Cyber Essentials readiness.Know your gaps first.
Twelve questions across the five technical controls. Answer honestly. You get a readiness score and a fix list before you pay for an assessment.
Firewalls
Is a firewall switched on for every computer and router that connects to the internet?Windows and macOS have one built in. Your router has one too.
Have you changed the default admin password on your router?The one printed on the sticker counts as a default.
Is your router's admin page blocked from the internet?Or protected by MFA, or limited to a short list of addresses.
Secure configuration
Have you removed apps and accounts you no longer use?Including old staff accounts and trial software.
Do devices need a PIN, password or fingerprint to unlock?And lock themselves after a few minutes.
Is auto-run turned off on every computer?So files don't open by themselves from USB sticks.
Security update management
Is every system and app still supported by its maker?Unsupported software gets no security fixes.
Do you install critical and high-risk updates within 14 days?Turning on automatic updates is the easy way.
User access control
Does everyone have their own account, with no shared logins?Shared logins make it impossible to remove one person's access.
Is multi-factor authentication on for every cloud service?Email, accounting, file storage, everything.
Do admins use a separate account for admin work only?Not for email or browsing the web.
Malware protection
Does every device have anti-malware on, or only allow approved apps?Microsoft Defender and XProtect count.