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    Cyber Essentials

    Cyber Essentials Checklist for Small Business

    Cyber Essentials is the UK government-backed scheme covering five basic technical controls: firewalls, secure configuration, user access control, malware protection and security update management. This free checklist from CyberSafe Coach+ walks a small business through all five in plain English, with no IT manager required, and gives you a readiness score and a prioritised list of fixes.

    5–10 minutes • No technical knowledge required

    What are the five Cyber Essentials controls?

    • Firewalls and routers on every device used for work
    • Secure configuration of laptops, phones and cloud apps
    • User access control, strong passwords and 2-factor sign-in
    • Malware protection on Windows, macOS, iOS and Android
    • Software updates within 14 days of release

    Each item is asked as a single plain-English question, no jargon, no guessing what the auditor wants to hear. If a control doesn't apply to your business we'll tell you and skip it.

    How it works

    1. 1

      Run the free safety check

      A 5-minute, plain-English questionnaire, no IT manager needed.

    2. 2

      Get your readiness score

      See which Cyber Essentials controls you already meet and which need work.

    3. 3

      Work through the fix list

      Tick off small, guided actions at your own pace, evidence captured as you go.

    Can a small business get Cyber Essentials without an IT team?

    Built for owner-operators, office managers and trustees of small UK businesses who've been asked about Cyber Essentials by a customer, funder or insurer, and don't have an in-house IT team to lean on.

    If you'd prefer to start with a wider compliance picture (Cyber Essentials, DSPT, ISO and GDPR side-by-side), use our Compliance Readiness assessment instead.

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