What is the Essential Eight?

The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) first published the Essential 8 Framework in June 2017, based on original the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) Top Four recommendations. The ASD first published their guidance in 2010 and quickly noted the controls mitigate over 85 percent of techniques used in targeted cyber intrusions. These recommendations provide effective strategies to prevent and minimise the impact of cybersecurity attacks and support businesses in the recovery process.

What are they?

The “eight” refers to categories intended to limit the impact of cybersecurity attacks, prevent malware, and, improve an organisations ability to recovery in the event of an attack.

What it is NOT?

The Essential Eight is not a stand-alone cyber security framework in itself. It targets a set of practical, or ‘essential‘ control areas that can reduce significant amounts of possible data breaches.

Implement better security control

Developed by the ACSC in an effort to improve the cyber resilience of Australian businesses, for both Government and private sector focus on Microsoft environments.

Control Groupings

The Essential Eight controls are:

Organisations are recommended to implement Essential Eight mitigation strategies drawn from the ACSC’s Strategies to Mitigate Cyber Security Incidents as baseline.

Each control area is strategically grouped to provide optimal reduction of risk, allowing security teams to address high-risk areas and prioritise program effort.

Why do you need it?

Some key business benefits and reasoning for why your business should consider implementing the Essential Eight. These include:

  • The ACSC Essential Eight can help mitigate up to 85% of possible data breaches (source: ACSC)
  • Key requirements, mandated  by the Australian Government for public sector agencies
  • Valuable for all businesses, regardless of size or sector. The framework provides technical guidance on how to prevent and reduce cyber risk – hence why it’s called “essential”
  • The threat of cyber-attacks has increased beyond the capabilities of many organisations ability to manage and counter
  • Represents the minimum set of security control mitigation activities your company should be performing
  • Help meet and satisfy cyber insurance and stakeholder obligations and requirements
  • Provides your business with clear insight into areas of risk exposure and a clear direction for your program roadmap to improve maturity across the eight control domains

Essential Eight Posture Assessment

This is why ASE has developed our Essential Eight Posture Assessment, designed specifically to provide you with the right starting point from which to develop and implement an effective control framework, that significantly reduces the risk of cyber events.

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Our simplified approach

At ASE we believe that visibility and establishing a posture baseline are the first steps on your journey to reducing risk through Essential Eight controls.

Our approach is simple: we focus on three fundamental principles:

  1. VISIBILITY – Knowing where you are now.
  2. GAP ANALYSIS – Alignment to where you need to get to, and by when.
  3. ROADMAP – Understanding how you get there.

Our Essential Eight Posture Assessment provides a tailored set of recommendations and implementation guidance for each of the Essential Eight mitigation strategies.

To help break down the findings into an easy, actionable program, a high-level roadmap is sequenced into priority focused areas based on risk (impact and likelihood), anticipated user friction and budgetary estimates to implement.

Let ASE shine a light on how you get started?

1. Request a quote.

Request a formal quote by emailing or calling us today! See details below or on our contacts page.

2. Schedule a meeting.

Do you need more info? If you’d like to discuss our service you can directly schedule a meeting with our specialists by clicking the live bookings link below.

3. Confirm and begin.

Once you’ve received your quote and confirmed your order, we can secure your scheduled kick-off and commence the assessment.

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