# Overview

Cyber Essentials is a cybersecurity certification scheme backed by the UK government designed to help organisations protect themselves against common cybersecurity threats. It provides a set of baseline controls to help mitigate the risk of a cyber attack.

Being Cyber Essentials certified is often a requirement to take government contracts and other various business opportunities.

There are two levels offered:

* **Cyber Essentials**: Requires the completion of a self-assessment questionnaire based on the set out controls.
* **Cyber Essentials Plus**: In addition to the self-assessment questionnaire, requires an external audit[^1] to be completed.

[^1]: An official inspection of an organisation's accounts, typically by an independent body.