The Risks of Relying on AI for Your Cyber Essentials Assessment

Cyber Essentials certification helps organisations prove they have basic cybersecurity measures in place. Many businesses see it as a straightforward step to improve security and build trust with clients. With the rise of AI tools, some might consider using artificial intelligence to complete their Cyber Essentials assessment. While AI can assist in many areas, relying on it entirely for this assessment carries significant risks that could undermine your security efforts.

Why Cyber Essentials Requires Human Insight

Cyber Essentials is not just a checklist exercise. It demands a clear understanding of your organisation’s unique IT environment, risks, and processes. The assessment covers areas like firewalls, secure configuration, user access control, malware protection, and patch management. Each of these requires context-specific decisions.

AI tools can analyse data and suggest answers based on patterns, but they lack the ability to:

• Understand your organisation’s specific workflows and risk appetite

• Interpret ambiguous or complex scenarios

• Recognise gaps in security culture or staff training

• Adapt to recent changes in your IT infrastructure that may not be reflected in data

  
  

For example, an AI might flag a firewall as configured correctly based on default settings, but it cannot verify if the firewall rules align with your actual business needs or if exceptions have been made that introduce risk.

The Danger of Inaccurate or Incomplete Assessments

Using AI to complete your Cyber Essentials assessment risks submitting inaccurate or incomplete information. This can lead to:

• False confidence: You might believe your organisation is secure when critical vulnerabilities remain unaddressed.

• Certification failure: Incorrect answers can cause your application to be rejected, wasting time and resources.

• Compliance issues: If your organisation is audited later, discrepancies between AI-generated answers and reality could cause penalties or damage your reputation.

  
  

A real-world example involves a small company that used an AI tool to fill out their assessment. The AI overlooked that some devices were running outdated software because it only reviewed inventory lists, not actual patch status. The company failed the assessment and had to repeat the process with manual checks.

AI’s Limitations with Dynamic Cybersecurity Environments

Cybersecurity is a constantly evolving field. Threats, vulnerabilities, and best practices change rapidly. AI models often rely on historical data and predefined rules, which may not keep pace with emerging risks.

For instance, new malware variants or zero-day exploits might not be recognised by AI tools trained on older datasets. Human assessors can incorporate the latest threat intelligence and adjust controls accordingly.

Additionally, AI cannot assess the effectiveness of security awareness training or the human factors that often cause breaches. Cyber Essentials requires organisations to demonstrate that staff understand security policies and follow safe practices, something AI cannot verify.

The Importance of Expert Guidance

Completing a Cyber Essentials assessment benefits from expert knowledge. Cybersecurity professionals can:

• Tailor controls to your organisation’s size, sector, and risk profile

• Identify hidden vulnerabilities that automated tools miss

• Provide practical advice on improving security beyond the minimum requirements

• Help prepare for external audits and ongoing compliance

  
  

While AI can support by automating routine tasks or analysing large datasets, it should not replace human expertise. Combining AI tools with professional guidance ensures a thorough, accurate, and meaningful assessment.

Practical Steps to Avoid Overreliance on AI

If you want to use AI tools as part of your Cyber Essentials preparation, consider these best practices:

• Use AI to gather data and highlight potential issues, but review all findings manually.

• Involve IT staff who understand your systems to verify AI-generated answers.

• Keep up to date with the latest Cyber Essentials requirements and cybersecurity threats.

• Engage a qualified cybersecurity consultant to review your assessment before submission.

• Treat AI as a helper, not the decision-maker.

• Never cut and paste AI generated answers into your assessment. The assessor will flag this and dig deeper.

  
  

This approach balances efficiency with accuracy and reduces the risk of errors.

If you need help with your Cyber Essentials then why not take a guided assessment service from Get Cyber Certified, an authorised certification body with senior assessors who have over 20 years experience in certifying organisations of all shapes and sized.