Cyber Essentials, the UK Government’s flagship cybersecurity certification scheme, has become a vital part of doing business in today’s digital-first economy. As of July 2025, new updates to the Cyber Essentials framework have taken effect, making the scheme more robust, more relevant to modern threats, and more important than ever for organisations of all sizes.
Whether you’re an SME bidding for UK Government contracts, a fast-growing SaaS provider, or simply want to demonstrate commitment to data protection and cyber resilience, Cyber Essentials is your starting point.
In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about Cyber Essentials in 2025, including recent updates, benefits, and how to get certified through CyberCompliance.org.uk, one of the UK’s most trusted certification bodies.
What Is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a UK Government-backed certification scheme developed by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and administered by IASME Consortium. It sets out five essential technical controls designed to protect organisations against the most common cyber threats.
These include:
- Firewalls and internet boundary controls
- Secure configuration of devices and systems
- Access control and user permissions
- Malware protection, including anti-virus and application control
- Patch management, ensuring timely updates to systems and software
Organisations that successfully implement and demonstrate these controls receive a Cyber Essentials certificate, valid for 12 months.
What’s New in the July 2025 Cyber Essentials Update (v3.2)?
As of April 2025, version 3.2 of the Cyber Essentials requirements came into effect, with mandatory compliance expected by July 2025. Some of the most important changes include:
1. Expanded Device Coverage
The new guidance clarifies that all internet-connected end-user devices (including macOS Sonoma/Sequoia, Windows 11 24H1, iOS/iPadOS 17+, and Android 14+) must be in scope for assessment—even when used remotely or under BYOD arrangements.
2. Tighter Patching Requirements
Patches must now be applied within 14 days, not just for critical vulnerabilities but also for 'high' severity CVEs that are remotely exploitable or under active exploitation, even if no PoC exists.
3. Updated Password and MFA Guidance
Version 3.2 reinforces the need for multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all remote access systems and cloud services. The use of default credentials is strictly prohibited, and password complexity must meet modern best practices.
4. More Rigor Around Asset and Software Management
Organisations must maintain a complete asset register, including all in-scope devices, OS versions, and installed applications. Unsupported software or operating systems (e.g., Windows Server 2012 R2, older Android builds) immediately lead to a failure unless removed or isolated.
5. Clarifications on Thin Clients and Virtualised Systems
Virtual desktops, thin clients, and cloud-hosted workstations (e.g., Azure Virtual Desktop) are in scope. Organisations using shared or pooled environments must demonstrate effective isolation and secure management.
What Is Cyber Essentials Plus?
Cyber Essentials Plus (CE+) builds on the core Cyber Essentials certification by including a technical audit. A qualified assessor performs hands-on verification through:
- External vulnerability scans
- Internal scans and configuration reviews on a sample of live end-user devices
- MFA and anti-malware effectiveness checks
- Email filtering tests with simulated benign malicious attachments
This rigorous assessment ensures that what was self-declared in the basic Cyber Essentials is actually enforced in practice.
Cyber Essentials Plus is increasingly required by public sector contracts, MOD frameworks, and ISO 27001-aligned organisations seeking stronger assurance levels.
Why Cyber Essentials Matters More Than Ever in 2025
With supply chain attacks, AI-driven phishing campaigns, and ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) on the rise, no organisation can afford to be complacent. Cyber Essentials is not just a badge—it’s a strategic risk management tool.
Benefits of achieving Cyber Essentials or CE+ include:
- Customer confidence: Demonstrate you take cybersecurity seriously
- Contract eligibility: Required for many UK Government and defence suppliers
- Insurance coverage: Often a prerequisite for cyber insurance policies
- Competitive advantage: Stand out in tenders, procurement, and due diligence
- Risk reduction: Proven to prevent up to 80% of common cyber attacks
For startups, charities, schools, and SMEs, Cyber Essentials provides a clear, affordable pathway to improve security posture without hiring a full-time security team.
How to Get Certified with CyberCompliance.org.uk
As an accredited certification body, CyberCompliance.org.uk (part of NeedSec Limited) makes the certification process simple, fast, and fully supported. We offer:
- Same-day account setup and guidance for completing your assessment
- Expert assessors to support you throughout the process
- Flat-rate pricing with no hidden fees
- Bundle discounts for CE + CE Plus
- Penetration testing services for organisations needing deeper assurance
Whether you need a basic Cyber Essentials certificate or a full Cyber Essentials Plus audit with penetration testing and attestation letters, we can help.
Don’t Wait — Get Certified Today
Cyber attacks are evolving. So is Cyber Essentials.
Stay ahead of compliance requirements, protect your business, and win customer trust by getting Cyber Essentials certified in 2025. We're here to support you every step of the way.
Contact our team today to get started:
📧 info@cybercompliance.org.uk
🌐 https://cybercompliance.org.uk