proof of security, a contract requirement, cyber insurance, or just wanting to close obvious gaps. We start with a short conversation, not a sales script, and only recommend what genuinely fits.
Not public pricing, since it depends on your size and setup. Use our quick calculator or request a quote and we'll give you a real, itemised number, not a vague "contact us."
Yes. Certification is one thing we do, not the only thing. Penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, ongoing monitoring, and general security reviews are all things businesses use us for on their own, no certificate required.
Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed certification scheme that proves your business has five essential technical controls in place: firewalls, secure configuration, access control, malware protection, and security update (patch) management. Many UK SMEs need it to win government contracts, satisfy client or supplier due diligence, qualify for cyber insurance, or simply to prove they take data security seriously. We handle the assessment, guidance, and paperwork for you from start to finish.
Cyber Essentials is a self-assessed questionnaire, verified and approved by a qualified assessor. Cyber Essentials Plus adds an independent technical audit: an assessor actually tests your systems on-site or remotely. We support both, and we're happy to advise which level makes sense for your contracts, insurance, or client requirements.
No, most of our clients don't. We work directly with you, or your outsourced IT provider, and explain everything in plain English without assuming a security background.
It depends what you need. A security review or vulnerability scan can often start within days. Cyber Essentials certification typically takes 1-2 weeks once we have the right information from you.
If your organisation is UK-domiciled with a gross annual turnover under £20 million and your certification covers your whole organisation, you're automatically eligible for included cyber liability insurance at no extra cost when you certify. It's optional, but most of our clients take it since there's no downside.
No, security isn't a one-time box to tick. Threats and requirements change, which is why most of our clients stay on an ongoing plan, monitoring, testing, and renewal, rather than starting from scratch every year.
Yes. Our services, including Cyber Essentials, are designed for organisations of all sizes, including sole traders and small teams with a handful of laptops and a Microsoft 365 subscription. It doesn't require expensive infrastructure, it requires the right configuration and habits. We tailor our guidance to your actual setup, so you're not paying for controls or tools you don't need.
Yes, your outsourced IT provider can absolutely support the technical work. For Cyber Essentials specifically, the named person "responsible for managing the information systems" must be a member of your own organisation, not an employee of your IT provider, but we work directly with your outsourced team on your behalf either way.
The Cyber Essentials Readiness Checklist
A practical, no-jargon checklist covering all five technical controls, so you see exactly where you stand before you submit.