Cyber Essentials
A UK government-backed certification scheme covering five baseline technical security controls: boundary firewalls, secure configuration, user access control, malware protection, and patch management.
How it works
Cyber Essentials is the security floor for UK enterprise procurement. It covers five technical controls and is verified through a self-assessment questionnaire reviewed by an accredited certification body. Cyber Essentials Plus extends the scheme with hands-on technical verification including external vulnerability scanning. For UK central government contracts handling sensitive personal data, Cyber Essentials is a mandatory minimum. For UK enterprise procurement in finance, healthcare, legal, and professional services, it is widely treated as a procurement floor below which a vendor will not be considered. Ayoob AI is Cyber Essentials accredited, and every system we ship aligns to the underlying controls regardless of whether the specific client requires the certification.
Related terms
ISO 27001
The international standard for information security management systems (ISMS), specifying a framework of policies, controls, risk assessment, and continuous improvement for protecting information assets.
Cyber Essentials Plus
The hands-on tested version of Cyber Essentials, requiring an independent assessor to verify the five technical controls through external vulnerability scanning and configuration audit rather than self-assessment alone.
CCS Framework (Crown Commercial Service)
UK government procurement frameworks operated by the Crown Commercial Service, including RM6200 (AI Dynamic Purchasing System) and RM6173 (Automation Marketplace), which allow public-sector buyers to direct-award without re-tender.
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