Governance, risk & compliance
UK Cyber Essentials 2025
SecurityUK
UK government-backed Cyber Essentials certification scheme (Willow update, effective April 2025).
Covers five fundamental security controls required to guard against the most common cyber threats. Two certification levels: Cyber Essentials (self-assessment) and Cyber Essentials Plus (hands-on technical verification).
Required for UK government contracts involving personal data or ICT. Updated 2025 requirements include passwordless authentication options, enhanced vulnerability management timelines, and remote work security.
Official reference: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberessentials/overview
Assessment tiers & levels Lavawall supports
Lavawall assesses UK Cyber Essentials at every level below, so you can start where you are and step up as your program matures.
| Tier / level | What it covers | Builds on lower |
|---|---|---|
| Cyber Essentials | Self-assessment questionnaire verified by an accredited body. Demonstrates basic cyber hygiene. Entry-level certification. | — |
| Cyber Essentials Plus | Includes all Cyber Essentials requirements plus hands-on technical verification (vulnerability scanning, simulated phishing, configuration checks) by a qualified assessor. | Yes |
How Lavawall® helps you get to UK Cyber Essentials compliance
Most of UK Cyber Essentials comes down to technical controls you have to run and prove: keeping systems patched, hardening configuration, detecting breaches early, backing up what matters, controlling access, and keeping evidence that all of it actually happened. Lavawall® runs those controls across Windows, macOS, Linux, and Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace from one console, maps them to UK Cyber Essentials, and tracks your posture continuously instead of once a year at audit time.
- Assess your current state against UK Cyber Essentials in the Lavawall GRC module, with the questionnaire and control set built in.
- Remediate the gaps with the same platform — automated patching, configuration fixes, backups, and access review — not a separate project.
- Evidence everything with timestamped, exportable records auditors, insurers, and clients accept.
Related
Ready to tackle UK Cyber Essentials?
Assess, remediate, and stay audit-ready for UK Cyber Essentials — and every other framework you carry — from one Lavawall® console.
Lavawall® supports UK Cyber Essentials as part of a built-in catalogue of compliance frameworks. Framework requirements are summarized for planning purposes; always confirm the current official text before certifying.