Check if you’d auto-fail

Terms of use

Last updated: 2 November 2026

1. About this website

Five Controls (five-controls.co.uk) is operated by AlphaSec, a trading name of Alphabyte IT Limited, registered in England and Wales under company number 07014261, with registered office at 9/10 Connies House, Rhymney River Bridge Road, Cardiff CF23 9AF.

Five Controls is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) or IASME. Cyber Essentials is a UK Government scheme owned by the NCSC and delivered by IASME.

2. Tools and guides give an indication only

All articles, checklists and interactive tools on Five Controls (including the Auto-fail checker, Scope builder, Evidence pack generator and Renewal reminder) are provided free of charge for general information and preparation guidance only.

  • Not an assessment or certification: Completing a tool on this site does not constitute a Cyber Essentials assessment, audit or certification, and does not guarantee that your organisation will pass an official assessment.
  • Reliance on your inputs: Tool outputs depend entirely on the accuracy of the answers you select and the state of your live IT systems on the date your certificate is issued. Always check the official NCSC Requirements for IT Infrastructure v3.3 and your Certification Body’s guidance.

3. Policy and register templates

Any policy templates or registers provided through our Evidence pack generator are starting templates only, labelled “Template: review before use. Not legal advice.” You are responsible for reviewing, adapting and enforcing them to match your organisation’s actual technical controls and legal obligations.

4. Intellectual property

Unless stated otherwise, the text, design, code and tool logic on Five Controls are copyright © Alphabyte IT Limited. You may print or download copies of our guides, reports and templates for your organisation’s own internal Cyber Essentials preparation, but you must not republish or resell them commercially.

5. Limitation of liability

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded under English and Welsh law. Subject to that, because Five Controls and its tools are provided free of charge, Alphabyte IT Limited shall not be liable for any indirect or consequential loss, failed assessment fee, lost contract or business interruption arising from your use of the free guides, tools or templates on this site. Paid consultancy and preparation engagements with AlphaSec or Alphabyte IT Limited are governed by our separate written client terms.

6. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and any disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.