Changes to the CHECK scheme
CHECK TEAM LEADERS:
By the end of March 2025 all CHECK Team Leaders must hold a Chartered or Principal Cyber Security Professional title in Security Testing. If you do not have the appropriate title on this date, you will not be able to continue as a CHECK Team Leader. We expect the CHECK Team Member eligibility to align with Council titles soon, but this is not confirmed.
CHECK TEAM MEMBERS:
By the end of March 2026 all CHECK Team members must hold at least Practitioner Cyber Security Professional title in Security Testing. If you do not have the appropriate title on this date, you will not be able to continue as a CHECK Team Member.
What's the NCSC's involvement now?
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has been and remains the owner of the CHECK scheme. It will be the NCSC that evaluates your organisation’s eligibility for the scheme.
The Council is responsible for professional registration in cyber security, which is one part of the eligibility criteria.
How do I apply?
Applications for cyber security professional titles happen on the individual level, not organisational.
We operate a licensing model, meaning we have set the Standard and keep it updated, but we allow other organisations to carry out the assessments. For Security Testing, these Licensed Bodies are:
- CREST
- The Cyber Scheme
You can find more information on the registration process here.
Please note, you must take and pass one of the following exams before undertaking the process:
CHECK TEAM LEADER:
- The Cyber Scheme Team Leader
- CREST Certified Infrastructure Tester examination
- CREST Certified Web Application Tester
CHECK TEAM MEMBER:
-
Cyber Scheme Team Member (CSTM)
-
CREST Registered Tester (CRT)
Will this cost me anything?
CHECK TEAM LEADER:
There is some limited funding available for existing CHECK Team Leaders to attain a professional title.
The eligibility criteria is:
- On 31st May 2024, you were registered as a CHECK Team Leader on the NCSC’s portal.
The window for this funding has now closed.
CHECK TEAM MEMBER:
There is no funding available.