Achieving genuine cyber confidence is now about more than ticking boxes for compliance. Businesses need robust and continuously enforced controls to combat evolving cyber risks and satisfy both regulators and customers. At EJN Labs, we take security, and our customers’ trust, seriously, which is why we are proud to demonstrate our achievement of the Cyber Essentials certification. Here is how we did it, why it matters, and what it means for your security.

What is Cyber Essentials?

Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed certification scheme designed to help organisations protect themselves against a wide variety of common cyber threats. Its goal is not just to satisfy compliance needs, but to establish the most essential controls, the ones that directly prevent most attacks seen in the wild.

The scheme focuses on five key technical control areas:

• Firewalls and Internet Gateways
• Secure Configuration
• User Access Control
• Malware Protection
• Security Update Management

By embedding these into your business, you defend against 80% of the most common cyber-attacks, from opportunistic ransomware to credential stuffing.

The Five Pillars of Cyber Essentials

Let us break down what these controls look like in practice and how they can transform security from a yearly checklist into a living defence layer.

1. Firewalls and Internet Gateways

Every network needs a boundary. Firewalls, whether hardware, software or cloud-based, act as your first line of defence, only allowing legitimate connections to your organisation’s systems. Cyber Essentials requires strict controls to:

• Only permit approved inbound and outbound connections,
• Block unused ports,
• Ensure firewall configurations match the latest threat intelligence.

2. Secure Configuration

Most breaches begin with misconfiguration or unchanged default settings. Secure configuration means going beyond installation and ensuring:

• Unnecessary software, plugins and accounts are removed or disabled,
• Default passwords and credentials are changed,
• Security settings across devices and applications are optimised.

This reduces your attack surface and prevents attackers from exploiting neglected vulnerabilities.

3. User Access Control

Limiting access reduces insider risk and the chance of leaked credentials being misused. Cyber Essentials demands that organisations:

• Enforce least privilege, ensuring users have only the access they require,
• Limit admin rights to as few people as possible,
• Regularly review user accounts and swiftly remove dormant or unauthorised ones.

4. Malware Protection

Malware, including ransomware and spyware, remains a leading threat. Certification requires:

• Up-to-date anti-malware solutions on all endpoints,
• Controls on what files can be executed,
• Filtering of potentially malicious attachments and scripts.

5. Security Update Management

Attackers move fast, but so do software vendors. Applying patches rapidly is the lowest-effort, highest-impact control most organisations can implement. Cyber Essentials insists on:

• Timely installation of critical security updates (usually within 14 days of release),
• Inventory management to ensure no device or software is missed,
• Documentation of patch status to support audits and incident investigations.

How We Achieved Cyber Essentials at EJN Labs

EJN Labs’ approach to certification mirrors how we deliver for our clients: methodical, transparent and aligned to best practices. The process began with a readiness review, identifying where we met Cyber Essentials requirements and where we could improve.

Key steps on our certification journey:

1. Initial Gap Assessment
   We benchmarked every control area across our physical, cloud and remote environments. Security policies and technical procedures were mapped to Cyber Essentials standards, ensuring nothing was left to chance.
2. Remediation and Process Enhancement
   Any identified gaps, such as needing to adjust our patch deployment windows or further restrict admin access, were addressed. This involved collaboration between technical teams and leadership, making sure improvements were realistic to maintain.
3. Technical Audit and Evidence Gathering
   Our controls were tested in practice, not just on paper. Firewall rules were reviewed, admin-only functions tested, patch timing recorded and anti-malware logs inspected. Comprehensive evidence was compiled to demonstrate compliance for each aspect.
4. Certification Submission and Verification
   Our evidence and self-assessment were submitted through the Cyber Essentials portal and independently verified. You can view our live status and verified controls on the official BlockMark Registry: EJN Labs BlockMark Certificate.

What Was Verified?

On the BlockMark page you can view the list of services and systems that have met Cyber Essentials requirements, including:

• Networking infrastructure
• Cloud and local endpoint protection
• Secure configuration standards
• Patch management procedures
• User access controls and privileged account review
• Detailed evidence supporting each area

Why Certification Is About Much More Than a Badge

Some organisations treat Cyber Essentials as “tick-box compliance.” At EJN Labs, it is foundational to our daily approach. Here is why that matters:

• Customer Trust: Earning and maintaining this certification signals to customers and partners that you prioritise their data and your own resilience.
• Reduced Risk: By operationalising controls, you shrink the window for attackers to exploit basic flaws, which account for the vast majority of breaches.
• Regulatory Alignment: Many suppliers now require Cyber Essentials as a minimum to bid for contracts, especially in sectors like government, critical infrastructure, and finance.
• Business Resilience: When controls are systematised, your business can adapt to incidents faster and recover more smoothly, spending less time firefighting and more time growing.
• Continuous Improvement: The annual renewal process encourages regular review, embedding security culture at every level.

What It Means for Our Clients

EJN Labs does not just talk security—our own systems and processes are tested, certified and continuously improved. This brings both tangible and intangible benefits to our clients:

• Assurance that engagements with us are protected by the same robust controls we advise for others
• Expert guidance grounded in real-world experience securing our own environment
• Accelerated client certification as we can help you interpret requirements, close gaps, and prepare evidence just as we did internally

If you are looking for a partner with hands-on compliance expertise, our team is ready to help you navigate the complexities of not only Cyber Essentials, but also advanced standards like Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, and beyond.

Ready to Level Up Your Security?

Whether you are aiming for your first Cyber Essentials certification or want to advance to Cyber Essentials Plus or ISO 27001, EJN Labs brings precision, speed and experience to your journey.

We offer:

• Penetration testing
• AI-enabled security testing and reporting
• Policy and remediation planning based on proven operational success
• Ongoing support for compliance renewals and evidence gathering

Discover how we can support your next steps towards measurable, operational security. Get in touch via our contact page or explore our full range of services, including Red Teaming, Purple Teaming, AI Penetration Testing and API Security Assessments.

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Looking to learn more about the Cyber Essentials scheme and other compliance frameworks? Check out the latest articles in our resource centre or follow EJN Labs on LinkedIn for regular updates.

With EJN Labs, you are choosing not just a service provider, but a security partner living the same high standards we recommend to our clients. Let us help you turn certification into confidence, and policies into practice.