Cyber Essentials: Funded Program

What is the Cyber Essentials Funded Program?

Small organisations from specific sectors in the UK are being invited to take part in the Funded Cyber Essentials Programme.

All modern businesses face a threat from cyber attack but some organisations have a particularly increased risk. This might be because they hold sensitive information about the people that they work with, or they are perceived as an easy target by cyber criminals.

For those sectors most at risk, the NCSC is launching a Funded Cyber Essentials Programme. This scheme aims to provide vulnerable organisations with help to implement baseline security controls to prevent the most common types of cyber attack.

How does it work?

The programme will offer practical support from an Advisor to achieve Cyber Essentials Plus at no cost to the organisation. Please note, this does not include the cost of any additional software or hardware identified by the Advisor that is required to achieve Cyber Essential Plus.

Qualifying organisations will receive around 20 hours of remote support with an Advisor. This time will be spent identifying and implementing improvements that are right for the size and needs of the organisation and supporting them in implementing the 5 Cyber Essentials technical controls. This will be followed by a hands-on technical verification that the controls have been put in place. 

If it is not possible for the organisation to achieve Cyber Essentials Plus, the Advisor will help organisations implement as many of the technical controls as possible and give the organisation a clear list of the additional actions they need to undertake to become compliant. The scheme is designed to lead an organisation through the technical controls required to achieve Cyber Essentials certification, followed by the audit for Cyber Essentials Plus. No previous cyber security certification or experience is necessary.