Cybersecurity Accreditations
Gaining an accreditation is not just about obtaining a certificate. It provides an opportunity to review your cybersecurity, address weaknesses, and implement stronger defences with expert guidance.
Demonstrate Your Commitment to Cybersecurity
In today’s digital environment, customers, suppliers and partners expect the organisations they work with to take data protection seriously. Obtaining recognised cybersecurity accreditations shows that your business is not only aware of cyber risks but is actively taking the right steps to mitigate them.
Cybersecurity accreditations help your business:
- Prove your security credentials to clients, suppliers and regulators
- Identify and fix vulnerabilities in your network and processes
- Improve your internal security posture through a formal assessment
- Qualify for certain contracts, including government tenders that require certification
What Is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a government-backed cybersecurity certification created by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). It provides a clear and practical framework of security controls that every UK organisation should follow to guard against the most common cyber threats.
Cyber Essentials certification focuses on essential protections such as secure device configuration, controlled access, patch management and malware defence, making it an effective baseline for improving your cyber resilience.
By achieving Cyber Essentials, your organisation demonstrates that it takes cybersecurity seriously and has the correct safeguards in place to protect data and systems.
Carden IT Services is fully certified under the scheme and supports businesses through the entire assessment process, helping them meet each requirement with confidence and prepare for both the standard and Plus levels of certification.
Why Cyber Essentials Matters
Cyber Essentials provides reassurance that your business has taken the basic steps necessary to protect itself against cybercrime. The certification demonstrates to clients and partners that you manage data responsibly and are aligned with national security best practices.
Many businesses use Cyber Essentials to:
- Strengthen customer trust and demonstrate good governance
- Qualify for UK government and local authority contracts
- Reduce the likelihood of common cyber attacks
- Lower cyber insurance premiums
- Meet compliance requirements such as Lexcel V6.1, which now incorporates Cyber Essentials
Cyber Essentials (Self-Certified)
- 1. Firewalls and Internet Gateways – Protecting your network from unauthorised access.
- 2. Secure Configuration – Ensuring that your devices and software are configured for maximum security.
- 3. Access Control – Managing user privileges to restrict access to sensitive data.
- 4. Malware Protection – Installing and maintaining effective antivirus and anti-ransomware defences.
- 5. Patch Management – Keeping all devices and applications up to date with the latest security patches.
Achieving the basic Cyber Essentials certification demonstrates that your organisation has implemented these controls and understands how to maintain them.
Cyber Essentials Plus (Third-Party Audited)
Cyber Essentials Plus includes everything in the standard certification, but with an independent audit performed by an accredited assessor. This audit verifies that your organisation’s systems are configured and operating according to Cyber Essentials requirements.
During the assessment, the auditor will:
- Conduct internal and external vulnerability scans
- Test device configurations, firewalls, and patching
- Evaluate how malware protection and access control are managed
- Review your organisation’s response to simulated cyber incidents
Cyber Essentials Plus offers a higher level of assurance to your stakeholders and is increasingly required for public sector and regulated industry contracts.
Which Businesses Need Cyber Essentials Certification?
Cyber Essentials is suitable for organisations of all sizes, across every industry. However, it is mandatory for:
- Any business bidding for UK government contracts that handle sensitive or personal data
- Law firms accredited under Lexcel V6.1
- Suppliers handling data under MOD, Civil Service, or NHS frameworks
It is also strongly recommended for:
- Businesses that store customer or financial data
- Managed service providers and IT companies
- Any organisation that wants to publicly demonstrate strong security governance
Our Certification Process
Cyber Essentials Plus includes everything in the standard certification, but with an independent audit performed by an accredited assessor. This audit verifies that your organisation’s systems are configured and operating according to Cyber Essentials requirements.
During the assessment, the auditor will:
Pre-Assessment Audit
Remediation and Hardening
Guided Questionnaire Completion
Submission and Certification
Ongoing Support
Benefits of Working with Carden IT Services
- Expert guidance from a Cyber Essentials accredited provider
- Fast-track assessment and remediation
- Integration with our managed cyber-defence services
- Support for both Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus
