Essential Eight (Essential 8)
The Australian Standard for Cyber Security — Delivered by Tyto
The Essential Eight is a set of baseline cyber security strategies developed by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) to help organisations protect themselves against the most common cyber threats. It's not optional guidance — for many industries, it's becoming the minimum standard that clients, insurers, and regulators expectAt Tyto, the Essential Eight isn't just a framework we reference — it's embedded in how we deliver every service. Our team has developed a comprehensive, practical approach to implementing the Essential Eight across your Microsoft 365 and Azure environment, giving your business the protection it needs without the complexity you don't.
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The Eight Strategies
The Essential Eight covers eight mitigation strategies across three key objectives: preventing attacks, limiting the impact of attacks, and ensuring data recovery. Here's how Tyto implements each one using Microsoft-native tools:
Application Control — We use Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Intune application management policies to control which applications can execute on your devices, preventing unauthorised or malicious software from running.
Patch Applications — Tyto manages third-party application patching alongside Microsoft 365 Apps updates, ensuring your business applications are current and vulnerabilities are closed promptly. We track patching compliance through Intune and our monitoring dashboards.
Configure Microsoft Office Macro Settings — We implement Microsoft's recommended macro policies through Intune and Group Policy, blocking macros from the internet by default and only allowing trusted, digitally signed macros where absolutely necessary.
User Application Hardening — We harden web browsers and other user-facing applications by disabling unnecessary features such as Flash, Java, and web-based advertisements that are commonly exploited by attackers, using Microsoft Edge security policies managed through Intune.
Restrict Administrative Privileges — Tyto implements a least-privilege model across your Microsoft 365 tenant and endpoints. We configure Privileged Identity Management (PIM) through Microsoft Entra ID, enforce just-in-time access for administrative tasks, and continuously monitor for privilege escalation attempts.
Patch Operating Systems — Windows updates are scheduled and deployed through Microsoft Intune, with compliance reporting to ensure every device in your fleet is running a supported, patched version of Windows. We manage update rings to balance security with stability.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) — We deploy MFA across all user accounts using Microsoft Entra ID, configured with Conditional Access policies that enforce strong authentication based on user risk, device compliance, and location. No exceptions.
Regular Backups — Tyto implements comprehensive backup using Veeam for Microsoft 365, covering Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams. Backups are tested and verified, ensuring fast, reliable recovery of your data in any disaster scenario — from accidental deletion to ransomware.
Our Approach
We start with an Essential Eight maturity assessment, benchmarking your current environment against the ACSC's maturity model (Maturity Levels 0 through 3). From there, we build a prioritised remediation plan and work with you to implement each strategy in a staged, practical way that doesn't disrupt your operations.
Once implemented, Tyto monitors and maintains your Essential Eight compliance on an ongoing basis, ensuring you don't regress as your environment changes and new threats emerge.
Once implemented, Tyto monitors and maintains your Essential Eight compliance on an ongoing basis, ensuring you don't regress as your environment changes and new threats emerge.
Why It Matters
Cyber attacks aren't theoretical. Ransomware, phishing, credential theft, and data breaches are hitting Australian businesses every day. The Essential Eight is your practical defence — and with Tyto as your partner, you can be confident it's done properly.
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Protect your business the Australian way. Talk to Tyto about Essential Eight.
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