The Cyber Essentials scheme is a key deliverable of the UK’s National Cyber Security Programme. Realising that the controls in its 2012 guide, 10 Steps to Cyber Security, were not being implemented effectively, the government instigated a call for evidence on a preferred cyber security standard. In November 2013, it concluded that no individual standard met its specific requirements, so it developed the Cyber Essentials scheme.
Cyber Essentials (CE) is a government-backed cyber security certification scheme that sets out a baseline of cyber security suitable for all organisations. The scheme’s five security controls prevent ‘around 80% of cyber attacks’.