Firewalls
UK Cyber Essentials · Employee Security Awareness
Information Security Awareness Training for
Information Security Awareness Training for
UK Cyber Essentials
Build Employee Security Awareness That Supports Cyber Essentials
SucceedLEARN’s Information Security Awareness Training for UK Cyber Essentials provides practical employee awareness around the security behaviors most relevant to the Cyber Essentials control environment.
Through focused learning on account security, malware, remote working and other supporting cyber-risk topics, employees gain practical knowledge that can complement the organization's wider Cyber Essentials programme.
Five Technical Controls
Why Security Awareness Matters for Cyber Essentials
Cyber Essentials is built around five technical controls designed to reduce an organization's exposure to common cyber-attacks:
Secure Configuration
Security Update Management
User Access Control
Malware Protection
The National Cyber Security Centre states that organizations applying for Cyber Essentials are responsible for ensuring that the requirements across all five controls are met within the defined scope.
These controls are technical in nature, but employees interact with many of them every day.
- Employees use organizational accounts.
- They authenticate into cloud applications.
- They work on laptops and mobile devices.
- They respond to update prompts.
- They access systems remotely.
- They download files and applications.
And their behavior can either support or weaken the security practices an organization has implemented.
Employee security awareness can therefore help reinforce the secure behaviours surrounding Cyber Essentials technical controls.
Learning Outcomes
What Will Employees Learn?
Through the training, employees can build practical awareness around security behaviours relevant to the Cyber Essentials environment.
Learners will be equipped to:
- Protect organizational accounts and authentication credentials.
- Understand the importance of appropriate access and authentication practices.
- Recognize malware and potentially unsafe downloads, links, or files.
- Understand why software and security updates should not be ignored.
- Recognize risks associated with devices and applications.
- Work more securely when accessing organizational systems remotely.
- Understand the security considerations associated with cloud services and remote access.
- Recognize suspicious activity that may affect organizational systems or devices.
- Follow organizational security procedures when using company technology.
- Report potential security concerns through appropriate internal channels.
The aim is not to make employees responsible for implementing Cyber Essentials technical controls. It is to help them understand the secure behaviours that complement those controls.
Relevant Modules
Security Awareness Modules Relevant to Cyber Essentials
Focused Employee Awareness Around Key Cyber Essentials Controls
Account Security
Support Secure User Access
User Access Control is one of the five Cyber Essentials technical controls.
The Account Security module helps employees understand secure authentication and the importance of protecting organisational accounts and credentials.
Key Topics: Password Security · Authentication · MFA · Credential Protection · Account Access
The Cyber Essentials requirements include controls around user accounts, authentication and appropriate access.
Explore Account Security TrainingMalware
Strengthen Employee Malware Awareness
Malware Protection is another of the five Cyber Essentials technical controls.
The Malware module helps employees recognise behaviours that may expose organisational devices and systems to malicious software, including suspicious links, attachments and downloads.
Key Topics: Malware · Ransomware · Suspicious Links · Malicious Attachments · Unsafe Downloads
Cyber Essentials explicitly includes Malware Protection as one of its core technical controls.
Explore Malware Awareness TrainingRemote Work Security
Reinforce Secure Working Beyond the Office
Cyber Essentials requirements apply to relevant devices and services within scope, including environments involving home working and cloud services.
The Remote Work Security module helps employees understand secure behaviour when accessing organisational systems and information outside controlled office environments.
Key Topics: Remote Working · Wi-Fi Security · Device Protection · Secure Access · Cloud Security Awareness
Cyber Essentials has evolved to account for home working, BYOD and cloud services, and current v3.3 requirements state that cloud services cannot simply be excluded from scope.
Explore Remote Work Security Training
Optional Module Library
Additional Supporting Security Awareness
Social Engineering
Build awareness around phishing, impersonation and manipulation techniques that may lead to credential compromise or unsafe actions.
Physical Security
Reinforce secure behaviours around devices, physical access, unattended information and workplace security.
Incident Reporting
Help employees recognise suspicious activity and understand when security concerns should be escalated.
Data Classification
Help employees understand how sensitive information should be identified and handled.
Insider Threat
Build awareness around malicious, negligent and compromised insider behaviour.
Vendor & Third-Party Risk Management
Reinforce secure behaviour when employees interact with vendors and external organisations.
AI-Based Attacks
Help employees recognise emerging AI-enabled phishing, deepfake and impersonation risks.
Certification Clarity
What Cyber Essentials Requires and What Training Supports
Cyber Essentials requires organisations to implement the technical requirements associated with all five controls within their certification scope. The current v3.3 requirements are effective from 27 April 2026.
Employee awareness training can reinforce the human behaviours surrounding those technical controls, but training itself does not configure a firewall, apply software updates, remove unnecessary services or technically restrict system access.
The distinction can be thought of simply:
Cyber Essentials technical controls
Protect the organisation’s IT environment
Employee security awareness
Helps employees use that environment securely
Both contribute to stronger cybersecurity, but they serve different purposes.
Control Mapping
How the Training Relates to the Five Cyber Essentials Controls
| Cyber Essentials Technical Control | Relevant Training Topics | How Employee Awareness Can Support It |
|---|---|---|
| Firewalls | Remote Work Security | Reinforces awareness of secure networks, remote access and safer use of organisational devices outside controlled environments |
| Secure Configuration | Remote Work Security / supporting awareness | Helps employees understand the importance of using approved devices, applications and security settings |
| Security Update Management | Supporting awareness within device/security learning | Reinforces why employees should not ignore approved software and security updates |
| User Access Control | Account Security | Builds awareness around authentication, passwords, MFA, credentials and responsible account access |
| Malware Protection | Malware | Helps employees recognise suspicious links, downloads, attachments and malware-related risks |
Important Mapping Note
Cyber Essentials is a technical certification scheme, not a prescribed employee-training curriculum.
The S-Aware modules above are mapped based on their relevance to secure employee behaviours around the five Cyber Essentials controls. Completing security awareness training alone does not satisfy Cyber Essentials certification requirements.
Learning Experience
Designed Based on Practical, Everyday Security Awareness Situations
Learning elements
Focused Learning Modules
Selected modules address employee security behaviours relevant to Cyber Essentials and the organisation’s broader cybersecurity environment.
Scenario-Based Learning
Practical workplace situations help employees understand how security risks may appear during everyday use of organisational systems and devices.
Knowledge Checks
Interactive questions reinforce important security concepts throughout the learning journey.
Final Assessment
A final assessment helps evaluate understanding after completion of the assigned training.
Flexible Online Learning
Training can be delivered digitally across supported devices to office-based, remote and hybrid workforces.
Format & accessibility
Fully responsive interface across desktop, tablet, and mobile — complete with a learner dashboard, progress tracking, automated reminder prompts, and seamless integration with your existing LMS or HR systems.
Certificate
Upon successful completion, you receive a CPD certificate valid as proof of training.
Course Screenshots
See the Training in Action
Practical Cybersecurity Awareness for Everyday Technology Use
Cyber Essentials focuses on fundamental technical security controls. Employee awareness helps reinforce how those controls are supported through everyday use of accounts, devices, applications and remote-working environments.
Through practical examples and interactive learning, employees develop awareness around account protection, malware risks and secure remote-working behaviours.
Knowledge checks encourage learners to apply security principles to the technology decisions they make during everyday work.
Request a Demo
1 / 6
Why SucceedLEARN
Why Choose Security Awareness Training for Cyber Essentials?
Reinforce Secure Account Behaviour
Help employees understand password, authentication, MFA and credential-protection practices relevant to secure access.
Strengthen Malware Awareness
Build employee awareness around malicious files, links, software and other malware-related risks.
Support Secure Remote Working
Reinforce safer practices when employees access organisational systems from homes, public locations or distributed environments.
Help Employees Understand Technical Security Practices
Give employees enough context to understand why approved configurations, updates, access restrictions and security software matter.
Build Wider Security Awareness
Organisations can extend beyond the core mapped modules with additional S-Aware learning on phishing, incident reporting, data handling, insider threats and other human-layer risks.
Who It’s For
Who Should Take Cyber Essentials Security Awareness Training?
The training is suitable for employees and other users whose everyday actions interact with organizational technology and security controls.
Employees Across the Organization
Build foundational awareness around secure account, device and system use.
New Joiners
Introduce employees to basic security expectations when they begin using organisational technology.
Remote & Hybrid Employees
Reinforce security behaviors relevant to devices, networks and remote access.
Employees Using Cloud Services
Build awareness around authentication, secure access and responsible use of organizational cloud platforms.
Managers & People Leaders
Help leaders reinforce secure technology practices within their teams.
Contractors & Relevant Third Parties
Extend appropriate security awareness to users with access to organizational devices or systems where relevant.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about SucceedLEARN’s Information Security Awareness Training for UK Cyber Essentials.
Request a DemoWhat is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed cybersecurity certification scheme designed to help organisations protect themselves against common cyber attacks through five technical controls: Firewalls, Secure Configuration, Security Update Management, User Access Control and Malware Protection.
What is Cyber Essentials security awareness training?
Cyber Essentials security awareness training refers to employee learning that reinforces secure behaviours relevant to the technical controls used within the Cyber Essentials scheme.
Training can help employees understand areas such as account security, malware risks, secure remote working and responsible use of organisational technology.
Does Cyber Essentials require employee cybersecurity training?
Cyber Essentials certification is based on implementation of its five technical controls rather than a prescribed employee-training syllabus. Employee awareness can support secure behaviour around those controls, but training alone does not satisfy the certification requirements.
What are the five Cyber Essentials controls?
The five controls are:
- Firewalls
- Secure Configuration
- Security Update Management
- User Access Control
- Malware Protection
These form the foundation of the Cyber Essentials certification scheme.
Which SucceedLEARN modules are most relevant to Cyber Essentials?
From the current S-Aware library, the strongest directly relevant employee-awareness modules are:
- Account Security
- Malware
- Remote Work Security
Additional security-awareness modules are available for organisations that want broader employee cybersecurity learning.
Is account security relevant to Cyber Essentials?
Yes. User Access Control is one of the five Cyber Essentials technical controls. Employee awareness around authentication, passwords, MFA and credential protection can support safer account behaviour.
Is malware awareness relevant to Cyber Essentials?
Yes. Malware Protection is one of the five Cyber Essentials controls. Employee awareness can help users recognise suspicious files, links, downloads and other behaviours that may increase malware exposure.
Does Cyber Essentials cover remote working and cloud services?
Cyber Essentials requirements apply to relevant systems and services within certification scope. The scheme has been updated over time to account for home working, BYOD and cloud services, and current v3.3 guidance states that cloud services cannot simply be excluded from scope.
Does the training cover Secure Configuration and Security Update Management?
Your current 10-module S-Aware library does not contain standalone modules titled Secure Configuration or Security Update Management.
Employee awareness can reinforce behaviours such as using approved systems and not ignoring authorised software updates, but organisations must still implement the corresponding Cyber Essentials technical controls themselves.
Does completing the training make an organisation Cyber Essentials certified?
No. Cyber Essentials certification requires the organisation to meet the applicable technical requirements across all five controls and complete the relevant certification process. Employee awareness training can complement that programme but does not provide certification by itself.
Request a Demo
Strengthen Employee Security Awareness Around Cyber Essentials
Help employees understand the secure behaviours that complement your organisation’s Cyber Essentials technical controls.
Build awareness around account security, malware protection and secure remote working, while extending learning into broader information security topics where your organisation needs it.
Practical awareness. Safer employee behaviour. Stronger cybersecurity foundations.