What Is the Essential 8 Framework?
The Essential 8 framework is a set of cyber security mitigation strategies developed by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC). It provides a practical baseline for organisations to protect their systems, reduce the likelihood of successful cyber attacks, and recover quickly if an incident occurs. Unlike generic best practices, the Essential 8 framework is tailored to the Australian threat landscape. It […]
The Essential 8 framework is a set of cyber security mitigation strategies developed by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC). It provides a practical baseline for organisations to protect their systems, reduce the likelihood of successful cyber attacks, and recover quickly if an incident occurs.
Unlike generic best practices, the Essential 8 framework is tailored to the Australian threat landscape. It helps businesses address the most common types of attacks, from ransomware and phishing to unauthorised access and data breaches.
The Eight Key Strategies
The framework is built around eight key mitigation strategies, each addressing a critical area of cyber resilience:
- Application Control – Only allowing approved programs to run on systems.
- Patch Applications – Keeping software up to date to close vulnerabilities.
- Configure Microsoft Office Macros – Restricting macros to reduce the risk of malicious code execution.
- User Application Hardening – Disabling unnecessary features like Flash and ads in web browsers.
- Restrict Administrative Privileges – Limiting admin accounts to reduce insider and external risks.
- Patch Operating Systems – Regularly updating OS versions to protect against known exploits.
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) – Requiring additional identity checks beyond passwords.
- Daily Backups – Ensuring data is regularly backed up, tested, and recoverable in the event of an attack.
Why the Essential 8 Matters for Business
Cyber criminals often exploit weaknesses in outdated software, poor access controls, or unprotected data. The Essential 8 framework reduces these risks by making it much harder for attackers to succeed.
For businesses, adopting the Essential 8 is more than just a security measure—it’s also a compliance and risk management strategy. Government agencies and regulated industries are increasingly expected to align with these controls, making them a standard benchmark for cyber resilience in Australia.
How AffinityMSP Helps with Essential 8
At AffinityMSP, we work with businesses to assess their current cyber security maturity, then implement and maintain the Essential 8 framework across their environment. From patching schedules and access controls to secure backups and MFA, we ensure each layer of protection is properly in place.
By aligning with the Essential 8, businesses gain greater resilience against cyber threats, stronger compliance, and confidence that their systems and data are safeguarded.
