Certified Cyber Advisor: Expert Guidance on Cyber Security

With cyber attacks affecting industries from education to retail across the UK, it’s more important than ever to strengthen your organisation’s cyber defences. Many organisations, particularly those without in-house expertise, struggle to know where to start. That’s where the Cyber Advisor Scheme can help.

What is the Cyber Advisor scheme?

The Cyber Advisor scheme, developed by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in partnership with IASME, is the UK’s official cyber security assurance programme.

Its goal is to make trusted, hands-on cyber support accessible to a wider range of organisations. Cyber Advisor services are designed to help you implement meaningful protection against the most common cyber threats.

Cyber Advisors help organisations implement the five technical controls required for Cyber Essentials, the UK Government's recommended baseline standard for cyber security:

• Firewalls
• Secure configuration
• User access control
• Malware protection
• Security update management

What Does a Cyber Advisor Actually Do?

A Cyber Advisor works closely with your organisation to:

• Review your current setup and offer recommendations

• Empower and guide in cybersecurity

• Plan and guide technical changes to align with Cyber Essentials

• Provide practical hands-on support and impartial, cost-effective solutions

• Offer clear, practical explanations on what recommendations have been implemented and why

• Help prepare for Cyber Essentials certification, or simply improve your defences, even if certification isn’t your end goal

Cyber Advisors are independently assessed and only operate through approved NCSC Assured Service Providers, such as Grant McGregor. This means that the advice you receive meets the standard set out by the National Cyber Security Centre.

Who is it for?

The Cyber Advisor scheme was developed to make expert, hands-on cyber security support more accessible, particularly for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that may not have in-house cyber security expertise. However, it is equally valuable for:

• Public sector organisations
• Charities
• Supply chain partners
• Enterprise departments looking to align with national standards.
  

Recent attacks have shown that no organisation is too big or too small to be targeted.

• Marks & Spencer lost access to its online services following a third-party breach
• West Lothian Council suffered a ransomware attack and data breach across its education network
  
  

Both of these incidents involved weaknesses that Cyber Essentials is specifically designed to address, ranging from access control to system patching and phishing protection.

What We Offer as Your Cyber Advisor

As an NCSC-approved Cyber Advisor and Assured Service Provider, Grant McGregor offers:

• Assessment: a full review of your current systems and vulnerabilities
• Implementation: We help apply the Cyber Essentials technical controls to your business.
• Clear guidance through Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus certification
• User training, including phishing simulations and practical advice for your staff
• Ongoing support through our People-Centric and Enhanced Security Services to protect your organisation in the long term

Why This Matters Now

• 7.7 million cyber crimes affected UK organisations last year
• Nearly 50% of all UK businesses were affected
• However, only 4% are fully prepared to defend against complex cyber threats
• Organisations with Cyber Essentials make 92% fewer cyber insurance claims
• 88% report better awareness of cyber risk
• 69% say it has improved their competitiveness in the market
• Organisations with Cyber Essentials are 92% less likely to make an insurance claim due to a cyber incident

A Quick Note on Cyber Essentials

Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed certification scheme designed to help organisations of all sizes defend themselves against common online threats, such as phishing, malware and unauthorised access.

Achieving certification demonstrates that your organisation is following security best practices and protecting customer and business data.

It’s also:

• Aligned with legal and regulatory expectations
• Often required for public sector and supply chain contracts
• A signal of trust to clients and partners
• For UK organisations with a turnover of under £20m, certification automatically includes cyber liability insurance.

You don’t need to aim for certification to benefit from Cyber Advisor support, but if you do, we can guide you through the process.

Let’s Strengthen Your Cyber Resilience

If you’re unsure whether your organisation is protected, or if you’re looking to achieve Cyber Essentials certification, our certified Cyber Advisors can help.

Whether you need quick wins or long-term support, we’ll make the process clear, practical and tailored to your needs.

Speak to a Cyber Advisor

Call us: 0808 164 4142 

Message us: https://www.grantmcgregor.co.uk/contact-us