Essential Eight Compliance for Melbourne Businesses
MWITS helps businesses achieve and maintain Essential Eight compliance against their required target maturity level. We assess the current environment, identify gaps, implement the required controls and help keep those controls operating as technology, users and risks change.
The Essential Eight is the Australian Signals Directorate’s baseline set of cyber security mitigation strategies. It is structured around maturity levels, allowing organisations to measure how consistently the controls are implemented and what needs to improve next.
Essential Eight compliance, from assessment through to ongoing management
Essential Eight work should not finish with a checklist. A compliant environment needs controls that are configured correctly, supported by the right operational processes and maintained over time.
- Current-state assessment — review the environment against the Essential Eight strategies and the target maturity level.
- Gap analysis — identify missing, incomplete or inconsistent controls and prioritise remediation.
- Remediation plan — define the technical and operational changes required to close the gaps.
- Implementation — configure the required controls across devices, identity, Microsoft 365, applications, administrative access, patching and backup.
- Evidence and review — document the implemented controls and review whether the target requirements are being met.
- Ongoing management — maintain patching, identity controls, endpoint security, backup and other recurring requirements so compliance does not degrade over time.
Target maturity levels
The Essential Eight Maturity Model uses defined maturity levels rather than a single pass-or-fail certification. MWITS can help an organisation work toward the maturity level required by its risk profile, customer requirements, tender obligations, cyber insurance requirements or contractual commitments.
Maturity Level One establishes a stronger baseline against common cyber security threats. Maturity Level Two introduces more rigorous controls against more capable adversaries. Maturity Level Three requires a substantially more mature and tightly managed security environment.
Where an external or independent assessment is required by a contract, regulator, government customer or procurement process, MWITS can prepare the environment and supporting evidence for that assessment.
The eight Essential Eight controls
1. Application Control
Restrict which applications, scripts and software components are permitted to run, reducing the opportunity for malicious or unauthorised code to execute.
2. Patch Applications
Identify and remediate vulnerabilities in applications within the timeframes required by the target maturity level.
3. Configure Microsoft Office Macro Settings
Control macro execution so legitimate business use can continue without leaving an unnecessary attack path open.
4. User Application Hardening
Harden browsers, Microsoft Office, PDF readers and other supported applications to reduce commonly exploited functionality.
5. Restrict Administrative Privileges
Limit privileged access to the users and tasks that genuinely require it, and separate routine user activity from administrative access.
6. Patch Operating Systems
Maintain operating-system patching and vulnerability remediation processes across supported endpoints and servers.
7. Multi-Factor Authentication
Apply MFA to the systems, administrative functions and user access required by the organisation’s target maturity level.
8. Regular Backups
Maintain protected backups of important systems and information, with access controls and recovery practices appropriate to the environment.
Essential Eight and Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365, Entra ID and Intune can form an important part of an Essential Eight implementation. MWITS can manage identity security, MFA, privileged access, endpoint configuration, application controls and supporting Microsoft cloud settings as part of the wider compliance program.
Who typically needs Essential Eight compliance?
Essential Eight is relevant to organisations that want a recognised Australian cyber security baseline, as well as businesses dealing with customer security requirements, tenders, government supply chains, regulated data, cyber insurance or internal governance requirements.
MWITS works with environments across healthcare and NDIS, professional services, legal, accounting, community organisations, education, trades and growing multi-site businesses.
Essential Eight as part of managed cybersecurity
Many Essential Eight controls are operational rather than one-off configuration tasks. Patching, administrative access, identity security, endpoint management, backup and ongoing review all need to remain effective after the initial project.
For that reason, Essential Eight compliance can be incorporated into MWITS Managed Cybersecurity and Managed IT Services, giving the organisation a defined owner for the ongoing controls.
Frequently asked questions
Can MWITS make our business Essential Eight compliant?
Yes. MWITS can assess the current environment, identify gaps, implement the required controls and help the organisation achieve its target Essential Eight maturity level. The exact scope depends on the current environment and the maturity level being targeted. If an independent assessment is contractually required, MWITS can prepare the environment and evidence for that assessment.
Does Essential Eight have an official certification?
The Essential Eight is a maturity model rather than a general certification scheme. Some contracts, government requirements or procurement processes may require independent assessment or evidence against a specified maturity level.
Can you assess our current maturity level?
Yes. MWITS can review the current environment against the Essential Eight strategies, identify gaps and provide a prioritised remediation plan.
Can you implement the controls as well as assess them?
Yes. Implementation can include MFA, endpoint and device management, application control, patching, privilege management, Microsoft 365 hardening, backup improvements and the supporting operational processes.
Can Essential Eight be maintained under managed services?
Yes. Ongoing management is particularly useful for controls that depend on patching, account administration, device management, backup, identity security and recurring review.
Start with an Essential Eight compliance assessment
If your organisation needs to understand its current maturity level, close compliance gaps or meet a defined Essential Eight requirement, MWITS can take the work from initial assessment through to remediation, implementation and ongoing management.
Talk to MWITS about Essential Eight compliance →
For the authoritative framework and current maturity model, refer to the Australian Signals Directorate’s Essential Eight guidance at cyber.gov.au.