Cyber Security | Windsor & Berkshire
Cyber Essentials Certification in Windsor
We get Windsor businesses through Cyber Essentials certification and Plus. We check your IT against the five controls, fix the gaps and handle the submission, and an external certification body marks it.
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What is Cyber Essentials?
A Government-Backed Standard for Stronger Business Security
Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed certification showing your business has five technical controls in place, which can prevent around 80% of common cyber attacks. Certificates last 12 months, and Cyber Essentials Plus adds a hands-on technical audit of your devices.
At Windsor IT Support, we handle every stage from first review to submission. We find what would fail, fix it and help you write answers that match how your setup really works.
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Key areas covered
The Five Core Controls of Cyber Essentials
The scheme centres on five technical controls. Our gap review checks each one on everything in scope.
Firewalls and internet gateways
Firewalls set to block unwanted inbound traffic on every device.
Secure configuration
Default passwords and unused software removed before you apply.
User access control
MFA switched on and admin rights removed from everyday accounts.
Malware protection
Anti-malware on every device in scope, kept active and current.
Security update management
Critical and high-risk updates applied within 14 days of release.
Why it matters in Windsor
Keep Your Windsor Business Tendering
Around Windsor, the request usually comes from buyers: councils, NHS trusts, schools and larger companies around Slough, Heathrow and the M4. Public tenders list it as a requirement, and larger clients send questionnaires asking for a current certificate.
Cyber Essentials helps you:
- Bid for council, NHS and public tenders
- Answer supplier questionnaires from larger clients
- Prove your laptops meet the same controls
- Satisfy a funder or first enterprise client
- Keep the evidence procurement teams expect
Steps
Get Certified in Four Simple Steps
A clear route to Cyber Essentials, with the gap review done before you apply rather than after you fail.
Scoping session
We agree which offices, devices and cloud services are in scope, and the level you need.
Gap review and remediation
We test your setup against the five controls, give you a fix list and work through it with you or your IT team.
Self-assessment submitted
We complete the submission with you for the external certification body to mark.
Certified all year
We keep patching, MFA and admin rights in line through the year and start renewal before expiry.
Certification level
Choose Your Cyber Essentials Certification Level
Pick the level of assurance that matches your business, your customers and the contracts you want to win.
What is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is the UK government-backed certification confirming that your organisation has the core controls needed to fend off common cyber threats.
It is completed through a structured online self-assessment, which is then checked independently by an accredited certification body.
The five controls covered
- Firewalls and secure internet gateways
- Secure configuration
- User access control
- Malware protection
- Security update management
What is Cyber Essentials Plus?
Cyber Essentials Plus includes everything in the standard certification and adds a hands-on technical audit to confirm your controls actually work in practice.
It suits organisations that need extra assurance for larger contracts, supply chains or regulated sectors.
The Plus audit checks areas such as:
- Patch levels and known vulnerabilities
- How well malware protection performs
- Device configuration and hardening
- User account and access controls
- Security of internet-facing systems
Frequently asked questions
Common Questions About Cyber Essentials
What is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed certification showing your business has five technical controls in place to guard against the most common cyber attacks.
How long does a certificate last?
A certificate lasts 12 months, at the basic level and at Plus. To stay certified you renew yearly.
How long does marking take once we have submitted?
Submitted assessments are usually marked within 48 hours, not counting weekends or bank holidays, though this can vary with how many assessments are in the queue. If you need your certificate by a set date, such as a tender deadline, start early so there is time to complete, submit, be marked, fix any issues and resubmit.
Do personal devices count for Cyber Essentials?
Yes. A personal phone, tablet or laptop that opens work email or company data is in scope and must meet the controls.
How is Cyber Essentials Plus different from basic Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a self-assessment that a certification body marks. Cyber Essentials Plus covers the same five controls and adds a hands-on technical audit, where an assessor tests a sample of your devices and accounts.
Why do Windsor businesses get asked for Cyber Essentials certification?
Public sector buyers and many larger companies ask suppliers for Cyber Essentials before they sign a contract. Plenty of Windsor firms supply councils, schools, the NHS or larger companies around Slough and Heathrow, so the certificate can decide whether you can bid.
What are common reasons for failing Cyber Essentials?
Common causes are unsupported operating systems or apps, critical updates left longer than 14 days, cloud accounts without multi-factor authentication, and staff working with admin rights day to day. Personal phones that open work email can also bring extra devices into scope. Our gap review finds these issues before you submit, gives you a written fix list and works through it with you, so nothing fails on the day.
Can you work with our IT provider?
Yes. We can share the fix list with them or make the changes ourselves.
Do our Macs need extra anti-malware software?
Yes. Apple's built-in protection does not meet the Cyber Essentials standard, so we install extra software.
What happens when we need to renew?
We track your 12-month expiry and start the renewal review early, so a lapsed certificate never holds up a bid.
Who issues the certificate?
An external certification body marks the self-assessment and issues the certificate. A certified Cyber Essentials assessor runs the Plus audit, and we handle your preparation.
Get in touch
Ready to Prepare for Cyber Essentials in Windsor?
Tell us how close you are to the five controls and which contracts you are chasing, and we will tell you what needs fixing first. Call 01753 255436, email hello@windsoritsupport.co.uk or send us a message and an engineer will get back to you.
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