Online Exam Joining Instructions – Cyber Advisor Renewal exam

Please use the instructions below to help you organise your exam day. Please contact us if you have any queries.

Preparation

Before sitting the assessment, you should be familiar with the following documents: 

  1.  Cyber Essentials Requirements for Infrastructure (latest version), found here 
  2.  Cyber Advisor Standard – here 
  3.  NCSC Cyber Advisor (Cyber Essentials) – Guidance for applicants –  found here
  4. NCSC Cloud Security Guidance here
  5. NCSC Small Business Guide for Cyber Security here.
  6. Cyber Essentials Knowledge Hub here.

Taking an Online Exam at The Cyber Scheme – what you need to know.

Please ensure that you have:

Access to a stable internet connection on the day of your exam.

A quiet space free of distractions for the assessment. Please ensure there are no other people in the room you’ll be taking the assessment in.

A Teams meeting link will be sent to you within a week of your booking.

Please have available during the assessment:

  • A webcam
  • A microphone and speakers (ideally a headset)
  • Photo ID – passport or driving licence.

Session information

On the day

The assessment will typically take 45 minutes but please allow extra time for unforeseeable delays.

Non-attendance

Please notify us if you are unable to attend or if you have any enquiries prior to the exam date. Please read our terms and conditions for our cancellation policy.

Mobile Phones

You will be asked to put phones / tech on silent and away during exams, you will not be contactable via teams, slack etc during the assessment.

Assessment Format

Introduction – 5 mins

Main assessment – 10 x questions about a fictitious company that has failed their Cyber Essentials Assessment (40-45 minutes). 

Candidates will be provided with a business scenario and a pre-marked fictitious Cyber Essentials assessment, with answers that have caused the company to fail Cyber Essentials. These will be shown in a fail report. The scenario and the fail report will be sent to the candidate 1 week prior to the interview.

During the assessment, the Assessor will play a neutral actor asking questions about the company that has failed Cyber Essentials. The candidate will be expected to help the company understand why they have failed and to make recommendations to help them implement the Cyber Essentials controls and become compliant. You will be marked on the accuracy and appropriateness of your advice, in accordance with the Cyber Advisor standard NCSC Cyber Advisor Standard.

It is open book.

The assessment uses a multi-faceted approach to assess a candidate’s knowledge and skills in implementing the standard and behaviours (communications, ethics, engagement quality, impact etc) of the Cyber Essentials standard in a simulated but realistic scenario.

Assessment Outcome

Results and feedback will be sent to you by email within 5 working days.

Upon a successful outcome, we will issue you with a new Certificate of Competence in Cyber Essentials Implementation. Secure Blockmark certificates will be issued to successful Applicants.

To maintain your Cyber Advisor (Cyber Essentials) status, you will then need to provide IASME with this certificate by emailing it here.

Retaking the test

Applicants that are unsuccessful in the renewal assessment 2 times will be required to sit the assessment in its full form to maintain their certificate.

Appealing the Assessment Decision

All Applicants have the right to appeal the decision of the Assessor, which can be done by following the process described here.

Remote Assessments and Reasonable Adjustments

The Cyber Scheme will, where possible, make provision for any additional time or support that might be required. Please contact The Cyber Scheme at least 3 working days ahead of the exam to ensure appropriate adjustments are made and the assessor is properly briefed.

You will need to provide adequate information about your needs in order for the appropriate adjustments to be made. The Cyber Scheme takes seriously the management of sensitive PII and as such will not make a formal record or retain any information provided other than to support any preparation an Assessor might need to undertake, and a record of any additional time allowed. All provided PII information will be deleted after the conclusion of the assessment.