The NCSC cyber assessment framework raising the standard for UK security leaders

As cyber threats in the UK grow more frequent and sophisticated, the urgency for robust, outcome-focused frameworks has never been clearer. According to the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025, 67% of medium-sized and 74% of large British businesses experienced a cyber breach or attack in the past year—a figure that has remained stubbornly high since 2024. For CISOs, Security Architects, and Heads of Security Operations, this presents a critical imperative: comprehensive, result-driven frameworks are no longer optional; they are essential.

Why the NCSC CAF is More crucial than ever

The National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF) is rapidly becoming the benchmark for organisations securing the UK’s essential services, from critical national infrastructure to regulated private sector entities. Developed by the UK’s foremost authority on cyber security, the CAF offers a systematic, holistic approach to evaluating and enhancing cyber resilience in a world defined by ever-evolving threats.

Adopting the CAF offers three key advantages:

• Clarity and consistency: The CAF provides organisations with a nationally recognised, outcome-driven standard for managing cyber risk. This clarity is crucial in an environment where 40% of significant cyber incidents managed by the NCSC still target the public sector.
• Central visibility and accountability: Aligning with the CAF helps organisations contribute to a national view of cyber capability and risk, enabling smarter prioritisation of resources and targeted remediation. This is particularly vital as the government seeks to strengthen national defences at scale.
• Proportionate, outcome-focused security: Unlike prescriptive checklists, the CAF allows organisations to focus on safeguarding essential functions rather than merely ticking compliance boxes. This is especially pertinent as sectors like the NHS adopt outcome-focused assurance models, aligning with the CAF to deliver real-world resilience, not just compliance.

What the CAF means for security leaders

For UK CISOs and security teams, the CAF is more than a framework; it’s a strategic tool that offers several key benefits:

• Enhanced board engagement: The introduction of the NCSC Cyber Governance Code places cyber risk firmly on the boardroom agenda, urging leadership to treat cyber resilience with the same level of scrutiny as financial or legal risks.
• Continuous improvement: The CAF’s principles and indicators of good practice provide a dynamic framework for ongoing maturation, transforming it from a one-off assessment into a continuous improvement tool.
• Sector-wide influence: With increasing government and regulatory support for CAF adoption, the framework is shaping the future of cyber regulation. This includes potential new legislation and sector-specific benchmarks in the near future.

Statistics That Demand Action

• 1,957 cyber attacks were reported to the NCSC between September 2023 and August 2024, with 430 managed directly by the NCSC and 89 classified as “nationally significant”.
• 40% of major incidents managed by the NCSC targeted the public sector, highlighting the need for consistent, high standards across all essential services.
• 92% of UK organisations prioritise simplifying and integrating their security stack, recognising that fragmented approaches cannot effectively address today’s threats.

A platform approach to CAF success

The CAF’s focus on outcomes aligns seamlessly with the concept of platformisation. Integrated security platforms streamline the processes of assessment, reporting, and remediation, enabling security teams to demonstrate compliance with CAF principles while minimising operational overhead. This unified, intelligent security ecosystem is the future—empowering UK organisations to meet and exceed the NCSC’s high standards for resilience.

Inspiring a step change in UK cyber resilience

The NCSC CAF is not just a framework; it is a rallying cry for Britain’s security leaders. By adopting its principles and leveraging modern, integrated security platforms, CISOs, Security Architects, and Heads of Security Operations can drive tangible improvements in resilience, accountability, and trust.

The message is clear: the time to act is now. Let’s lead the way in making the UK the safest place to live and do business online.