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Home › What is Cyber Essentials? › Readiness check
Free readiness check

Are you ready for Cyber Essentials?

Answer ten quick questions about your IT. It takes about three minutes, there's no sign-up, and you'll see what to work on and which of our services suits you.

Based on the NCSC Cyber Essentials requirements v3.3 (the Danzell question set, April 2026). Prefer paper? Download the PDF checklist.

1. ScopeDo you have a list of everything that holds or accesses your organisation's data?

Every laptop, desktop, phone, tablet and server, plus every cloud service (email, file storage, accounting, CRM, your domain registrar and so on). Personal devices used for work count too.

2. FirewallsIs a firewall switched on for every laptop and desktop, and has the default admin password on your router or firewall been changed?

Your internet router or boundary firewall, and the firewall built into each computer.

3. Secure configurationHave default passwords been changed, and unused accounts and software removed?

Includes printers, routers, Wi-Fi access points and any software you no longer use.

4. Device lockingDo all devices lock automatically and need a PIN, password or biometric to unlock?

Phones and tablets as well as computers, with protection against repeated wrong guesses.

5. Supported softwareIs every operating system and application still supported and receiving security updates?

Older versions of Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Office and other software often fall out of support.

6. Security updatesAre high-risk and critical security updates installed within 14 days of release?

Ideally updates install automatically. Fourteen days is the maximum; we recommend much faster.

7. User accountsDoes everyone have their own account, with admin accounts kept separate and used only for admin tasks?

No shared logins, and day-to-day work (email, browsing) done from a standard account.

8. Joiners and leaversDo you have a process for setting up and removing accounts when people join or leave?

Including access to cloud services and shared mailboxes.

9. Multi-factor authenticationIs MFA turned on for every cloud service that offers it, for every user?

Not just admins and not just Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace: every cloud service that offers MFA.

10. Malware protectionIs anti-malware switched on and up to date on every device, or are only approved applications allowed to run?

Protection built into your operating system counts if it's switched on and updating.

This is a self-check guide, not an assessment. Your answers stay in your browser; nothing is sent to us. The full requirements are in the NCSC's Cyber Essentials guidance.

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Want a second opinion?

Book a free scoping call and an assessor will help you work out what's in scope and what to do next.

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Call or email the team0333 339 0383team@getcybercertified.co.uk