Cyber Essentials Made Simple: Understanding the Process

Cyber Essentials Made Simple: Understanding the Process, the Benefits, and Who’s Really Behind Your Assessment

Cyber Essentials has been helping UK organisations strengthen their defences for over a decade, protecting against the majority of common cyber attacks and supporting businesses in building trust with customers and suppliers.

If you’ve applied for certification through IASME, you might not know who actually carried out your assessment. That’s because IASME uses a pooled system where assessments are allocated among trusted certification bodies.

In this blog, we’ll explain how the scheme works, why it matters, and how choosing the right certification body can make your journey smoother and more valuable.

What is Cyber Essentials?

Cyber Essentials is a government-backed certification scheme that helps organisations of all sizes protect against the most common online threats.

It focuses on five key technical controls that block up to 98% of common cyber attacks. These include secure configuration, access control, malware protection, patch management, and boundary firewalls.

By implementing these controls, you’re not just gaining a certificate. You’re demonstrating that your organisation takes cybersecurity seriously, building trust with customers, partners, and suppliers alike.

How the IASME Pooling System Works

When you apply for Cyber Essentials through IASME, your application is assigned to a shared pool of approved certification bodies.

Each certification body is qualified to deliver the assessment to the same standard, but applicants often don’t know which organisation will handle their submission until after the process begins.

For some, that’s fine. For others, it can make the experience feel less personal and more transactional.

That’s where working directly with a certification body can make a difference.

The Benefits of Working Directly with a Certification Body

Partnering directly with a certification body like Secarma means you’ll always know who’s handling your assessment and how to reach them.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Dedicated assessor support: You’ll have a named assessor guiding you through the process, not just marking your answers.
• Same pricing as IASME: No hidden costs or extra steps.
• Access to our secure online portal: Track your progress, ask questions, and upload evidence all in one place.
• Seamless upgrade to Cyber Essentials Plus: Complete both certifications in one go if you’re ready to take the next step.
• High pass rate: Our expert-led approach has helped hundreds of businesses achieve certification smoothly and confidently.

Cyber Essentials for Small Businesses

You don’t need to be a large organisation to take cybersecurity seriously. For SMEs, Cyber Essentials offers a cost-effective and achievable way to meet customer expectations and demonstrate good cyber hygiene.

Our assessors specialise in helping smaller teams navigate the process efficiently, removing jargon and making certification as straightforward as possible.

Certification That Builds Trust

Beyond compliance, Cyber Essentials is now a key indicator of supplier credibility. Many procurement frameworks, particularly within the public sector, require it as a baseline.

For customers, partners, and stakeholders, the certification is more than a badge. It’s a promise that your business operates securely and responsibly.

Ready to Get Certified?

If you’re ready to make Cyber Essentials simple, supported, and stress-free, our team of IASME-approved assessors are here to help.

We offer the same pricing as IASME, with added support, direct access to your assessor, and our own secure portal to make the process smooth from start to finish.

👉 Learn more and start your certification today: Cyber Essentials Certification Made Simple