Attackers move fast. Are you patching fast enough?

Why Cyber Essentials Matters More Than Ever: What Q1 2025 Exploitation Trends Are Telling Us

The latest exploitation trends report from VulnCheck is a wake-up call. Attackers aren’t hanging around — they’re jumping on newly disclosed vulnerabilities almost as soon as they’re published. If your patching process is slow, you’re basically leaving the door wide open.

This is exactly why the NCSC’s Cyber Essentails scheme — especially its 14-day patching rule — is more important than ever.

What the VulnCheck Report Says

• 159 known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs) reported in Q1 2025.)
• Almost 30% were under attack within 24 hours of being disclosed.
• The usual suspects are being hit hardest:
  • Content Management Systems
  • Network Edge Devices
  • Operating Systems
• Top vendors affected:
  • Microsoft Windows
  • VMware
  • Cyber PowerPanel

The takeaway? Attackers aren’t targeting obscure kit — they’re going after the stuff most of us use every day.

Where Cyber Essentials Fits In

Cyber Essentails isn’t about ticking boxes — it’s about getting the basics right so you’re not the easy target. Here’s how it helps:

• Secure Configuration: Shut down unnecessary services, harden your systems.
• Patching (The Big One):
  • Critical and high-risk updates must be applied within 14 days.
  • That includes OS, firmware, and any third-party apps where there’s a known exploit.
  • With VulnCheck showing exploits popping up within a day, 14 days isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s the minimum to stay in the game.
• Access Control: Only give people access to what they actually need.
• Malware Protection: Basic defence against malware doing the rounds.
• Firewalls and Gateways: Keep the bad stuff out, especially at the network edge (which, by the way, is one of the top targets right now).

Why You Can’t Ignore the 14-Day Rule

The data’s clear: the gap between “vulnerability published” and “exploit in the wild” is getting smaller all the time. The longer you wait to patch, the higher the risk.

The 14-day rule in Cyber Essentials isn’t about red tape — it’s about giving attackers less time to hit you.

Bottom Line

Don’t make it easy for them. Patch early, patch often. If you’re not patching fast enough, you’re giving attackers the upper hand. Cyber Essentials is designed to reduce that risk. It helps you cover the basics that attackers rely on you getting wrong.

For more on how Cyber Essentails works, please 📧 contact us for more information