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Essential 8
Assess, implement and sustain your Essential 8 strategies.
- Build customer trust
- Improve security maturity
- Meet regulatory requirements
- 24/7 threat response
- Strengthen security foundations
- Grow with confidence
- Prioritise security initiatives
The Essential Eight, with executive oversight
The Essential Eight are a core set of mitigation strategies designed to protect Australian organisations from cyber threats. But meaningful maturity requires more than planning alone. With our Essential Eight services, your organisation moves from strategy to structured implementation and ongoing management.
Essential Eight implementation and management
Application
control
Only trusted applications should run. We enforce strict control to block unauthorised and malicious software before it becomes a risk.
Patch
applications
Unpatched software creates exposure. Virtuelle Group keeps applications current to close vulnerabilities and reduce attack surfaces.
Configure Microsoft
Office macro setting
Macros are a common attack path. Our team restricts and governs their use to prevent malicious code execution.
User application
hardenin
Every unnecessary feature increases risk. We harden common applications to reduce their exploitable surface.
Restrict administrative
privileges
Excess access impacts security. We tightly control privileged accounts to limit the potential damage of compromised systems.
Patch operating
systems
Outdated systems invite attack. We keep operating systems current to defend against known exploits.
Multi-factor
authentication
Passwords alone are not enough. We add strong secondary verification to prevent unauthorised access.
Regular
backups
Resilience depends on recovery. We maintain secure, recoverable backups to ensure rapid restoration after cyber security incidents.
For organisations that need to move faster, our Essential Eight Accelerator provides a structured, governed pathway to rapid maturity.
Essential Eight maturity levels and plans
Our Essential Eight mitigation strategies are delivered through structured service tiers, allowing your organisation to align investment to risk and maturity objectives. Define your desired maturity level, ensure cyber security compliance, reduce risk, and strengthen resilience.
Essential
Standard
Enterprise
Maturity Level 1
Maturity Level 2
Maturity Level 3
Cyber Security Strategy Guidance
Cyber Security Strategy Tracking & Roadmap
Security Policy
Security Policy
Acceptable Use Policy
Access Control Policy
MDM Policy
Remote Access Policy
Security Policy
Acceptable Use Policy
Access Control Policy
MDM Policy
Remote Access Policy
Data Backup Policy
Incident Response Management
Document Asset management Policy
4hrs
8hrs
20hrs
5 domains
Talk to get an Essential 8 expert to get started.
Discover the difference of Virtuelle Group
Stronger security controls
Close the gaps that matter. Our Essential Eight controls reduce your exposure to the threats that cause the greatest operational and reputational damage.
Confidence in Essential Eight compliance
Compliance, without confusion. Our structured approach aligns your IT to Essential Eight maturity requirements with clarity and confidence.
Essential Eight maturity uplift
Security improves in stages. Our team offers remediation services to progressively embed controls and lift your maturity level, sustaining it over time.
Mitigate cyber security incidents
Block the attacks that matter most. Our Essential Eight services protect your organisation against the cyberattacks most commonly used to compromise systems.
Resilience when it matters most
Resilience is built, not assumed. We ensure backup, recovery, and control support continuity when it matters most.
Specialist-led implementation
Delivered by experts. Our team introduces and manages Essential Eight controls with strong governance and operational rigour.
Trusted by Australian leaders
Virtuelle Group was engaged to help bolster AWN’s security posture and keep in alignment with government regulations set out by APRA (Australian Prudential Regulation Authority). Their expertise and commitment have significantly strengthened our cybersecurity framework, culminating in the achievement of Level 3 maturity in the ACSC (Australian Cyber Security Centre) Essential Eight (E8) Maturity Model. This level reflects a strong security posture, involving the implementation of a comprehensive set of controls designed to substantially reduce the risk of cyberattacks.
Answering your Essential 8 questions
The Essential Eight is a set of eight cyber security mitigation strategies developed by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC). It is designed to protect organisations from common cyber threats and is widely adopted across both government and the private sector as a practical baseline for cyber security.
The Essential Eight applies to Australian Government agencies and organisations that work with government or handle sensitive data. It is also adopted by businesses seeking to strengthen cyber resilience and improve their overall risk posture.
The Essential Eight consists of the following eight controls:
- Application control
- Patch applications
- Configure Microsoft Office macro settings
- User application hardening
- Restrict administrative privileges
- Patch operating systems
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Regular backups
Together, these controls form a practical and structured foundation for improving cyber security maturity.
The ACSC defines four maturity levels:
- Maturity Level Zero: No or minimal controls in place
- Maturity Level One: Basic protections implemented
- Maturity Level Two: Increased resistance to targeted attacks
- Maturity Level Three: Designed to withstand advanced threats
Each level represents a progressively stronger and more resilient security posture.
We support organisations across the full Essential Eight lifecycle, including maturity assessments, gap analysis and remediation planning, implementation and uplift of controls, and ongoing management and monitoring.
Yes. We provide fully managed Essential Eight services, including continuous monitoring and reporting, as well as ongoing control, maintenance and improvement to ensure maturity is sustained over time.
Timeframes depend on your current environment and maturity level. Typical projects range from 4 to 12 weeks, with phased rollouts used to minimise disruption to the business.
No. The Essential Eight focuses on practical mitigation controls, while ISO 27001 is a broader information security management framework. Our teams help align both where required.
Yes. Cyber threats affect organisations of all sizes. The Essential Eight provides a clear and practical security baseline and can be scaled to suit different business sizes and risk profiles.
Implementing the Essential Eight helps reduce the risk of ransomware and cyber attacks, improves cyber resilience and visibility, strengthens security posture for customers and partners, and supports regulatory and contractual requirements.
We conduct structured maturity assessments with clear reporting against ACSC maturity levels. This includes practical recommendations, not just compliance scoring.
Yes. Ongoing support is available through managed security services and compliance monitoring, including regular audits and reporting to maintain Essential Eight alignment.
Yes. Optional add-ons are available to extend and strengthen your Essential Eight program where required. These include Microsoft 365 hardening, public cloud security hardening across Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud, and penetration testing.
Virtuelle Group’s services are delivered by Australian-based cyber security specialists with a strong focus on remediation and measurable uplift. The approach integrates with IT support, cloud and cyber services, and is aligned to business risk and priorities.
Engagement typically begins with an initial Essential Eight assessment or discovery session, followed by maturity scoring and gap analysis. From there, a clear roadmap is developed to achieve the target maturity levels.
Essential 8 resources
Trust Essential Eight is covered with Virtuelle Group
Reaching your Essential Eight maturity goals strengthens control, improves resilience, and supports confident operations. With our structured plans, executive-level partnership, and a 90-day performance guarantee, our team helps you move from assessment to maturity with clarity and momentum.