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Application whitelisting
Only allow applications that are essential for business operations to run on your systems. This prevents unauthorised or malicious software from executing, significantly reducing the attack surface.
8 strategies, one mission: Bolstering your cyber defences against intruders.
The Essential Eight is a framework of eight mitigation strategies developed by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) to protect organisations from cyberthreats. Keep hackers out, mitigate damage, and recover quickly.
Servicing Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula & surrounding areas.
No jargon. No mystery. Just clear guidance on implementing the Essential Eight to protect your business.
Implementing the Essential Eight controls helps organisations defend themselves from various cyberthreats. However, it’s important to note that the Essential Eight is not a silver bullet.
Organisations should also consider other security measures, such as risk assessments, vulnerability management, and security monitoring. The framework provides a solid foundation, but your security posture should evolve with your business needs and the threat landscape.
We help you understand each of the eight strategies, assess your current maturity level, and implement them in a way that fits your business operations without disrupting productivity.
Cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated and frequent. The Essential Eight provides a practical, government-endorsed framework that addresses the most common attack vectors.
Each strategy addresses a specific area of cyber security. Together, they create a layered defence that makes it significantly harder for attackers to succeed.
Only allow applications that are essential for business operations to run on your systems. This prevents unauthorised or malicious software from executing, significantly reducing the attack surface.
Apply security patches to applications as soon as they are available. Vulnerabilities in software are frequently exploited by attackers, and timely patching closes these security gaps.
Require users to enter two or more factors to authenticate their identity when accessing systems or data. This adds a critical layer of protection even if passwords are compromised.
Deploy and maintain endpoint protection software on all devices, such as antivirus, anti-malware, and firewall software. This provides real-time protection against known and emerging threats.
Educate staff about cyber security best practices, such as how to identify and avoid phishing emails. Your people are often the first line of defence, and awareness training is crucial.
Have a plan in place to respond to cyber security incidents. Quick, coordinated response can minimise damage and help you recover faster when an attack occurs.
Regularly back up important data and test backups to ensure they can be restored successfully. Reliable backups are your safety net when data is lost, encrypted, or corrupted.
Segment your network to isolate critical systems and data from the rest of the network. This limits the spread of attacks and protects your most valuable assets.
Implementing these strategies doesn’t just check compliance boxes—it creates a robust security posture that adapts to evolving threats.
Application whitelisting, patching, and endpoint protection work together to stop threats before they can cause damage.
Multifactor authentication and user education reduce the risk of account compromise and credential theft.
Endpoint protection and monitoring help identify suspicious activity early, before it becomes a major incident.
A well-practiced incident response plan ensures you can contain and remediate threats rapidly.
Regular, tested backups mean you can restore operations quickly even after a ransomware attack or data loss.
Network segmentation prevents attackers from moving laterally through your systems, containing breaches to isolated areas.
Implementation doesn’t happen overnight. We help you assess your current state, prioritise improvements, and build maturity over time.
We review your current security posture against each of the eight strategies to identify gaps and opportunities.
Based on your risk profile and business needs, we help you determine which strategies to implement first.
We work with your team to deploy controls, configure systems, and establish processes that support the framework.
Regular reviews and updates ensure your Essential Eight implementation evolves with your business and the threat landscape.
While the Essential Eight provides an excellent foundation for cyber security, we recognise that comprehensive protection requires a more mature approach. That’s why our Managed IT packages—Shield, Armor, and Fortress—are built on frameworks that extend well beyond the Essential Eight.
We adhere to more comprehensive frameworks like the SMB1001 for Maturity, which provides a structured approach to building security maturity across your entire IT environment. This framework helps us deliver security controls that are not just implemented, but continuously monitored, tested, and improved.
Our managed IT service packages integrate Essential Eight controls as a baseline, then layer on additional security measures, monitoring, and governance that align with higher maturity levels. This means you get the Essential Eight protections you need, plus the comprehensive security management that keeps your defences strong over time.
The ACSC’s eight core mitigation strategies form the foundation of our security approach. Every managed IT package includes Essential Eight controls as a baseline.
We go beyond Essential 8 by implementing the SMB1001 framework, which provides structured maturity levels for security controls, helping us deliver continuous improvement and comprehensive protection.
Our Managed IT packages combine Essential 8 controls with advanced monitoring, regular testing, vulnerability management, and strategic security reviews—all aligned to maturity frameworks.
Want to see how our packages implement these frameworks?
Explore our Managed IT packagesLet’s assess your current security posture and create a roadmap for implementing the Essential Eight framework—no pressure, just clear guidance and practical steps.