NCSC Strengthens UK Cyber Resilience Through Cyber Advisor Scheme

Become a Cyber Advisor consultant and provide hands-on security advice tailored for SMEs

”Every organisation, no matter how large or small, needs to take steps to minimise their risks of a cyber incident. And any business that thinks they’re exempt from cyber risks should think again.” - Richard Horne, NCSC’s CEO - CYBERUK 2025.

That was the clear message from Richard Horne, the NCSC’s CEO at last month’s CYBERUK.

However, it’s hard for small businesses to find hands-on cyber security help that’s right for them. This is why the NCSC created the Cyber Advisor scheme, a new consultancy service to help SMEs achieve a baseline level of cyber security, as set out by Cyber Essentials.

Since its launch, Cyber Advisor has grown steadily, achieving the milestone figure of 100 Advisors after just 16 months. But this growth is not fast enough.

There are 5.5 million small businesses in the UK. We want expert security advice to be available locally for every one of them, which means we need more individuals and companies to become Cyber Advisors.

The assessment to become a Cyber Advisor emphasises skills that aren’t often tested elsewhere; knowledge of Cyber Essentials, competence in designing security solutions for SMEs, and the ability to talk to SMEs about cyber security in plain English. While this makes a challenging assessment, certified Cyber Advisors will have a clear advantage over competitors (having demonstrated they provide cyber security advice to an NCSC-approved standard).

If you think you have what it takes, you can book a Cyber Advisor Exam with the NCSC assessment provider. There are locations available throughout the UK. You can also access supporting material, including additional advice and guidance for candidates keen to sit the exam.

The efficacy of the scheme speaks for itself. Of around 100 customers surveyed, 95% said they would rate their Advisor’s knowledge as ‘Excellent’, and 99% said their Advisor ‘recommended solutions that fitted their business requirements’.

If you’re an SME looking for cyber support, please visit our website for details of a Cyber Advisor near you, or find out more about the other NCSC services and tools that can help you guard against commodity threats.