Cyber Essentials
Cyber Essentials is the UK Government’s base line and minimum requirements that all businesses should have regardless of their size. Cyber Essentials Plus audits and demonstrates you are working to these best practices. Outbound Solutions have a unique and simplified approach to this by using our online platform to achieve this easily, quick and at a great price point.
Cyber Essentials
Simple, affordable, cyber security solutions for SMEs that protect your business around the clock. Cyber Essentials covers everything your business should do to protect itself from cyber attacks. Think of it as ‘cyber hygiene’ – a bit like washing your hands, brushing your teeth or wearing a face mask. Simply being certified can reduce your cyber risk by up to 98.5%. And, it’s a great way to demonstrate to new customers and partners that you take cyber security seriously – helping you grow as well as stay safe. We’ll have you certified in as little as 24 hours. No jargon. No endless back and forth. And all the expert guidance you need to pass the first time. Gain the ability to bid for government tenders, and win new business by demonstrating your cyber credentials.
5 Cyber Essentials Fundamentals (Technical Controls)
— Patch management
— Malware protection
— Access control
— Secure configuration
Key Features
— 100% guaranteed pass rate
— Smart platform checks to ensure a pass before submission
— Live support, guiding users through the questionnaire step-by-step
— Protection from 98.5% of cyber threats
— Simple, plain English questionnaire
Bonus Features
— Outbound™ consultant with advice, pre-plan and guide you through every step
— Unlimited live support
Cyber Essentials PLUS
The Cyber Essentials plus accreditation will provide a full virtual or onsite audit, go over your Cyber Essentials answers and ensure they are implemented with a penetration test, vulnerability scan and focus on endpoint devices. Like the standard certification, Cyber Essentials Plus covers everything your business should do to protect itself from 98.5% of cyber attacks. But, there’s one key difference. Cyber Essentials Plus also includes an independent assessment carried out by one of our licensed auditors. This gives you complete peace of mind your cyber security is up to scratch. And customers don’t have to take your word that you’re cyber secure – they can rely on the expertise of a professional.
Benefits of Cyber Essentials PLUS
Bonus Features
— Virtual or onsite audit
— Outbound™ consultant with advice, pre-plan and guide you through every step
— Independent expert auditor
— Unlimited live support
CyberSmart Active Protect
With remote working fast becoming the norm, it’s never been more important that your staff can access company systems and data safely from any device. Unfortunately, certification only guarantees protection at the time of assessment. So how do you ensure your people are working safely all the time, even if they’re using personal devices? CyberSmart Active Protect does exactly that. Installable on any device, the app continually runs in the background, assessing security every 15 mins. If a device fails a security check, you’ll be notified via CyberSmart Dashboard with step-by-step guidance on how to fix the issue.
In addition to security monitoring, CyberSmart Active Protect also allows you to distribute company security policies to any device. So your people will have access to the guidance they need wherever they are.
Key Features
— Continuous security monitoring
— Company policies housed in-app
Benefits
How you are protected
— Protect with Smart software and device checks, that recommend fixes for technology in use.
— User training, cyber policies and procedures to create a cyber-aware culture.
— 24/7 monitoring delivering actionable insights to keep the organisation secure.
“I have been using Outbound Solutions for a number of years now. The team are incredible. Highly professional and easy to deal with. Outbound Solutions always consider the needs of my organisation. I highly recommend the team.”
What is the Cyber Essentials scheme?
If your work has any crossover with the UK government, you’ve probably heard the words ‘Cyber Essentials’ mentioned at some point.
In 2014, the British government recognised the enormous risk posed by cyber attacks to organisations working with their departments as suppliers and partners.
They also recognised that the majority of these risks could be avoided by following a set of basic security measures. In response, they launched the Cyber Essentials scheme. This scheme ensures a standard level of cybersecurity across all of their suppliers.
That means even small businesses without IT teams dedicated to cyber security could be protected. The relevance of this certification is only growing. In the last few years SME (small and medium enterprises) have been the increasing target of crippling cyber attacks – many of which could have been prevented through Cyber Essentials compliance.
Which certification do you need?
The current scheme offers SMEs two certification standards to choose from:
The Cyber Essentials certification process is the first step to cyber security in the UK. It outlines the security controls organisations must have to protect their data.
Cyber Essentials Plus has the very same requirements as Cyber Essentials (you must have all five security controls in place) but differs in one crucial aspect.
While Cyber Essentials is self-assessed and relies on your word that your company is compliant, Cyber Essentials Plus also includes an independent assessment carried out by a licensed auditor.
After completing the self-assessment portion, an auditor will typically come to your location or, remotely access your network. They will manually check for issues and make sure your assessment was correct. This could include testing anti-malware software by sending emails, checking for outdated software on a device, or testing how files are accessed by different users.
If the certification body deems your technical controls are acceptable, you will be certified and earn a place on the government’s directory of Cyber Essentials Plus compliant organisations. The certification signifies that your company has implemented all the cybersecurity measures necessary to protect customer data.
Contact us for a limited Free Cyber Security Assessment
Enhance Your Security with Professional Cyber Security Assessments
We offer Cyber Security Assessments that identify potential risks, identify vulnerabilities, and address process improvements to strengthen your security in line with industry standards. The goal of protecting your business’s data and securing the infrastructure is to establish effective security practices that address critical business requirements.
Our tailor-made Cyber Security Assessment is designed to reduce security risks and improve compliance. Our cyber security experts are fully qualified and understand internal and external threats that face businesses.
FAQs
Explore answers to the most-asked questions about our services.
What is Cyber Essentials, and do we actually need it?
Cyber Essentials is the UK Government’s baseline cyber security standard, covering five technical controls: firewalls, patch management, malware protection, access control, and secure configuration. Certification demonstrates that your business has the fundamentals in place and can reduce your cyber risk by up to 98.5%. It’s also a requirement for many government contracts and increasingly expected by enterprise clients and insurers.
What's the difference between Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus?
Cyber Essentials is self-assessed — you complete a questionnaire confirming your controls are in place. Cyber Essentials Plus includes everything in the standard certification, plus an independent audit by one of our licensed assessors, including a penetration test and vulnerability scan. It provides greater assurance to your clients and partners because the certification is verified by a third party, not just self-declared.
How long does certification take?
We can deliver standard Cyber Essentials certification within 24 hours, with a guaranteed pass rate. Our platform includes smart checks that confirm you’re ready before submission, and our team provides step-by-step guidance throughout so there’s no uncertainty in the process.
What is CyberSmart Active Protect, and do I need it?
Active Protect is a lightweight agent installed on your devices that runs continuous security checks every 15 minutes. It’s particularly valuable for organisations with remote workers or staff using personal devices, where a point-in-time certification doesn’t tell the full story. It also allows you to distribute and track company security policies centrally. For businesses wanting to maintain Cyber Essentials compliance year-round rather than scrambling at renewal, it makes a significant practical difference.