- PAST EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Strengthening Cyber Defence
THE CYBER ESSENTIALS WEBINAR
- oNLINE wEBINAR
- March 2026
- Hosted by syscomm
Vol. IV
Special Edition
March 2026
Journey
to
Strengthening
Cyber Defence
The Cyber essentials webinar
Syscomm · Strategic Network Solutions
Free Admission
80 Questions. 5 Controls. One Framework That Could Protect You from 80% of Cyber Attacks.
With the new Danzell framework landing in April 2026, the margin for error just got thinner. Syscomm’s GRC Lead Consultant and Cyber Essentials assessor Saira Hussain joined Security Solutions Strategist Mark Wainwright to break down what’s changing, what catches organisations out, and where the real work begins.
Cyber Essentials is a government-backed framework built around five core technical controls. Implement them correctly, and the scheme claims you’re protected against the vast majority of common cyber attacks. It’s why the NCSC and government ministers issued an open letter urging every UK business to get certified. It’s why insurers are making it a prerequisite. And it’s why supply chains are now demanding it before contracts are signed.
But with the IASME introducing the new Danzell question set in April 2026, the scheme got significantly tougher, stricter marking, automatic fails, and less room for ambiguity. This webinar brought together Syscomm’s frontline experience across 220+ real-world incident recoveries with the perspective of someone who has sat on both sides of the assessment table: delivering the kind of practical, honest guidance you won’t find in the official documentation.
What The Webinar Tackled
01
The Danzell Framework: What’s Actually Changing
The new framework replaced Willow in April 2026, and the scheme is now significantly stricter. What used to be a non-compliance is now an automatic fail. Saira walked through every critical update and explained what each one means for organisations certifying or renewing.
02
We polled the audience live. The results confirmed what Saira sees across her certification engagements: certain controls consistently catch organisations off guard. She shared practical approaches and workarounds that most people don’t know exist.
03
Around 80 questions. Roughly 70% of them yes or no. Sounds manageable, right? One attendee shared that certification took their team of nine the best part of five months. The real work happens before you submit, and most organisations don’t see it coming.
04
Your Cyber Essentials certificate expires in 12 months. What does renewal actually look like? And where do you go from here, CE Plus, IASME Cyber Assurance, ISO 27001? The session mapped the full journey ahead.
“We started in November and submitted the questionnaire working hard to get everything done by the deadline. We were told on Monday this week(March) we were successful: a team of nine, the best part of five months.”
Your Speakers
GRC Lead Consultant, Syscomm
Saira leads Syscomm’s Governance, Risk and Compliance practice, helping organisations achieve certification across frameworks including Cyber Essentials, CE Plus, and ISO 27001. With a background as a Cyber Essentials assessor, Saira brings a rare perspective to the process — she knows exactly what assessors are looking for, and where organisations get caught out.
Security Solutions Strategist, Syscomm
Mark helps organisations move beyond reactive, fragmented security towards a posture that is deliberate, resilient, and aligned to real-world threats. Drawing on Syscomm’s experience across 220+ security incident recoveries, Mark understands the gaps that lead to breaches in the first place.
Continue Reading
Webinar Highlights
Watch how Saira and Mark break down the latest updates to the Cyber Essentials certification scheme, explaining what’s new, what stays the same, and how it could impact your business.
Strengthening Cyber Defence · Vol. IV · Online Webinar · March 2026
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