Cyber Essentials & Cyber Essentials Plus

Are you confident that your business is protected against the most common cyber threats today?

Imagine achieving not just compliance, but also peace of mind with a Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus certification, specifically designed for SMEs like yours.

Every day, small to medium-sized businesses face significant risks from cyber threats. Without the proper defences, you’re not just risking data breaches—you’re risking your business’s future. Do these concerns sound familiar?

  • Worrying about meeting compliance requirements?
  • Feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of cybersecurity?
  • Concerned about the potential costs of a security breach?

At Unity Metrix, we simplify your journey to robust cybersecurity. Our expert guidance demystifies the certification process, making it accessible and achievable for your business.

With Unity Metrix, you’re not just checking a box for compliance; you’re setting your business up for sustainable security. Whether you opt for Cyber Essentials or the more comprehensive Cyber Essentials Plus, our certification process includes:

  • Comprehensive security audits by our expert team.
  • Custom recommendations tailored to your specific business needs.
  • Ongoing support to keep your security up to date.

Beyond cyber essentials certification, our clients enjoy an enhanced reputation, trust from their customers, and often, lower insurance premiums. With Unity Metrix, you gain more than a certificate; you gain a cybersecurity partner who is invested in your security as much as you are.

Ready to take the first step towards your Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus certification?

Schedule a Free Consultation today to discuss how Cyber Essentials can protect your business, or take our “Will Your Staff Get You Hacked?” quiz to gauge your current cybersecurity standing.

What is Cyber Essentials and Why Do I Need It?

Cyber Essentials is a government-backed cybersecurity certification scheme that sets a clear baseline for cyber security. Whether you’re a small startup or a growing SME, this certification is designed to help you fortify your defences against the most common cyber threats. By implementing five critical technical controls — boundary firewalls and internet gateways, secure configuration, access control, malware protection, and patch management — Cyber Essentials helps you prevent up to 80% of cyber attacks.

Investing in this certification not only boosts your security posture but also demonstrates your commitment to protecting client data, often a contractual requirement in many industries. With Cyber Essentials, you enhance your market position by showing potential and current clients that you take cybersecurity seriously, making your business a reliable partner in a digital world increasingly concerned with data breaches and cyber threats.

What are the Costs Associated with Cyber Essentials Certification?

Securing your business with Cyber Essentials certification involves a clear and manageable cost, which varies depending on your specific business needs and existing cybersecurity measures. At Unity Metrix, we pride ourselves on our transparent pricing model that ensures you only pay for what you truly need. The factors influencing the cost include the size of your company, the complexity of your networks, and the current level of your cybersecurity practices.

We offer tailored services to ensure that the certification process aligns perfectly with your requirements, potentially saving costs by focusing on essential improvements that deliver the most significant security benefits. Investing in Cyber Essentials certification is not just a cost—it’s a value-driven decision that enhances your business’s cybersecurity posture, ensures compliance with industry regulations, and can even reduce your cyber insurance premiums, making it a smart financial decision in the long run.

What’s the Difference Between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus?

Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus are both designed to strengthen your business’s cybersecurity, but they cater to different levels of security needs. Cyber Essentials is the initial step, focusing on self-assessment against five basic security controls, which can significantly mitigate the risk of common cyber threats. This certification is ideal for businesses looking to establish a foundation of cybersecurity measures that are both effective and affordable.

Cyber Essentials Plus builds on this foundation with a higher level of assurance. It involves a more detailed assessment, which includes an independent hands-on technical verification. This rigorous testing ensures that your cyber defences not only are in place but also are robust enough to withstand simulated cyber attacks based on real-world scenarios. Businesses that choose Cyber Essentials Plus often require a greater degree of security assurance due to the sensitive nature of their data, or they may need to meet more stringent contractual or regulatory requirements. Choosing between the two certifications depends on your specific business needs, risk exposure, and customer reassurances required.

Tailored Protection

Risk
Reduction

Trusted Expertise

Trusted
Expertise

24/7 Support

24/7
Support

Easy Compliance

Pain-Free
Compliance

Our Cyber Essentials & Cyber Essentials Plus Process

Initial Assessment & Gap Analysis

Initial Assessment & Gap Analysis

We begin with a comprehensive evaluation of your current cybersecurity posture to identify gaps and align with Cyber Essentials standards

Identifying your baseline for improvement

Customised Security Enhancements

Customised Security Enhancements

Based on the initial assessment, we design specific security improvements that meet the Cyber Essentials criteria and support your unique business needs

Tailoring security to fit your business

Certification Preparation & Support

Certification Preparation & Support

Our team guides you through the preparation process for either Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus certification, ensuring all requirements are met

Preparing you for successful certification

Post-Certification Review & Ongoing Support

Post-Certification Review & Ongoing Support

After certification, we provide a review to ensure continued compliance and offer ongoing support to maintain and enhance your cybersecurity measures

Securing your future with continuous protection

Our Customer

What Our Customers Say About us

Unity Metrix Secured Our Business

"As a small business in digital marketing, we were looking for a partner to help us shore up our cybersecurity. Unity Metrix made the whole process smooth and easy. Their team guided us through the steps to get Cyber Essentials and IASME Cyber Assurance certified, scanning for vulnerabilities and making sure our systems were protected. They walked us through each part of the process and made sure we were equipped to handle future risks. Thanks to their friendly, knowledgeable team, we now have solid cybersecurity and peace of mind. If you're looking to secure your business, I can't recommend them enough!"

Chris Hadland

Director, Aura Media

Cyber Essentials & Cyber Essentials Plus FAQs

What exactly are the five technical controls in Cyber Essentials?

The five key controls are: secure configuration of computers and networks, boundary firewalls to prevent unauthorised access, access controls to ensure only those who should have access do, malware protection to guard against software threats, and patch management to keep systems updated.

How long does it take to get Cyber Essentials certified?

The certification process typically takes 2-3 weeks from start to finish, depending on your readiness and the complexity of your systems.

Do I need Cyber Essentials if I already have other cybersecurity certifications?

While other certifications provide value, Cyber Essentials is specifically designed to address the most common cyber threats. It is recommended as a foundational security measure for all UK businesses.

Can I fail Cyber Essentials certification, and what happens if I do?

In theory yes, it’s possible to fail if your IT systems do not meet the required standards, but our job is to make sure that doesn’t happen, which is why we provide detailed feedback on areas for improvement before you even submit the application. All you have to do as a client is follow our advice, and you will definitely pass.

What support does Unity Metrix offer during the Cyber Essentials certification process?

Unity Metrix provides comprehensive support including a pre-assessment checklist, guidance on improving security controls, and assistance in completing the necessary documentation. Our monthly subscription package ensures that you maintain systems in-line with any updates to the standard, so you will already be compliant by the time renewal is due.

Is there an annual renewal requirement for Cyber Essentials?

Yes, Cyber Essentials certification needs to be renewed annually to ensure your cyber security measures remain up to date with the latest threats.

How does Cyber Essentials certification impact my business's insurance premiums?

Many insurers view Cyber Essentials certification positively, which can lead to reduced premiums for cyber liability insurance due to demonstrated risk management.

What’s the main difference in the assessment process between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus?

Cyber Essentials assessment is based on a self-assessment questionnaire, whereas Cyber Essentials Plus requires an independent external test of your security controls to verify that they are in place and effective.

Can small businesses benefit from Cyber Essentials, or is it geared more towards larger corporations?

Cyber Essentials is designed for businesses of all sizes. Small businesses especially benefit as it provides a clear framework to protect against the vast majority of cyber threats. Increasingly, businesses are mandating Cyber Essentials as a minimum security requirement for their suppliers. Without this certification, you might unknowingly lose out on potential contracts.

Does achieving Cyber Essentials certification help with GDPR compliance?

Achieving Cyber Essentials can help demonstrate that your business takes data security seriously and is implementing technical controls that could be considered part of GDPR compliance.

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Meet the founder

From our humble beginnings to becoming a trusted name in the cybersecurity industry, our journey is a testament to our commitment to innovation and excellence. But we’re not just tech geeks huddled around computer screens all day! We are a group of passionate individuals who believe that a safer digital world is not just a necessity but a right for every business out there. Our vision and hard work have propelled us into partnerships with diverse industries, from healthcare to e-commerce and everything in between.

The Founder

Our Core Values

Transparency

Transparency

We operate with an open-book policy. No hidden fees, no ambiguous language. We believe informed clients are the best clients.

Excellence

Excellence

We never compromise on quality. Our services are designed to not just meet but exceed industry standards. Our certifications, including IASME Cyber Assurance Level 2, speak for themselves.

Innovation

Innovation

Cyber threats evolve every day, and so do we. Continual training, research, and development keep us ahead of the curve and you out of harm’s way.

Customer-Centric

Customer-Centric

Your security is our success. Our 24/7 availability ensures that your business operations never have to pause because of a cybersecurity concern.

Get in Touch

Have any questions or need assistance? Fill out the form below and one of our helpful and friendly cyber security experts will get back to you promptly.