The ANSSI hygiene guide,
42 measures aligned with confidence.
France’s national cyber hygiene baseline, published by ANSSI, sets out 42 practical measures every organisation should meet. It is an advisory guide, not a certificate. I assess you against all 42, close the gaps alongside your team, and leave you a scored posture you own, ready for partners, tenders and due diligence.
An advisory baseline, not a certificate.
The ANSSI “Guide d’hygiène informatique” is published by ANSSI, France’s national cybersecurity agency. Its 42 measures describe the essential hygiene every organisation should have in place to resist the most common attacks. It is a reference to align to, not a scheme you pass, so there is no badge at the end. What you gain instead is a clear, scored picture of where you stand and what to fix first.
It is worth being precise here. ANSSI does run separate certifications, such as SecNumCloud and CSPN, but the 42-measure hygiene guide is not one of them and the two should not be conflated. My role is to assess you honestly against the 42 measures, align your practices to them, and give you evidence you can show to partners, tenders and due-diligence reviewers.
Forty-two measures, grouped into themes.
Know your information system
A full inventory of assets and users, so you know exactly what you are defending.
Secure the network
Segmentation and filtering that keep untrusted traffic away from what matters.
Secure administration
Dedicated admin accounts and workstations, kept apart from everyday use.
Manage identities & access
Least privilege and strong authentication, so access is earned and never assumed.
Secure workstations & servers
Hardening and patching that keep known weaknesses closed across your estate.
Standard measures, or reinforced?
Standard measures
The essential hygiene every organisation should meet, whatever its size or sector. The right place to start.
- →Core controls ANSSI marks as standard
- →Practical, proportionate and achievable
- →Suits most organisations as a first target
- →The foundation everything else builds on
Reinforced measures
The stronger controls ANSSI reserves for higher-risk or more sensitive environments, layered on top of the standard set.
- →Everything in the standard measures
- →Tighter controls for sensitive systems
- →Suited to higher-risk or regulated settings
- →A stronger posture where the stakes are higher
Thinking about ANSSI 42 Measures? Let’s map a realistic path in a free 20-minute call.
Start with an assessment→Done with you, not handed over a wall.
Know where you stand
We scope your systems and score you against all 42 measures together, so you see clearly where you align and where you don’t.
Close the gaps together
I guide your team through each fix in plain English, starting with the standard measures and reaching for reinforced where the risk warrants it.
A posture you own
You end with a scored gap report, a prioritised roadmap and an evidence pack, not a certificate, but a clear record you keep and can show.
A scored posture you own.
- ✓A scored assessment against all 42 measures
- ✓A prioritised remediation roadmap, standard then reinforced
- ✓An evidence pack you own and keep
- ✓Cross-mapping to ISO 27001 and NIS2 readiness
- ✓The confidence to speak to your own security
- ✓A re-assessment reminder, so your posture stays current
The things buyers usually ask.
Is there an ANSSI certificate for the hygiene guide?
No. The 42-measure “Guide d’hygiène informatique” is advisory, so there is no certificate or badge to earn. ANSSI does run separate certification schemes, such as SecNumCloud and CSPN, but those are distinct from the hygiene guide and should not be confused with it. What you get here is a scored posture and an evidence pack you own.
Do we need to be a French entity or work in French?
No. The guide is written for the French market, but its measures are sound hygiene for any organisation. It works whether you operate in France, sell into it, or simply want a respected European baseline. I run the engagement in the language your team is comfortable with.
What are “reinforced” measures?
ANSSI marks each measure as standard or reinforced. Standard measures are the essential hygiene every organisation should meet. Reinforced measures are the stronger controls it recommends for higher-risk or more sensitive environments. We target the standard set first, then reach for reinforced where your risk profile calls for it.
How does it map to ISO 27001 and NIS2?
The 42 measures line up closely with the technical and organisational controls ISO 27001 and NIS2 expect. I cross-map your assessment to both, so the work you do here gives you a running start on ISO 27001 and a clearer view of your NIS2 readiness.
How long does it take?
Most organisations complete the assessment and align to the standard measures within four to six weeks. It depends on the size of your estate and how quickly your team can make the changes. Reaching the reinforced measures can add time, and I will set realistic expectations up front.
Ready to see where you stand against ANSSI’s 42 measures?
Tell me a little about your organisation and I’ll map a realistic path to a scored posture you own. A free 20-minute call, no obligation.