Top 10 Mistakes Businesses Make with Cyber Essentials Certification

Cyber Essentials has become one of the most recognised security certifications for businesses operating in the UK. Backed by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), it sets a foundational standard for protecting against common cyber threats. Yet, despite its reputation for being accessible and clear, many businesses still make critical errors when pursuing or maintaining this certification.

Avoiding these mistakes isn’t just about getting a tick in the compliance box. It’s about improving real security outcomes, reducing the risk of breaches, and meeting broader regulatory and contractual obligations. Whether your organisation is aiming for its first successful application or going through annual renewal, knowing where most businesses go wrong can make all the difference.

Assuming Cyber Essentials Is Just a Paper Exercise

One of the biggest misconceptions is treating Cyber Essentials as a quick admin task. Businesses sometimes rush through the questionnaire without truly understanding what each control requires. As a result, responses may be inaccurate or misleading.

This approach undermines the value of the certification and puts the business at risk. It also jeopardises eligibility for frameworks that rely on certification, such as IASME Cyber Assurance, which expects a higher standard of compliance maturity.

To do it right, companies must ensure that:

All devices are properly secured and configured.
Staff are aware of what Cyber Essentials controls mean in practice.
The answers reflect actual implementation, not idealised intentions.

Neglecting Scope Definition

Scoping errors are a primary reason why many certifications are delayed or rejected. Cyber Essentials requires applicants to define the boundary of their network and explain which systems are in scope.

Many organisations mistakenly exclude systems that should be included—like remote users, cloud services, or Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) setups. If these components touch business data, they’re in scope.

Improper scoping also impacts compliance with GDPR and ISO 27001, which require full visibility and accountability across the organisation’s data environment. A strong scoping process is the foundation for meaningful security.

Using Unsupported or Unpatched Software

Cyber Essentials explicitly states that software must be:

Licensed and supported.
Kept up to date with security patches.

Despite this, many businesses continue to use unsupported versions of Windows, outdated applications, or legacy tools that can’t be patched. Not only does this fail Cyber Essentials, but it also leaves significant vulnerabilities unaddressed.

It’s a mistake that crosses over into compliance territory too. Under GDPR, using insecure software could be deemed a failure to apply appropriate technical controls—especially if a breach occurs.

Overlooking Mobile Devices and Remote Workers

With remote and hybrid work the norm for many businesses, overlooking mobile and remote devices is a common but serious mistake.

Laptops, smartphones, and tablets that connect to business systems must:

Have strong access controls.
Use encryption.
Be updated regularly.

Yet, in many cases, these endpoints are not properly managed. Without device control policies and visibility over who accesses what from where, businesses fall short not just on Cyber Essentials, but also on the broader expectations of UK Cyber Security and ISO 27001.

Poor Password Management

Cyber Essentials requires that passwords meet minimum security standards—length, complexity, and uniqueness. However, many businesses still:

Use default or weak passwords.
Share credentials informally.
Skip two-factor authentication where it’s available.

These habits expose organisations to credential stuffing, brute force attacks, and internal misuse. It also undermines the principles of access control required by frameworks like IASME Cyber Assurance.

Stronger policies, password managers, and user training are all part of the solution.

Inadequate Malware Protection

Antivirus alone doesn’t guarantee compliance. Cyber Essentials expects organisations to:

Use anti-malware tools that are centrally managed.
Apply real-time scanning.
Prevent unauthorised software installation.

A common mistake is to assume that a built-in antivirus is enough without verifying that it meets these criteria. Businesses also fail to check that malware protection is deployed across all devices, including those in home or satellite offices.

Cyber Essentials demands more than a checkbox. It requires verifiable, consistent protection across the estate.

Weak User Access Controls

Access should be based on what’s needed, not what’s convenient. Yet many organisations grant:

Admin rights to regular users.
Shared logins for critical systems.
Access to entire directories instead of specific folders.

Cyber Essentials asks whether access is granted on the basis of least privilege. This mirrors requirements under ISO 27001 and GDPR, where over-permissioned users are a known risk.

A mature access model includes role-based access control, account reviews, and revocation policies. If staff are accessing more than they should, certification, and security, are both at risk.

Failing to Address Cloud Services

Modern businesses rely on cloud platforms—email, storage, collaboration tools. A common mistake is assuming these services fall outside the scope of Cyber Essentials.

But if your cloud service contains business-critical data, it must meet the same controls:

Secure access.
Audit logs.
Up-to-date configurations.

This is particularly important for compliance with GDPR, which requires secure processing of personal data regardless of where it resides.

A cloud provider’s certification does not transfer automatically. Your business must ensure its own configuration and usage meets the standard.

Not Preparing for Cyber Essentials Plus

Businesses often pursue Cyber Essentials Plus without preparing properly. While Cyber Essentials is self-assessed, Cyber Essentials Plus involves an external auditor testing your environment.

Common causes of failure include:

Devices not updated.
Unencrypted laptops.
Misconfigured firewalls.
Open ports and unused services.

The requirements are the same as the basic certification, but now you have to prove it. Failing at this stage can set your organisation back, especially if it’s seeking to leverage Cyber Essentials Plus for tenders, contracts, or compliance with IASME Cyber Assurance.

No Internal Ownership or Leadership Buy-In

Perhaps the most dangerous mistake is treating certification as an IT-only responsibility. Cyber Essentials requires action across the organisation:

HR for onboarding and offboarding.
Finance for procurement decisions.
Senior leadership for strategy and policy support.

Without leadership buy-in, controls are inconsistently applied. Without internal ownership, certification becomes a yearly scramble instead of a continuous process.

UK Cyber Security initiatives highlight the importance of board-level engagement in cyber resilience. Frameworks like ISO 27001 and IASME Cyber Assurance also require visible leadership commitment.

The Broader Implications of Poor Certification Practice

Beyond the certificate itself, failing to meet Cyber Essentials properly can expose the business to real-world risk. According to the UK Government’s 2024 Cyber Security Breaches Survey:

59% of medium-sized businesses experienced a breach or attack.
31% identified an attack at least once a week.

This data shows that compliance isn’t optional, it’s essential. And doing it half-heartedly creates a false sense of security.

It also affects business relationships. Many customers and supply chain partners now view Cyber Essentials as a minimum standard. If certification is mishandled, confidence is lost.

Building a Stronger Approach to Certification

Avoiding these top 10 mistakes doesn’t just improve your chances of certification—it elevates your overall cyber posture. The key steps include:

Running internal audits before submission.
Keeping inventories of assets, software, and users.
Assigning clear responsibilities.
Documenting every control implementation.
Training staff continually.

These are all principles shared by IASME Cyber Assurance, GDPR, ISO 27001, and UK Cyber Security frameworks.

The goal isn’t just to pass an audit, it’s to build confidence that your organisation is secure, reliable, and prepared for threats.

Cyber Essentials certification, when done right, is more than a badge. It’s a signpost that your business takes cybersecurity seriously, understands its obligations, and values the trust of its customers, partners, and employees.

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