The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) Essential 8 model is a gold set of cybersecurity standards that small to medium enterprises (SMEs) can adapt to take all reasonable precautions to safeguard Australian confidential information, such as staff, corporate, and consumer information.
The Essential 8 model provides a blueprint of key focus areas in cybersecurity, such as application control, patching applications, Microsoft macro policy, user application hardening, restricting administrative privileges, patching operating systems, multi-factor authentication, and regular backups.
Businesses that subscribe to Microsoft services already own tools required to meet the Essential 8 Standard. The good news is, it is entirely feasible for SMEs to meet the Essential 8 standard without purchasing new software. However, implementing these strategies requires technical expertise and a technician who know how to use these tools.
Businesses have unique needs, and all use their information systems differently. Some businesses may just have a few non-domain-joined computers, some businesses may have a localized server with a number of domain-joined computers on a local network and some businesses may be running off cloud-based services like Azure. Regardless of your setup, Windows includes built-in features that your business possibly already owns but has not yet implemented, which can assist your business in achieving the Essential 8 standards.
For example, for local Windows computers that are not domain-joined, tools such as Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) can assist with application whitelisting, Windows Group Policy can assist with setting macro permissions, Windows User Account Control can assist with restricting administrative permissions, Windows Hello can assist with multifactor authentication, and Windows Backup and Restore can back up systems. Simply put, businesses dont need to purchase new software; they just need to implement already built-in features that the business already owns
The same can be said for localized servers and Azure. Group Policy can be used for application whitelisting for network-joined computers, Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager can manage Windows and third-party application updates, Active Directory integrated MFA solutions, as well as Azure, can implement multifactor authentication (MFA), and servers can be backed up via Windows Server Backup or via Azure Backup servers.
In a nutshell, regardless if your business only has a couple of computers or has a whole network of computers and servers, your business possibly already owns the tools required to meet the Essential 8 guidelines. Your business just needs a technician who knows how to use these tools.
Shanes Computing and Networking can provide your business with a consultation service and review your current systems and offer practical advice with achievable insights on how your business can meet the Essential 8 Standard and take all reasonable precautions against cybercrime.
Shane, our head technician, will not attempt to hard-sell you a product. Shane will review the systems that you already have in place and suggest or implement methods to achieve the Essential 8 guidelines with the software and hardware that you already own. Shanes Computing and Networking understands the challenges most small businesses face is the availability of local skilled technicians and the costs associated with employing the services of these skilled technicians. Shane has set his rates to be reasonably affordable so small businesses can afford to meet the Australian Essential 8 standard.
Regardless if your business is a small takeout shop, a mechanics shop, or a small real estate office, every business will benefit from increased cybersecurity and the Essential 8 model. For businesses that already subscribe to a Microsoft service, they already own the tools required to achieve the Essential 8 Model standard; they just need a skilled professional who knows how to use those tools.
Our head technician Shane knows how to use these tools and can assist small businesses in achieving the Essential 8 standard at an affordable cost. Make 2024 the year that your business decides to fortify against cybercrime and protect your digital assets for the years to come.